Abstract

A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON HERBS CONDUCTED SO FAR CONCERNING THYROID DISORDERS.

Mahajan Roshi*, Dogra Jyoti and Tiwari Aditya Nath

Abstract

Thyroid problems are among the most common endocrine disorders presently seen worldwide. About 1 to 2% of the adult population is known to suffer from thyroid disorders are common worldwide. In India, there is a significant burden of thyroid diseases. According to a projection from various studies on thyroid disease about 42 million people in India are suffering from thyroid diseases.[1] Patients with thyroid disorders suffer either from hypo functioning or from hyper functioning of the gland. Whereas the former leads to a decrease in the concentrations of circulating thyroid hormones, the latter increases the same. These two dysfunctions are commonly referred as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, respectively. In Ayurveda, the common thyroid-related problem that has been described from time to time is enlarged thyroid gland (galaganda)[2] which is now known as the simple goiter, a state of hypothyroidism. Some other diseases that are commonly mentioned in endocrine text such as myxedema, cretinism, Grave’s disease, and nodular goiter, have not been well described in Ayurveda symptom-based herbal treatments. Despite several investigations on the herbal therapies, the use of Ayurvedic medicines in the regulation of thyroid problems continues to require more investigation. The primary aim of this paper is to review the available literature along the experimental studies conducted to date.

Keywords: Galaganda, Ayurveda, Myxedema, Cretinism, Grave’s disease and Nodular goitre.