Review Article on Indralupta w.s.r. to Alopecia areata

Hair fall has been described in Ayurveda by the name of Indralupta roga under the heading of kshudra roga (~minor disease) due to Alpa- Hetu, Lakshana & Chikitsa or shiroroga (~diseases of head & scalp). However, it has been mentioned as Tridoshaja Vikara in Charaka Samhita, Sutra sthana while Vagbhatta has cited it in Shiroroga (~diseases of head and scalp). The Samprapti (~pathogenesis) of Indralupta is the vitiated Tridosha (~Three vitiated factors) and Rakta (~blood) affecting the scalp. Ayurveda offers an effective treatment approach for the management of Indralupta. Indralupta (~Hairfall) is the most common condition in young and old age. In pathophysiology of Indralupta there is involvement of Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa and Asthivaha Srotas. Hair fall is a cosmetic disorder affecting patient psychologically. There are some differences between khalitya & Indralupta. In khalitya, hair loss is gradual and generalised over the scalp but hairs are lost suddenly and patch by patch in Indralupta. When the kapha dosha combines with rakta dhatu it results in degeneration and shutting down completely of hair follicles thus leading to baldness.