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  2. Volume 3 I Issue 2 [April To June]
  3. SHWETA PRADARA (LEUCORRHOEA): AYURVEDIC UNDERSTANDING AND LOCAL THERAPIES (YONI PRAKSHALANA, YONI VARTI, YONI PICHU) — A NARRATIVE REVIEW
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Dr. Abhay Gandhi

SHWETA PRADARA (LEUCORRHOEA): AYURVEDIC UNDERSTANDING AND LOCAL THERAPIES (YONI PRAKSHALANA, YONI VARTI, YONI PICHU) — A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Background: Abnormal vaginal discharge is one of the commonest gynaecological complaints of women of reproductive age. In Ayurveda, white or pale vaginal discharge is known as Shweta pradara and is managed with internal medicines and with local therapies applied to the vagina and cervix, notably vaginal douching (Yoni prakshalana), medicated pessaries (Yoni varti) and medicated tampons (Yoni pichu). Objective: To review the classical understanding of Shweta pradara, to correlate it with the modern causes of vaginal discharge, and to summarise the evidence for Ayurvedic local therapies. Methods: Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya and Bhavaprakasha were reviewed for descriptions of vaginal discharge and local therapies. PubMed was searched up to October 2026 for clinical, experimental and review literature on vaginal discharge, vaginitis, Ayurvedic and other traditional local therapies, and the safety of intravaginal practices. Findings were synthesised narratively. Results: Classically, white discharge is a feature of Kapha-dominant Yonivyapad, Upapluta and Acharana, and is attributed mainly to Kapha with Vata. These descriptions correspond to vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, cervicitis and physiological discharge, which cannot be distinguished reliably on symptoms alone. Clinical evidence for local therapies consists of a controlled trial of Dhatakyadi varti in vulvovaginitis of pregnancy, an exploratory randomised trial of Triphala decoction douche in candidiasis, standardisation studies of pessaries, case reports and case series. Evidence on intravaginal practices from other settings shows that douching and herbal pessaries can be harmful. Conclusion: Ayurvedic local therapies for Shweta pradara are rational and show preliminary benefit, but must follow aetiological diagnosis, use standardised products and be evaluated in adequately powered randomised trials with microbiological and safety outcomes.