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Ayurvedic medicine for schizophreniaAgarwal V, Abhijnhan A, Raviraj P
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SummaryAyurvedic medicine for schizophreniaAyurvedic medicine, developed in India more than 3000 years ago, is one of the oldest medical systems known to man. It is a complete and holistic science of healthy balanced living which views each person as an individual, with a unique mind-body constitution and set of life circumstances. In some ways, Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine are very similar, being based on universal natural bi-polar concepts that matter and energy are one. Ayurvedic medicine has been used in the treatment of mental health problems in India since its advent in c.1000 BC. It is now being used either on its own or in conjunction with antipsychotic medication. We systematically evaluated the effects of Ayurvedic medication in the treatment of schizophrenia. We were able to include three randomised controlled trials. Study sizes were small and were of short duration. When dealing with a condition as chronic as schizophrenia, this is a problem. However, the studies did suggest that there may be a case for further studies, even though any effects of Ayurvedic approaches are not obvious and positive in the short term and adverse effects are possible.
This is a Cochrane review abstract and plain language summary, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration, currently published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009 Issue 4, Copyright © 2009 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).
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October 17. 2007 AbstractBackgroundAyurvedic medicine has been used to treat mental health problems since1000 BC. ObjectivesTo review effects of Ayurvedic medicine or treatments for schizophrenia. Search strategyWe searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register (March 2007) and AMED (March 2007), inspected references of all identified studies and contacted the first author of each included study. Selection criteriaWe included all clinical randomised trials comparing Ayurvedic medicine or treatments with placebo, typical or atypical antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychoses. Data collection and analysisWe independently extracted data and calculated random effects, relative risk (RR), 95% confidence intervals (CI) and, where appropriate, numbers needed to treat/harm (NNT/H) on an intention-to-treat basis. For continuous data, we calculated weighted mean differences (WMD). Main resultsFrom the three small (total n=250) short included studies, we were unable to extract any data on many broad clinically important outcomes such as global state, use of services, and satisfaction with treatment. When Ayurvedic herbs were compared with placebo, about 20% of people left the studies early (n=120, 2 RCTs, RR 0.77 CI 0.37 to 1.62). Mental state ratings were mostly equivocal with the exception of the brahmyadiyoga group using Ayurvedic assessment (n=68, 1 RCT, RR not improved 0.56 CI 0.36 to 0.88, NNT 4 CI 3 to 12). Behaviour seemed unchanged (n=43, 1 RCT, WMD Fergus Falls Behaviour Rating 1.14 CI -1.63 to 3.91). Nausea and vomiting were common in the brahmyadiyoga group (n=43, RR 13.13 CI 0.80 to 216.30). When the Ayurvedic herbs were compared with antipsychotic drugs (chlorpromazine), again, equal numbers left the study early (n=120, 2 RCTs, RR for brahmyadiyoga 0.91 CI 0.42 to 1.97) but people allocated herbs were at greater risk of no improvement in mental state compared to those allocated chlorpromazine (n=45, RR 1.82 CI 1.11 to 2.98). Again, nausea and vomiting were found with use of brahmyadiyoga (n=45, 1 RCT, RR 20.45 CI 1.09 to 383.97, NNH 2 CI 2 to 38). Finally, when Ayurvedic treatment, in this case a complex mixture of many herbs, is compared with chlorpromazine in acutely ill people with schizophrenia, it is equally (~10% attrition, n=36, RR 0.67 CI 0.13 to 3.53), but skewed data does seem to favour the chlorpromazine group. Authors' conclusionsAyurvedic medication may have some effects for treatment of schizophrenia, but has been evaluated only in a few small pioneering trials. |