Effectiveness and Safety of Ayurveda Intervention in Children and Adolescent with ADHD: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Ayurveda-based interventions are being given to children and adolescents for their benefits in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but no systematic review of the overall evidence of Ayurveda intervention in ADHD has been conducted. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of Ayurveda intervention in children and adolescents with ADHD. Methods: Electronic databases like PubMed, The Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), AYUSH research portal, Digital Helpline for Ayurveda Research Articles, and Researches in Ayurveda-online directory of PG and PhD thesis-were searched in addition to hand searching of Ayurveda journals and clinical trial registries to identify ongoing or completed trials. Randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised trials or randomised comparative clinical trials comparing Ayurvedic interventions were included. Results: A total of 39 studies were identified; 10 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were systematically reviewed. Due to different forms of Ayurvedic intervention used and variable quality of data, only three studies were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis shows that Ayurveda interventions have their benefits in reducing symptoms of ADHD. Conclusions: In this present review, some concerns, like small sample size and low methodological qualities of included studies, limit our ability to draw reliable conclusions regarding the effectiveness of Ayurveda intervention for children and adolescents with ADHD. Well-designed clinical trials reported in adherence to standard reporting guidelines are warranted.