Use of Dashamoola in Cervical Spondylosis: Past and Present Perspective

Abstract

Cervical spondylosis is one of the most common disorders of the cervical spine. It is caused by degenerative changes in the vertebrae and intervertebral discs that occur because of constant improper stress on the cervical spine due to abnormal posture, injury, ageing, rheumatoid disease etc. In conventional system of medicine, a number of factors are responsible for the development of signs and symptoms of cervical spondylosis such as osteophyte (bony growth), narrowed spinal canal present since birth, degeneration of the intervertebral discs, changes in the spinal cord and nerves due to insufficient blood supply. The medical management options include use of analgesics for pain, anticonvulsants, or antidepressants for radicular pain, steroids to reduce inflammation around neural structures, and muscle relaxants. However, the adverse effects that they produce are the limitations in their use. Physical therapy is useful to strengthen neck muscles and supporting ligaments, and traction can help alleviate the nerve compression that occurs with foraminal stenosis. Many medicinal preparations are commonly used for the treatment of pain in alternative medicine. One such commonly used Ayurvedic preparation is Dashamoola, a combination of the roots of ten plants, a standard Ayurvedic remedy for the treatment of pain. In literature of Ayurveda it is said to have Tridosha shamaka and specially Vata shamaka properties along with it is considered as Shothahara, which can be correlated as anti inflammatory properties; Shvasahara–relieves breathing problems and Ama pacana-nullify Ama like reactive species, which may be called as antioxidant or free radical scavenging property. Accordingly, it is indicated for the management of variety of disorders, which is caused by vitiation of Tridosha and preferably in the disorders caused by vitiation of Vata dosha. It is mainly prescribed in shvasa (dyspnea), jvara (hyper pyrexia), sirahshula (cephalgia), tandra (malaise), anaha (flatulence in abdomen) and parsvashula (flank pain) and also indicated in shotha i.e. in inflammatory conditions. It is frequently used as internal medication as well as external medication in form of svedana for cervical spondylosis, which is may be attributed to its shothhara, vatashamana, and amapachana activity. The recent studies showed analgesic, anti-inflammatory along with free radical scavenging property of dashamoola, which justifies its use in cervical spondylosis.