IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY OF LIFE IN ULCERATIVE COLITIS FOLLOWING AYURVEDIC ADD-ON THERAPY: A CASE REPORT

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon characterized by a relapsing and remitting course, significantly affecting patients’ quality of life. Common clinical features include increased frequency of loose stools, rectal bleeding, mucus discharge, abdominal pain, and tenesmus. In Ayurveda, ulcerative colitis does not correspond to a single disease entity; it may be interpreted as a Rakta-pradhāna Tridoṣaja vyādhi, sharing clinical resemblance with conditions such as Rakta Pittātīsāra, Rakta Pravāhikā, Abhyantara Visarpa, Guda Pāka, and Duṣṭa Vraṇa. Conventional management with aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and surgical interventions is effective in many cases; however, long-term therapy is often associated with incomplete response, relapse, or adverse effects, necessitating supportive and integrative treatment approaches. Ayurvedic formulations such as Śuṇḍīsamāṅgadi Kaṣāya, Gopīcandānādi Guḷikā, and Picchā Vasti possess Dīpana, Pācana, Grahi, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, and immunomodulatory properties, which may contribute to symptom control and mucosal protection. This case report describes a 59-year-old male patient with a confirmed diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, presenting with increased bowel frequency, passage of blood and mucus mixed stools, and abdominal pain. The patient was administered Śuṇḍīsamāṅgadi Kaṣāya along with Gopīcandānādi Guḷikā for 14 days, and Picchā Vasti for 7 days as an add-on therapy. Quality of life was assessed using the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ-32). A significant improvement in clinical symptoms and overall quality of life was observed following the intervention, without any reported adverse effects.