IJRAP International Journal of Research in Ayurveda and Pharmacy 2277-4343 Moksha Publishing House DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.120239 EFFECT OF TIKTA KATU RASA OF SHIGRU (MORINGA OLEIFERA) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERLIPIDEMIA: AN OPEN CLINICAL TRIAL Saranya Raj V R * Pankaj Lomate 11 -0001 18 24 Abstract Hyperlipidemia is one among the leading risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) accounting for one third of the total death around the world. As per Ayurveda, the abnormal hike of the 4th dhatu meda, results in Hyperlipidemia. The contemporary treatment for Hyperlipidemia using statin drugs have triggered many controversies due to the adverse effects on long term use. The concept of application of rasa in treatment is unique to Ayurveda. Tikta and katu rasa are said to have a scarifying effect on increased kapha and meda. The study was an open clinical trial on 30 patients selected through convenient sampling .15 ml of fresh juice of leaves of Shigru in the morning on empty stomach was administered for 14 days. The participants were assessed for subjective parameters and objective parameters before and after treatment and also after 1-month follow-up. The improvements in the subjective parameters like fatigue and breathlessness was found to be statistically significant (p __ampersandsignlt; 0.001). The lipid profile of the participants also showed significant results after treatment and follow-up (p __ampersandsignlt; 0.001). The pathophysiology of Hyperlipidemia as per Ayurveda can be explained as an initial phase of medo Dhatu Vriddhi and the latter phase of Ati Sthoulya, based on the pathological fluctuations in the quality of agni. The 14-day intervention was effective in correcting the decreased Dhatwagni, and the drying out excess kapha and meda instigating a depletory effect on medo Dhatu Vriddhi. Keywords Medo Dhatu Vriddhi Hyperlipidemia Shigrupatra Swarasa Katu-tikta rasa References