Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge (IJTK)

Content February 2026

Charu Lata — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Author Index February 2026

Charu Lata — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Subject Index February 2026

Charu Lata — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions on quality of sleep of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Insomnia is a frequent sleep problem experienced by patients undergoing chemotherapy. Various non-pharmacological approaches are applied to manage this condition; however, their influence on sleep quality in patients with breast cancer remains unclear. This study examines the effectiveness of these approaches in reducing insomnia through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Relevant studies are retrieved from CINAHL, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, covering publications from inception to February 2024. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) assesses the methodological quality of the included trials. Data analysis is conducted using STATA 17.0, applying a random-effects model to estimate pooled effect sizes. Thirteen trials (n=13) involving 942 patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy are included. Most participants are in stage II, with a mean age of 55.8 years, and the majority are married. The interventions consist of acupuncture, acupressure, electroacupuncture, tai chi, aromatherapy, and massage. The overall analysis shows that non-pharmacological interventions significantly improve sleep quality, with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of −0.91 (95% CI: −1.51 to −0.30, p = 0.00, I² = 94.82%; τ² = 1.15; Q = 58.18; df = 12). Outcomes are measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). The findings indicate that these interventions effectively reduce insomnia and enhance sleep quality in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Despite these positive results, broader generalization of the findings still requires further confirmation due to the variability of the non-pharmacological methods applied.

Evaluation of anti-adipogenic activity of Vacha rhizome (Acorus Calamus Linn.) in 3T3-L1 cell line

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Obesity increases the risk of physical and mental health problems like cardiovascular diseases, stroke, insulin resistance, diabetes, cancer, and depression. Acorus calamus Linn rhizome is ones uch medication used in Ayurveda and other traditional systems to treat obesity. Purpose of this study is to evaluate anti-adipogenic activity of both an ethanolic, aqueous extract of A. calamus Linn. rhizome in 3T3-L1 mouse derived cell line. The ethanolic and aqueous extract of this A. calamus Linn. rhizome was prepared with the help of Soxhlet apparatus. Cytotoxicity has been evaluated with the help of MTT assay. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of lipid deposition in the cell line treated with extract was conducted with O Red oil staining with the help of microscope and Image J software, respectively. Anti-adipogenic activity was evaluated through differentiation and gene expression analysis (RTPCR) for PPARγ and GLUT4 mRNA expression. Viability assay revealed that the 50 µg/mL showed cell proliferation without any cellular toxicity. The 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with ethanolic extract of A. calamus Linn. rhizome exhibited significant decrease in the lipid accumulation as evidenced by oil red o staining and subsequent quantification with Image J software. Down regulation of PPARγ and up regulation of GLUT4 genes via RT-PCR in treated group showed the anti-adipogenic activity. This demonstrates the ethanolic extract of AC is effective in reducing adipogenesis i.e., it has antiadipogenic activity. An ethanolic extract of A. calamus Linn. thus establishes it as a promising herb for the treatment of obesity and associated disorders.

Polyherbal formulation managing E-Selectin: A novel strategy for the management of diabetic complications

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Microvascular damage in type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) leads to a range of systemic illnesses, with neuropathy, nephropathy, and cardiovascular diseases being the most prevalent, representing significant global health concerns. Microvascular problems are made worse by aberrant e-selectin triggering in diabetes. Recent research suggest that polyherbal formulations (PHF) may target E-selectin and alleviate diabetes-related issues. The effect of a polyherbal aqueous extract formulation on the regulation of anti-inflammatory-mediated E-selectin was investigated in individuals with T2DM and diabetic comorbidities. A PHF made from seven potential antidiabetic herbs, individuals with diabetes, and individuals with diabetic complications like neuropathy and nephropathy (150) were subjected to the study. Baseline and end-of-study intervention (12 weeks) findings were analyzed using a statistical tool, the paired t-test. Diabetic, inflammatory, antioxidant, nephropathy, neuropathy profiles and diastolic blood pressure, additionally, E-selectin in the study group were statistically improved compared to baseline values. In individuals subjected to polyherbal formulation, the decline in E-selectin levels was especially noticeable. T2DM patients may benefit from phytochemicals in polyherbal therapy. Reducing E-selectin levels, it prevents infiltration of inflammatory cells. Additionally, this reduces diabetic complications and oxidative damage caused by inflammation. These findings provide insight into the impact of polyherbal therapy on inflammation. The results also imply that E-selectin may be a novel target for the management of problems associated with diabetes.

