Clinical Evaluation of an Ayurvedic Preparation or the Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Patients

Iron deficiency anemia is the most widespread nutritional disorder in the world. Prevalence of anaemia in Indian subcontinent is high because of low dietary intake, poor availability of iron and chronic blood loss due to hook worm infestation and malaria. Numbers of preparations are available in Ayurveda for correction of Iron deficiency anemia. So this study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of two Ayurvedic formulations Dhatri louha and Novayas louha in anaemic patients. It a was randomized, non-blinded, and placebo controlled pre-posttest design. Total thirty patients were divided into three groups. Each group contained 10 numbers of patients. Group 1 (control group) was given one starch capsule daily for 30 days and Group 2 and Group 3 were given two Ayurvedic formulations Dhatri louha and Novayas louha respectively in a dose of 250 mg twice a day for 30 days. Hematological parameters like hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were determined before and after completion of treatment. After the 30 days of treatment it was found significant (p<0.05) response in Group 2 and Group 3 when compared with Group 1. Therefore, it claimed that Dhatri louha and Novayas louha have haemopoetic function although it was a preliminary work.