Standalone Ayurveda intervention with Shunthyadi taila nasya along with Chitraka haritaki in the management of Kshavathu (~Allergic rhinitis): A case report

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is an allergic disease with symptoms including runny nose, sneezing, nasal obstruction, and nasal itching in varying degrees among individuals and is usually treated with antihistamines, intranasal application of glucocorticoid and immunotherapy, requiring longer duration of management. In Ayurveda, the symptoms of AR are seen in Kshavathu , which is explained under the broader category of Nasaroga (~diseases of nose). Here, the case of a 42-year-old male patient with complaints of sneezing, watery nasal discharge, nasal obstruction, decreased sensation of smell, and itching in nose, with unsatisfactory response to the contemporary medications is being reported. The clinical features and the blood investigations such as Absolute Eosinophil Count (AEC) and serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) were indicative of AR, and the diagnosis of Kshavathu was made, with an involvement of deranged Vata–Kapha dosha . The patient was managed with Nasya (~medication through nasal route) of Shunthyadi taila for seven days along with the oral administration of Chitraka haritaki for one month. After a month of treatment, the AEC reduced from 605 to 372 cells/mm 3 and serum IgE reduced from 1124 to 478.90 IU/mL. Moreover, an assessment of Total Nasal Symptom Score, and AR symptom score before and after treatment showed marked improvement, and a significant relief was observed in the symptoms of Kshavathu . Thus, it can be inferred that the management with Shunthyadi taila nasya and Chitraka haritaki in the active phase of AR exhibits promising results within a short period of time.