An Observational Clinical Study to Evaluate The Efficacy of Kutaja Siddha Haritaki Churna and Vyadhignadi taila after virechana karma in the Management of Ekakushta vis-a-vis Chronic Plaque Psoriasis

Abstract

Psoriasis is chronic disorder which is commonly encountered in day to day’s clinical practices.  It is a relapsing & remitting disease of skin causing social isolation, cosmetic & psychological embarrassment as well as difficulties in leading social life. Even though it can be considered as an autoimmune disorder affecting skin, it cannot always be treated as somatic lesion, it is infact multifactorial in origin & conditioned by various constitutional & environmental factors. Due to altered life style, lack of physical exercise, unhygienic, mental stress & over eating skin diseases are commonly observed. Although Eka-kushta is a rakta pradoshaja, vata-kaha pradhana tridoshaja kshudra kushta, it bears a great resemblance with psoriasis. The current treatment modalities have their own limitations & the drugs have considerable side effects when used for a longer period.

Therefore, there is a need for more comprehensive, economical & safe medications and methods of management of psoriasis. Hence a clinical study was conducted on 20 patients assigned to evaluate the Efficacy of Kutaja Siddha Haritaki Churna and Vyadhignadi taila after virechana karma in the Management of Ekakushta vis-a-vis Chronic Plaque Psoriasis. At the end of  30 days of treatment involving shodhana (virechana) followed by shamanoushadhis  and external medication resulted in significant improvement in the overall effect of therapy in reducing itching scaling, erythema and thickness .So it can be inferred that ayurvedic management of chronic plaque psoriasis with above mentioned medicines can be effectively used.