CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT PROTOCOL FOR MANAGEMENT OF
CHILDHOOD PREMATURE GRAYING HAIR (CANITIES) W.S.R. TO PALITYA (A REVIEW)
Dr. Shrinidhi K. Acharya
M.D(Ay). PhD
National Institute of Ayurveda , Jaipur

Introduction
 Skin and hair has got a lot of concern for interest of
cosmetic purpose.
 Hair length, color, and style play an important role in
physical appearance and self-perception.
 The term premature graying is applied, when
abnormal graying will be found in young population
and also in children.
 The color of human hair depends on melanogenesis,
through a process of synthesis of melanin and its
subsequent distribution from the melanocyte to
keratinocyte.

Cont…
 The human hair follicles contain two types of melanin-
 The black-brown pigment eumelanins mainly present in black
and brown hair.
 The yellow or red pheomelanins in red and blonde hair. (
 Ayurveda, the richest heritage of India long back highlighted
this burning problem and categorized the same under the
heading of Palitya.
 The disease Palitya is mentioned under the heading of
Kshudraroga and Shirogataroga.
 The main etiology of Palitya is vitiation of Dehoshma and
Ushna Guna of Pitta which circulates to Romakoopa and
causes Paka of hair.

Aims And Objects
 Review and Critical analysis of premature
graying of hair in children .
 To evaluate etiopathgenesis of Palitya in
children
 To study treatment protocol for management
of premature graying of hair (Palitya) in
childhood clinical practice.

Material and Methods
 Information on premature graying of hair
(Palitya) is collected from different -
 All available Ayurvedic literature
 Contemporary medical text books,
 Magazines,
 Journals, and
 e- References

Etiology Acc. To Ayurveda
 According to Ayurveda the disease of Palitya,
specific Nidana are not mentioned.
 But on basis of Samprapti, Pitta Prakopaka
Nidana, Rasadushti and Asthidushti Nidana
can be considered.
 Nidanas of the Kshudra Roga and Shirro
Rogas can be also applied to understand
Palitya.

Cont…
 For easy understanding Nidana of Palitya
can be classified under these headings-
 Dietary (Ahara),
 Environmental (Vihara),
 Psychological (Manasika),
 Unknown causes (Adibalapravrita).

Cont…
 The Dietary (Ahara) Nidana –
 Consumption of Ushna, Tikshna, Lavana, Amla,
Vidahi, Tilataila, Kulatha, Sarshapa, Dadhi, Kanji etc
Pittavardhak Aahara.
 Above all causes vitiate Pitta and affect Rasa Dhatu
Poshana Karma.
 Rasa Dhatu and Asthi Dhatu Dushti is the Nidana of
Palitya.

Cont…
 Environmental (Vihara) Nidana –
 Like ratrijagarana, atapasevana, dhumasevana,
dushitavayusevana, siroabyangaayoga,
dushitajalasnana, ativyayama and upavasa are
important.
 Above all causes accounts for improper nourishment
of scalp and hair follicles leading to premature graying
of hair.

Cont…
 Psychological (Manasika) Nidana – like Krodha,
Sokha, Adhikachinta and Manasikashrama are
considered to be both Pitta and Vata Prakopa Nidanas
responsible for Akalajpalitya.
 Unknown causes (Adibalapravrita) Nidana -
Development of premature graying of hairs in Pitta
Prakriti.

Etiology Acc. To Contemporary Science
 Achromotrichia-
The change in hair colour occurs when
melanin ceases to be produced in the hair
root and new hairs grow without pigment.
 Stress-
Stress has been considered as major cause of
the induce achromotrichia.

Cont…
 Nutritional factor-
Nutritional deficiencies like vitamin B12
deficiency, severe iron deficiency, chronic
protein loss, copper deficiency, low serum
ferritin, and low serum calcium and vitamin D3
levels are often found associated with
premature graying of hairs.
 Environmental factors-
Smoking results in generation of huge
amount of reactive oxygen, species leading to
increase oxidative stress culminating into
damage to melanin producing cells melanocyte.

Cont…
 Medical conditions-
Albinism,
Vitiligo,
Pernicious anemia,
Thyroid diseases and
Werner’s syndrome.

Symptomatology of Palitya (Roopa)
 The symptomatolgy of Palitya has been
attributed to Tridosha pradhanta by Ashtang
Hridayam.
 Vata pradhana Palitya-
 Sphutitam (cracked),
 Shyava (black in colour),
 Karksha (rough),
 Ruksha (dry),
 Jwalataprabham (watery) are commonly seen.

Cont…
 Pitta pradhana Palitya-
 Dahayukta (burning sensation),
 Pita (yellow colour) will be evidenced.
 Kapha pradhana Palitya-
 Snigdha (smooth),
 Vivradhi (growing),
 Sthula (thick),
 Shukla (white) will be seen.

