Abstract

CLINICAL EVALUATION OF KANTAKARI AVALEHA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF KASA (COUGH) IN CHILDREN: AN OPENLABEL SINGLE-ARM CLINICAL STUDY

*Dr. Arati Amarnath Yadav

Abstract

Background. Cough is one of the common respiratory complaints encountered in children. Ayurveda describes Kasa as a distinct disease involving the Pranavaha Srotas, with Vata and Kapha playing important roles in its pathogenesis. Kantakari Avaleha is a classical Ayurvedic formulation traditionally used in respiratory disorders. Aim. To clinically evaluate the effect of Kantakari Avaleha in the management of Kasa in children aged 5–12 years. Materials and Methods. A prospective, open-label, interventional, single-arm clinical study was conducted in 60 children aged 5–12 years. Kantakari Avaleha was administered according to the study protocol. Clinical assessment was performed at baseline and during follow-up, with subjective and objective parameters and selected laboratory investigations. Statistical analysis used paired t-test. Results. Thirty-three participants (55%) were male and 27 (45%) female; 36 (60%) were aged 8–10 years. Cough bouts per hour decreased from a mean score of 2.96 before treatment to 1.16 after treatment, corresponding to 60.81% improvement (p

Keywords: Kasa; cough; Kantakari Avaleha; Ayurveda; children; Kaumarbhritya; Pranavaha Srotas.