Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy

Adolescents and young adults are now facing mounting emotional distress and mood instability, thus reviving academic interest in integrative meditation. The current study focused on the impact of 30 days Pragya Yoga intervention on the psychological well-being of young adults aged between 18 and 25 years. Simple random sampling was used to distribute 83 respondents (37 male, 46 females) into experimental and control groups. The experimental group were subject to systematic Pragya Yoga program involving asanas, pranayama, meditation, relaxation, and self-reflection, but the control group got nothing. The grading of psychological well-being was done through the PGI General Well-Being Measure that was pre-intervention and post-intervention. The findings showed statistically significant improvements in the well-being of the yoga group. There was an increase of 25.6 to 28.6 with a large effect size (d=1.398) in the male participants. There was an improvement of female participants (25.4 to 27.2 with a moderate-large effect size (d=0.768). The standard deviations were declining across the genders, resulting more emotionally stable after the intervention. The control cohort was exhibited insignificant improvement and thus supporting specificity of the practice. Overall, the results indicate that Pragya Yoga produces significant improvements of emotional regulation, self-image, and well-being providing a viable and culture-specific mental-health source to young adults.

Background & objectives Persistent mild inflammation is considered as a main contributor to the altered genesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with numerous studies reporting elevated serum levels of inflammatory markers. This inflammatory state may be attributed to genetic variants, particularly single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), that alter cytokine regulation. This study investigated the association of PCOS and inflammatory SNPs including interleukin (IL) such as IL-1β rs1143634, IL-1β rs16944, IL-6 rs1800795, IL-6 rs1800797, IL-6 rs1800796, IL-1RN; and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Methods A total of 250 women volunteered for the study; of which 100 were diagnosed with PCOS and 150 were healthy controls. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genotyping was analysed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), or real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Genotype distributions amid groups were compared using the Chi-square test. Results Women with PCOS exhibited elevated serum levels of IL-1β than those of healthy controls which was considerably significant (P<0.001). The heterozygous genotypes of IL-1RN and IL-6 rs1800796 were seen more frequently in the control group (P=0.02), suggesting a potential inverse association. Interpretation & conclusions SNPs in IL-1 and IL-6 genes may influence susceptibility to PCOS and could confer a protective role in women of South Asian Indian origin.

Systemic hypertension is a major contributor to global cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Effective management combines pharmacological and lifestyle interventions. Pranayama, a yogic breathing technique, may modulate cardiovascular function, but its impact on hypertension remains uncertain. A systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024597502) included RCTs from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to April 2025. We assessed Risk of bias using Cochrane RoB 2, and pooled effects were reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Seven RCTs (683 participants) showed a significant reduction in the primary outcome, heart rate (SMD=-0.43; 95% CI: -0.52 to -0.34; I2=0%). Systolic BP decreased significantly under fixed-effects (SMD=-0.72), while diastolic BP and HRV improvements were modest. Pranayama lowers heart rate and may modestly reduce blood pressure, supporting its role as a safe, adjunctive therapy pending larger standardized trials.

The placenta, a crucial organ during pregnancy, has been a subject of fascination for researchers and medical professionals for a long time. Placenta performs a multitude of vital functions. The placenta, or aparā, is seen in Ayurveda as a vital organ that feeds and supports the fetus during gestation. The old writings shed light on the development, purpose, and importance of the placenta by providing in-depth accounts of its physiological functions and physical characteristics. This paper aims to explore the understanding of the placenta and its complications according to Ayurveda, in context with modern scientific perspectives. We seek to enrich our understanding of placental biology and pathology and therapeutic interventions in obstetrics and gynecology and streeroga. Through this interdisciplinary exploration, we hope to bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary science, fostering a deeper appreciation for the holistic approach to maternal and fetal health offered by Ayurveda during pregnancy.