Cont…
 Tridoshaja Palitya-
 Sarva Dosha Lakshana Yukta (Mixed features of all the
dosas) will be seen.
• Acharya Yogaratnakara also mentioned the same.
 Madhava Nidana explains-
 Kalaj Palitya in which graying of hair occurs after
certain age due to vitiation of Tridosha.
 Akalaj Palitya occurring due to vitiation of
Shariroushma and Pitta Dosha in an early age.

Samprapti Ghataka
Dosha Tridosha
{Pitta (Bhrajaka pitta) pradhana }
Dushya Rasa dhatu, Asthi dhatu
Agni Jatharagni, Dhatwagni
Srotas Rasavaha, Asthivaha
Srotodusti Sanga, Vimarggamana
Udbhava Sthana Aamashaya
Vyadhi Adhishthana Keshabhumi
Roga Marga Bahya Roga Marga
Sadhya Asadhyata Ekdoshaj Sadhya,
Sannipataj Asadhya

Current Treatment Trends
 Topical antiaging compounds.
 Oral supplementation with l-cystine and l-
methionine, and topical melatonin.
 Large doses of P-aminobenzoic acid (PABA).
 Prostaglandins (stimulators of melanocyte
growth and melanogenesis)
 Temporary hair colorants are used worldwide.

Cont….
 The basic treatment principle of Palitya -
 Avoidance of causative factors like Pittavardhak Ahara
and Vihara.
 Purification therapies (Samshodhana Chikitsa)
 Nasal medication (Nasya Karma)
 Anointing the face and head (Vaktra-siro Abhyanga)
 Application of pastes (Lepa) and
 Oral medications.

Nasya Karma
 In Akalaj-Palitya the Navana and Pratimarsha Nasya is
mentioned.
 Yogas for Nasya Karma- These Yogas for Nasya karma
mentioned in different classics have been given below.
 Bhringaraja Taila
 Bhringaraja Ghrita
 Chandanadya Taila
 Prapoudarikadi Taila
 Nimba beejadi Taila
 Yashtimadhuka Taila

Shiroabhyanga
 Nilikadi Taila
 Bhringaraja Taila
 Maha neela Taila
 Sarayakadi Taila

Shiro Lepa
1. Lohachurna + Bhringaraja + Haritaki + Vibhitaki + Amalaki +
black soil are taken in equal quantity powdered and mixed
with sugar cane juice. This mixture is kept for 1month and
that juice is applied over hair.
2. Two Amalaki fruits, two Haritaki and two Vibhitaki, 5 karsha
Amra majja; 1 karsha lohachurna are mixed well and kept in
Iron jar. This is kept for whole night and applied.
3. Triphala + Loha churna + Bhringaraja swaras - Kept in
matured coconut for month. This is applied over scalp.
4. Kashmaryadi Taila.

Oral medication
 Amalaki rasayana
 Bhringaraja rasayana
 Saptamrita loha
 Loha churna
 Bhringaraja churna
 Guduchi churna

Discussion
 Palitya is a disease which does not have satisfactory
treatment till date. The reason behind that may be
improper execution of treatment.
 In Ayurveda the first line of treatment seems
Shodhana.
 Shodhana expels vitiated Doshas from body.
 Basic pathogenesis of Palitya is based on either
Margavarodha or Dhatu Kshaya/Dushti or
sometimes both.

Cont…
 After proper Shodhana any treatment works
better as clean cloth can be coloured better
than a dirty cloth.
 Amongst Shodhana, though Vamana and
Virechana are best but Nasya seems treatment
of choice in Palitya because of its action on
Uttamanga and it can act as both Shodhana
and Shaman.

Cont…
 If we go through the mechanism of Nasya the drug
absorbed by three process in nasal mucosa.
1. The olfactory neurons
2. second by supporting cells and surrounding
capillaries.
3. The third way by cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF).

Cont…
 Shiroabhyanga, Sirodhara, Sirolepa are other
external treatments which can be used
simultaneously.
 Many oils and Lepas are only Krishnikarna in nature
act as a stimulant or nutrient for the hair follicles
like-
 Nimba Beeja Taila
 Bhringaraja
 Nirgundi
 Lepa of Karveer Moola Swarasa and Dugdhika Swaras

Conclusion
 After reviewing the literature we can conclude that
Palitya is a disease which has Srotorodha along with
Dosha Prakopa.
 From the above discussion we can say that the
Panchkarma plays important role in Chikitsa of
Palitya.
 Acharya Charaka and Vagbhatta mentioned
Samshodhana therapy causes expulsion of vitiated
Dosha and thus breaks the Samprapti of Palitya.

Cont…
 Vamana expels Apakva Pitta and Kapha Dosha from
Urdhavamarga.
 Virechana expels Pitta Dosha from Adhomarga.
 After the Samshodhana karma, if we use Samana
Chikitsa with yukti Praman, we can find better results
in premature graying of hair.

THANK YOU