Systematic review on efficacy of different Niruha Basti’s in Gridhrasi (sciatica)

Summary of article contents:

Background: Gridhrasi (Sciatica) is the most complex and prominent diseases among 80 types of Nanatmaja Vyadhi’s. Gridhrasi is a painful condition in which a person cannot sit or walk properly, which interferes with their normal activities. Even though so much research was conducted on this disease, the search for a better intervention is still relevant. In the past, different studies are carried out at various centers across the country to evaluate the clinical efficacy of various Basti preparations in Gridhrasi. Present review is an effort to analyse the efficacy of different Basti combinations in treatment of Gridhrasi. Objective: To review the articles published on Gridhrasi for setting guidelines for further research and improving the healthcare practice. Methods and materials: The articles are screened from Google Scholar and PubMed. Google Scholar from 2015 to 2022 and PubMed from 2014 to 2022 were searched using a strategy designed to optimize the retrieval of CTs, Case Series, and Case Reports. The search terms used were Gridhrasi, Vaitarana Basti, Erandamuladi Niruha Basti, Vrishyadi Niruha Basti, Panchatiktaka Ksheera Basti, Mustadi Yapana Basti. Results: For this purpose, 80 articles were screened and extracted 15 articles on different combinations of Basti. Out of 15 reviewed articles, 14 were clinical trials, and one was a randomized controlled trial. And 5 were single arm studies, 8 were double arm studies, 2 were observational studies. Conclusion: The review depicts that most of the studies lack the use of standard scales for the assessment of efficacy. We suggest standardization of procedures with standard parameters like the Basti mixing method, method of Basti administration etc.