A PILOT STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF ASHWAGANDHA CHURNA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF KARSHYA IN CHILDREN

Undernutrition is widely recognised as a significant health issue in developing countries, including India. This is a pressing concern, particularly for children. The term 'Karshya' primarily refers to malnutrition and being underweight. In Ayurveda, according to Acharya Charaka, excessively lean individuals (Karshya) are described as being among the eight despicable people (Ashtau-ninditiya). Given that Karshya is a significant issue, the following clinical pilot study was conducted using Ayurvedic medicine on children suffering from Karshya. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A received cow’s milk only, while the other group, Group B, was provided with cow's milk with Ashwagandha churna added. The results were promising, with children in Group B showing considerably more significant improvement in the symptoms of Karshya compared to those in Group A.