Effectiveness of Herbal Poultice (Punarnavadi Upanaha Sweda) in Relieving Pain and Stiffness in Osteoarthritis Patients: A Single-arm Clinical Trial

Introduction: In today’s world, pharmacological, biochemical, and surgical treatments often fall short in effectively managing Osteoarthritis (OA). However, Ayurveda has suggested various therapies for its long-term efficacy, and Herbal Poultice is one among them. It is seen to provide analgesic and antiinflammatory effects. The goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of herbal poultice as a natural and supportive treatment option for knee OA. Aim: The study’s main aim was to evaluate Punarnavadi Upanaha Sweda’s efficacy in managing Janusandhigatavata, using daily poultice bandaging on the affected knee for upto seven days. Materials and Methods: The present single arm clinical trial was conducted at Dr. DY Patil College of Ayurved Hospital and Research Centre Pimpri, Pune, Maharashtra, India, from April 2023 to October 2024. A total of 32 patients diagnosed with knee OA were included, and patients who had other joint disorders or permanent joint damage were excluded. Patients were also excluded if the patient had other joint disorders or permanent joint damage. The intervention consisted of Punarnavadi Upanaha Sweda, a poultice applied externally to the affected knee joint for six hours daily over seven consecutive days, preceded by a five-minute massage. Followup assessments were conducted on the 14th day after the last treatment. Demographic parameters, including age, gender, and baseline pain levels, were recorded for all participants. To assess the effects of the treatment, joint pain was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and joint restrictions were evaluated through goniometric measurements of the knee’s range of motion. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman test for follow-up and the Wilcoxon signed rank test for before and after assessment, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The subjective parameter viz., Janusandhishool (Pain), Janusandhishotha (swelling), Akunchana Prasarana Kashtata (joint restriction) related to the knee joint and objective parameter viz., VAS for the pain of the knee joint and goniometric measurement for the restricted knee joint movements were statistically significant (p<0.05), indicating a significant improvement from baseline assessment to the end of treatment. Conclusion: The study provides strong evidence for the effectiveness of Punarnavadi Upanaha Sweda in managing knee OA, demonstrating significant improvements in both joint pain and range of motion. These findings suggest that this Ayurvedic treatment can be a valuable option for alleviating symptoms and improving the quality of life in patients with knee OA.