Korsakoff's Psychosis - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Korsakoff's psychosis is a condition caused mainly due to chronic alcoholism, paralysis, dementia, brain damage, infections and poisoning. Common symptoms include memory defect, especially for recent events; confabulation, delirium, anxiety, fear, depression, confusion, delusions, insomnia and painful extremities, sometimes with wrist drop or foot drop. Vitamin B1 deficiency, resulting from long standing nutritional deficits, is believed to be the cause of this condition.

The Ayurvedic treatment of Korsakoff's psychosis is aimed at treating the symptoms, removing the nutritional deficiency and preventing long term complications. Medicines like Brahmi-Vati, Saraswatarishta, Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis), Mandukparni (Centella asiatica), Vacha (Acorus calamus), Yashtimadhuk (Glycerrhiza glabra), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus) and Haridra (Curcuma longa) are used to treat memory defects, anxiety, fear and depression. Delirium, confusion, delusions and confabulation are treated using medicines like Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina), Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi), Khurasani ova (Hyoscyamus niger) and Jaiphal (Myristica fragrans). Emotional disturbances can also be treated using medicated nasal drops like Vacha oil and liquid extracts of Vishwa (Zinziber officinalis) and Shigru (Moringa oleifera).

Neurological problems resulting in painful extremities and foot drop or wrist drop can be treated using medicines like Yograj-Guggulu, Kaishor-Guggulu, Tapyadi-Loh, Ekang-Veer-Ras, Maha-Vat-Vidhwans-Ras and Bruhat-Vat-Chintamani-Ras. Medicines like Mahanarayan oil, Mahamash oil and Vishgarbha oil are used for local application on the affected parts. This is followed by localized steam fomentation using medicines like Dashmool-Qadha and Nirgundi-Qadha.

The different causes of Korsakoff's psychosis need to be treated separately. Vitamin B1 can be administered in injectable form for symptoms resulting from chronic alcoholism. Paralysis, dementia and brain damage can be treated using medicines like Yograj-Guggulu, Maha Rasnadi-Guggulu, Dashmoolarishta, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Yashtimadhuk, Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata) and Nirgundi (Vitex negundo). Infections can be treated using medicines like Sukshma-Triphala, Triphala-Guggulu, Gandhak-Rasayan and Maha-Manjishthadi-Qadha.

Korsakoff's psychosis is now being regarded as an autosomal recessive disorder because of which genetically predisposed persons are more prone to Vitamin B1 deficiency and the resulting symptoms, after chronic alcohol intake.