This chapter explores the theoretical foundations, differences, applications, and future directions of ensemble and hybrid machine learning techniques, with a particular emphasis on their application in healthcare. Ensemble learning combines multiple models to enhance accuracy and robustness by leveraging the strengths of individual models, using methods such as bagging, boosting, and stacking. Hybrid machine learning integrates diverse algorithms and paradigms to exploit their complementary advantages, leading to more powerful and adaptable models. We discuss the conceptual and methodological differences between these techniques, highlighting their unique strengths and limitations. Practical applications are examined across various domains, with a specific focus on healthcare applications such as disease diagnosis, medical image analysis, personalized medicine, and treatment optimization. A dedicated chapter on healthcare integration addresses how these advanced techniques can be tailored to meet specific challenges in the healthcare domain, enhancing the accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness of medical practices. Key challenges such as computational complexity, model interpretability, and scalability are addressed, along with emerging research opportunities and technological advancements, including quantum computing and federated learning. The insights gained provide a comprehensive understanding of these advanced machine learning techniques, guiding their effective application and future development to tackle complex real-world problems, especially in healthcare.

Background: In today’s world, lumbago is one of the most prevalent and debilitating diseases. It is a disease condition, which is statistically recorded to seek medical attention second only to common cold. It mainly affects muscles, nerves and bones of the back in between the bottom fold of the buttocks and lower edge of the ribs. Globally, lumbago has been ranked 13th in disability adjusted life-years in the year 2010. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol both significantly lessen the pain. However, they shouldn't be used for an extended time duration. Lumbago is extremely hard to manage and there is still no cure. Surgery is advised as the last measure although it is usually unnecessary and rarely succeeds in offering long term relief. The objective of the study was to assess the role of individualized homoeopathic medicines in the cases of chronic lumbago by using oswestry disability index. Study Design is Prospective Observational Study. Methodology: 44 cases of chronic lumbago were treated with Individualized Homoeopathic medicines which were prescribed on the basis of totality of the symptoms. Dose and potency selection was done according to the guidelines given by Dr. Hahnemann in the 5th edition of Organon of medicine. Follow ups of the cases were taken at an interval of 15 days upto 3 months with minimum 6 follow ups. The treatment outcome was assessed by using Oswestry Disability Index after three months of treatment. Results: Out of 44 patients maximum patients showed Improvement (n=35; 79.54%) followed by Status Quo (n=8; 18.18%) and Worse (n=1; 2.27%). Maximum patients were found to be in the age group of 36 to 45 years (n=13; 29.54%) and females (n=30; 68.19%) were more commonly affected than males (n=14; 31.81%). Frequently prescribed medicines were Natrium Muriaticum, Phosphorus and Lycopodium Clavatum. Paired t-test was conducted on the Oswestry Disability Index. The result showed that p value is &lt; 0.05 &amp; value of t (15.115) is greater than the tabulated value in t-table at df = 43 (2.02) which was statistically significant. Conclusion: Homoeopathic medicines were effective in treating Chronic lumbago.

Digital eye strain (DES), or computer vision syndrome, is increasingly prevalent due to extensive use of digital devices. Its symptoms-headache, eye burning, blurred vision, and fatigue-impact well-being and productivity. Innovative nonpharmacological treatments, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and palming techniques, require rigorous scientific validation to determine efficacy, especially among young female adults who face unique physiological challenges. To present the study protocol for evaluating the efficacy of TCM and palming techniques in reducing DES symptoms among young female adults. This randomized controlled trial involves 60 female adults aged 18-28 years, diagnosed with mild-to-moderate DES. Participants were recruited from Sant Hirdaram Medical College of Naturopathy & Yogic Sciences for Women, Bhopal, and randomly allocated to three groups: TCM and palming (Group 1), palming only (Group 2), and a control group (Group 3). Group 1 will receive TCM therapies and palming; Group 2 will receive palming alone; and Group 3 will receive no intervention. Primary outcomes include DES severity (Digital Eye Strain Questionnaire), psychological well-being (WHO-5 Well-Being Index), and visual fatigue (Visual Fatigue Scale). Baseline assessments and follow-ups after 1 month were performed to measure changes. Data collection and analysis are ongoing. This protocol presents the study hypotheses to be tested through empirical data collection. This study aims to provide valuable evidence on the combined use of TCM therapies and palming techniques for DES management, enhancing nonpharmacological treatment approaches.