HPTLC characterization of Tinospora cordifolia (Guduchi/Giloy) mother tincture and a randomized clinical comparison with individualized homeopathic medicines in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Rachna Goenka, Satarupa Sadhukhan, Ayan Midya, Munmun Koley, Subhranil Saha — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder and remains a major contributor to the global burden of disease. The present study focused on the standardization of Tinospora cordifolia (TC) mother tincture (Ø), a medicinal plant widely used in Ayurveda for its antidiabetic potential and known to contain alkaloids such as berberine and palmatine. Standardization was carried out using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), along with other established quality-control procedures, and the clinical effects of TCØ were compared with those of individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) in adults with type II DM. Pharmacognostic (microscopic), physicochemical (including ash and extractive values), and pharmacological evaluations were performed, supported by thin layer chromatography (TLC), UV spectrophotometry, and HPTLC, to assess the purity, consistency, and overall quality of the preparation. The clinical component was an open-label, randomized (1:1), two-arm pragmatic trial conducted over 3 months in 60 participants with type II DM. Patients received either TCØ (n = 30) or IHMs (n = 30), in addition to standardized dietary advice and lifestyle modification. Primary outcome measures included fasting blood sugar (FBS), post-prandial blood sugar (PPBS), and HbA1c%, while secondary outcomes comprised lipid profile, urea, and creatinine. All outcomes were assessed at baseline and at the end of 3 months, and between-group differences were analysed using unpaired t-tests with Bonferroni-adjusted significance (p<0.0167). TCØ demonstrated superior efficacy: HbA1c% (mean difference -1.3±0.5, 95% CI -2.3 to -0.4, p=0.006), FBS (-38.4±13.7, 95% CI -66.0 to -10.9, p=0.007), PPBS (-70.8±22.9, 95% CI -116.7 to -24.9, p=0.003), favouring TC over IHMs. Secondary outcomes showed trends that did not reach statistical significance (p>0.0167), and non-inferiority could not be demonstrated (p>0.773). Among the individualized homeopathic medicines prescribed, Carcinosinum, Causticum, and Crataegus oxyacantha were most frequently used. No adverse events were reported in either study arm. Overall, these findings are consistent with earlier trials of Tinospora cordifolia that have reported improvements in glycemic parameters when used as an add-on intervention, and they support the need for larger, well-designed blinded studies.

A study of potential risk factors of Shvitra (vitiligo): a case-control pilot study

Priyanka Mishra, Anand More, Anil Kumar, Shalini Rai, Gaikawad Pratima Raghunath — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Prevalence of vitiligo in India varies from 0.6% to 1.13% with a high prevalence of up to 8.8% in Gujarat and Rajasthan. It is a major skin disease in public health domain globally. There are many theories behind pathogenesis of vitiligo but autoimmunity is considered as the most crucial trigger, however exposure factors and their association with development of diseases as risk factor largely remain unknown. This study is conducted to assess the role of etiological factors mentioned in Ayurveda literature as risk factor in manifestation of Shvitra (vitiligo). The present study is a case-control study where 80 cases (vitiligo) and 80 controls (healthy) were selected, examined and interrogated for assessment of exposure of viruddha ahara through a validated questionnaire and their blood samples were investigated. Total 93 exposure factors were assessed, of which 47 were found with significant odds ratio in univariate analysis. In subgroup multivariate analysis, 2 of 15 domains assessed showed significant odds namely Vega dharana (OR: 35.4, 95% CI: 1.54-827.0) and Papa karma (OR: 15.78, 95% CI: 1.25- 199.5). Shvitra severity score (SSS) is found positively correlated (r=0.62, p<0.01) with Hs-CRP and also with total viruddha ahara score (r=0.96, p<0.01). This case-control analytical study provides evidence that vega-dharana and Papakarma are the major determinants of Shvitra as described by Acharya Charak. Future prospective studies with larger sample size are warranted to validate this finding and develop preventive and treatment strategies for broader application.

Physicochemical analysis of Agnihotra aerosols and their implications on human health and environment

Brahamdutt Arya, Vikas Goel, Ajit Ahlawat, Sumit Kumar Mishra, Surinder P Singh — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

Agnihotra or Yagya or Yajna, a traditional Indian ritual is considered as a method of ancient non-invasive inhalation therapy as well as a convenient method for environmental remediation. Despite research advances in environmental science, this traditional system of bio-fumigation & medication and its effect on the environment has not been effectively studied and requires detailed scientific analysis. In this article, we have investigated the physicochemical properties of Agnihotra aerosol particles using state-of-the-art advanced instrumentation techniques and analyze their effect on human health and the environment. We have focused our study in three major domains, morphological and chemical composition analysis of particulate matter (PM), real-time concentration analysis of selected environmental gases and systematic study of various volatile organic compounds that evolved during Agnihotra. The EDS and XRF analysis reveal that no toxic elements were released during Agnihotra. The real-time monitoring of various gases using the multi-sensor gas analyzer instrument reveals relative reduction in concentration by 25%, 20.76%, 15.45%, 23.22% and 13.63% for CO, NO₂, SO₂, O₃ and H₂S respectively. Further, GC-MS analysis reveals that more than 42 bioactive compounds have been found in the Agnihotra fumes. These findings suggest that Agnihotra may influence air quality and release biologically active compounds; however the therapeutic potential via inhalation requires further in vitro and in vivo validation. This work provides a foundation for future systematic investigations into the scientific basis of Agnihotra.

