A Study on Siddha Urinary Diagnostic Methodology Neerkkuri and Neikkuri in Adhiratha Azhutham (Hypertension)

Background: In Siddha system of medicine, diagnosis of the disease is based on Ennvagai thervukal (Eight fold examination), in which Neerkkuri Neikkuri (Urine examination) is one among them. It is an effective and sensitive measure for the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. Objectives: This study was conducted to establish the validity of prognostic and diagnostic patterns of Neikkuri (Oil on urine sign)in hypertension patients and to assess the association between the Neikkuri patterns with respect to pH and specific gravity of urine. Methods and Material: Urine samples of 40 diagnosed patients of hypertension aged between 30 to 60 years were collected. Ten healthy volunteers were also selected as control group for comparison. Biochemical analysis was done in the urine samples with urine reagent strip to confirm health status of the subjects. A drop of sesame oil was dropped over 50 ml of each urine sample and behaviour (shape of the oil spread, direction and spread time) was observed. Results: Half of the samples of urine of hypertension patients showed circular shape initially and then vacuolating to turn out into a sieve pattern and in remaining others at least a single vacuolation amounting to ring pattern indicative of Pitham were shown. Also, the urine of the hypertension patients were characterised by straw colour and aromatic odour, absence of froth and specific gravity 1.003-1.010.Volume of urine voided ranged from 1-1.5 lit and pH between 5.1-6.In most of the cases the dissemination dynamics of oil drop observed were of slow spreading nature which indicates good prognosis. Conclusion: It is concluded that hypertension has got mixed prognosis which may indicate the variation in the amenability of hypertension to the treatment. The study explored the veracity of the investigative procedure in diagnosis and prognosis of hypertension with Neikkuri examination.