Management of Childhood Psoriasis through Ayurveda

Abstract

Psoriasis is one of the most common dermatologic diseases affecting up to 2–3% of the world population. It is a chronic, non-contagious, inflammatory, and autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin. The unique treatment modality of Ayurveda provides good results and a better life to patients through its three basic principles i.e., Shodhana (~purification treatment), Shamana (~alleviating treatment), and Nidana parivarjana (~avoidance of disease causative factors). A 16-year-old male child came at OPD with diagnosed case of psoriasis. Majority of the signs and symptoms resembled with Ekakustha (~psoriasis). The patient was treated with Virechana karma (~purgation therapy) as Shodhana and Twaka vikarahara yoga, Panchatikta ghrita (20 ml at morning and evening, orally Bhojanapurve, with Anupaana of Ushnodaka for 30 days), Manjisthadi kwatha (10 ml at morning and evening orally, Bhojanapurve, for 30 days), Gandhakadi malahara (local application) was given for 30 days along with Nidanaprivarjana as Shamana. Assessment of subjective parameters was done by the score depending upon their severity of signs and symptoms and PASI score (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index). After the completion of 47 days of treatment, patient got improvement in reliving the symptoms of itching, redness, scaling, dryness of skin, and lost 5 kg weight thorough out the treatment. The present case study shows that Ayurveda treatment like Shodhana, Shamana and Nidana parivarjana has effective outcome in the management of psoriasis (Ekakustha).