Integrating traditional knowledge and field monitoring to assess insect pest tolerance in indigenous rice varieties of Wayanad, Kerala

Sreejina Sreedharan Kallyadan, M K Nandakumar, M Nasser — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

The traditional rice varieties are a crucial part of ecological farming practices in Wayanad, Kerala. The present study combined traditional knowledge with field monitoring to assess the insect pest tolerance of 49 traditional rice varieties in seven panchayats of northern Wayanad, Kerala, for five wet seasons (June to October) from 2019 to 2023. The measurement of pest density and abundance, along with parasitism, was used to calculate a composite Pest Index for each rice variety (0-1; higher values indicate lower tolerance), while farmer perceptions and traditional measures such as leaf strength, aroma, and recovery characteristics were collected through interviews (n = 203). Random Forest analysis revealed that lodging, maturity days, and grain yield were useful predictors of pest incidence (AUC = 0.91; OOB ≈ 8%). While Jeerakasala, Mundon, and Gandhakasala were found to be highly susceptible to pests, Kanakam, Kayama, Kunjootti, Kunnumkulamban, and Marathondi were found to be most tolerant to insect pests. In addition to the significance of preserving pest-tolerant varieties for sustainable and low-input rice cultivation, the strong agreement between farmer perceptions and results confirms the validity of traditional ecological knowledge.

Vrikshayurveda based biostimulant ‘herbal kunapjala’ enhanced the survival, growth and biochemical characteristics of litchi air layers

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

The present experiment was conducted to study the effect of biostimulants like herbal kunapjala, seaweed extract and triacontanol on survival percentage, vegetative growth and biochemical parameters of litchi air layers. The results revealed that at 120 and 180 days after planting (DAP), respectively, maximum survival percentage (90% and 88.33%), better vegetative growth parameters like number of primary roots (19.15 and 23.48), relative growth rate (1.902 mg/day and 2.672 mg/day), as well as biochemical parameters like total chlorophyll (1.46 mg/g, 3.40 mg/g), total carotenoids (0.117 mg/g and 0.292 mg/g), phenols (36.1 mg/100 g and 48.62 mg/100 g) and proline (0.382 µmol/g and 0.462 µmol/g) were found in the plants applied with herbal kunapjala 2 at 100 mL/L. The same treatment also recorded maximum values for shoot length, root length, number of leaves, biochemical parameters and leaf nutrients. The other types and concentration of herbal kunapjala and seaweed extract also showed better results when compared to triacontanol and control.

Public perceptions in an Indian historic city: An empirical study of tangible-intangible heritage linkages

Vedangi Deshpande, Devyani Gangopadhyay — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

According to UNESCO 2003 convention, Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) includes traditions, customs, and socio-cultural practices which forms an important part of cultural identity of cities. In many Indian historic cities, the interconnection of intangible assets with tangible heritage is not well studied. Nashik, a historic city in India, represents layers of natural, intangible cultural heritage and built heritage elements, but lacks empirical research on their relationship and how different generations perceive this relationship. With specific focus on identifying generational differences, the aim of the study is to investigate public perceptions of tangible-intangible relationship taking a case of Nashik, Maharashtra. A mixed methods approach is employed, where a qualitative projective survey in combination with a structured Likert-scale survey questionnaire is used to achieve the results. This study examines three themes: Sense of Identity and place attachment; Spatial-Built contributions to ICH; and Cultural practices as socially constructed. The findings indicate that urban heritage is perceived as more closely connected to intangible cultural heritage (ICH) than to natural heritage. The results also demonstrate that age groups significantly influence the variation in individuals’ perception of heritage assets which should be addressed in policy making decisions. This study informs grounded conservation strategies based on empirical evidence for better engagement in heritage management.

The Kohbar Ghar: A study of sacred space and ritualistic paintings in Mithila marriage traditions

Shashi Singh, Fulena Rajak, Anjali Sharma — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0530

The painting tradition of Kohbar Ghar (nuptial chamber) is a tradition of intricate wall paintings in the room where married couples meet for the first time after marriage. Rural-urban migration and time shortened marriage ceremonies are causing folk art and cultural practices to decline, resulting in loss of roots and near extinction of these traditions. The objectives of the research are to examine the cultural, social, and ceremonial significance of the Kohbar paintings in connection to Mithila marriage practices; understand the religious iconography and metaphorical meaning behind the decorations at the Kohbar Ghar and study how Kohbar painting traditions have been maintained and adapted as it has been affected by modernity and commercialization. The descriptive research used primary (museum visits) and secondary (web resources) data to analyze these issues. Unlike earlier aesthetic or historical works, this paper analyzes the meanings of symbolic motifs and their links to Mithila’s socio-economic background. It highlights Kohbar Ghar as an important element of the living heritage of Mithila, as well as strengthening the discussion of the cultural heritage and the differences between regions. The research discloses that Kohbar paintings and cultural symbols of the Mithila community maintain their culture despite commercialization representing their values, beliefs, and aspirations, and discussing the recent developments of using new techniques and materials and the preservation activities of museums and exhibitions. This paper investigates the religiousness and ritualistic implications of Kohbar painting traditions during Mithila weddings.