COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SHIRO ABHYANGA WITH PRAPOUNDARIKADI TAILA AND KARANJA TAILA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DARUNAKA: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Dandruff is a common disorder affecting the scalp caused by yeast Pityrosporum. Dandruff cannot be completely eliminated but can only be managed and effectively controlled. Dandruff can be compared to Darunaka (Dandruff) based on the features explained in Ayurvedic medicine. Objectives: To evaluate and compare the effects of shiro abhyanga with Prapoundarikadi taila and Karanja taila in the management of Darunaka. Design: This was a randomized comparative clinical study. In Group A, Prapoundarikadi taila shiroabhyanga (Head massage) and in Group B, Karanja taila shiroabhyanga (Head massage) was done for thirty days, daily once in the evening. After the completion of treatment, follow up was done once in fifteen days for a period of 2 months. Results: Statistically significant results were seen in the reduction of severity in kandu, Group A (50.98%) compared to Group B (26.53), (p<0.001), keshachyuti (p<0.001), Group A (41.30%), Group B (20.45%), rookshata Group A (49.05%) compared to Group B (36.53%) (p<0.001) and twak sputana with p<0.001, Group A (48.07%) compared to Group B (20%). Conclusions: Prapoundarikadi taila shiro abhyanga showed statistically significant results in pacifying the symptoms of Darunaka (Dandruff) and marked reduction in clinical symptoms within two months duration compared to karanja taila shiroabhyanga.