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PSORIASIS - Ayurvedic Management

Psoriasis is a immune mediated skin disease, in the old Ayurvedic treatise Charak Samhita, it is described under “Maha Kustha” and is normally compared with Kitibh type of Maha Kushtha. Psoriasis is very stubborn diseases which may go into remmision for very many years and may relapse any time. In conventional treatment systems like allopathy, there is no sure cure for psoriasis but traditional health care system i.e. ayurveda offers very effective management of Psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin disease characterized by scaling, swelling and is caused by a malfunction in the immune system. T cells in immune system typically protect the body against infection and disease, but in psoriasis T cells are put into action by mistake causing swelling and fast turnover of skin cells  

What is Psoriasis?

1. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that causes area of thickening, swelling and redness of affected area, often covered with silvery scales, cracked skin and emotional distress. Affected persons suffer from restricted movement in their joints.
2. Disease may also affect the fingernails, toenails and soft tissues inside mouth and genitalia.
3. Scaling occurs when cells in the outer layer of skin multiply faster than normal and pile up on the skins surface.
4. In many cases psoriatic skin is similar to skin which is healing from a wound.
 
Who gets Psoriasis?
Affects one to two per cent of the population. One in three reports a family history of Psoriasis, but there is no pattern of inheritance. It can strike at any age, but most often between 15 and 35. Certain genes have been linked to it. Men & women get Psoriasis at about same rate.
 
How it develops?
Condition begins in the immune system mainly with a type of white blood cell called T cell. T-cells help protect the body against infections. In Psoriasis, T cells are put into action by mistake and they become so active that they set off other immune response. This leads to swelling and fast turnover of skin cells. People with this condition may notice that sometime the skin gets better and sometime it gets worse.
 
Precipitating Factors
• Infection
• Stress
• Changes in weather that dry the skin.
• Certain medicines.
 
Common symptom of Psoriasis often include patches of thick, inflamed skin covered with silvery scales.
Although symptom can occur on the skin anywhere on the body.
 
Where do Psoriasis symptoms occur?
Psoriasis can occur on skin anywhere on the body but most often occur on the Elbow, Knees, Scalp, Lower back, Face, Palms, Soles of the feet, Other parts of legs, Fingernails, Toenails, Soft tissues of the genitals, Inside of the mouth.
 
Types of Psoriasis
There are several types of Psoriasis, each type can have different symptoms. Some of these forms of Psoriasis include:
Plaque Psoriasis: Skin lesions are red at the base and covered by silvery scale.
Guttate Psoriasis: Small, drop-shaped lesions appear on the trunk, limbs and scalp.
Pustular psoriasis: Blisters of non-infectious pus appear on skin.
Inverse Psoriasis: Smooth red patches occur in the folds of the skin near the genitals, upper breast or in the armpits.
Erythrodermic Psoriasis: Widespread redness and scaling of skin looks like severe sunburn.
 
 
Do’s:
• Curds
• Boiled vegetables
• Pumpkin
• Fruits
• Fruits juices
• Less salt
• Less sugar
Dont’s :
• Hot & spicy food
• Excessive salt intake
• Red & sweet wine and hard alcohol
• Sour fruit
• Deep fried foods
• Ice cream and cold drink
• Coffee and strong tea.
 
 

Ayurvedic Remedies
1. Eat thin slices of onions, fried in ghee.
2. Apply diluted lime juice, externally.
3. Tie a fresh thin banana leaf on the affected area.
4. Powder few almonds and boil thoroughly in water, apply this paste on affected area and let it remain over night.
5. Boil one teaspoonful sandalwood powder in 3 cup water until it reduces to one cup. Add little rose water and take thrice a day.
6. Grind cleaned grass (doob) without roots and turmeric in 4:1 ratio to a fine paste and apply on the affected area.
7. Drink fresh cabbage juice (1/2 cup) every day which will ensure faster recovery.
 
 
Self help guidelines
 
1. Cutting down of fats, animal protein, sugars and the quantity of food consumed is recommended.
2. Avoid alcohol intake, ingestion of alcohol appears to be risk factor for psoriasis.
3. Daily regular, short dose of sunlight that do not produce sunburn clear psoriasis.
4. A moderate warm climate and visits to sulphur springs are all useful.
5. Bathing in water with oil added & application of moisturizers.
6. The warm water of an indoor pool can relax muscles and decrease pain.
 
 
Ayurvedic Management of Psoriasis
 
 
Shaman: Internal medicines used for shaman are Bhringraj, Amla, Haritaki, Ashwagandha, Giloye, Haldi, Neem, Bakuchi, Kuth, Guggul, Ras Manikya and Hartal Bhasma.
 
Local applications used for shaman are Vatadtwak Tail, Shatdhaut Ghrit, 777 oil, Pathyadi lep, Chandan tail, Karanj oil, Karpur + Nariyal oil and Sidarthak bath.
Blood purifier herbs are Brahmi, Khadir, Manjistha, Haldi and Tulsi.
 
Shodhan: In shodhan, Nitya Virechan, Virechan, Shirodhara, Vaman, Vasti.
 
Herbs for sneh preparation: Bhringraj, Brahmi, Bakuchi, Giloye, Haridra, Neem and Ashwagandha.
Herb use for Niruh/Anuvasna Vasti preparation are Chirayata, Haridra, Kutaki, Amla, Daruharidra, Indaryav and Neem.
 
Panchakarma for Psoriasis
 
1. Consumption of medicated ghee, considering the dosha, type of the psoriasis and the person for 5 to 7 days.
2. Detoxifying, by inducing vomiting (Vamana) and purgation (virechana)
3. Application of medicated pack on the head.
4. Pouring of medicated liquid medicine on the head in slow unbroken stream for specified time, a procedure known as shirodhara.
 
CASE REPORT ON PSORIASIS
 
Name : Mr Chandrma Chauhan
Age : 40 / Male
Address : Raj Nagar, Balachaur, Jalandhar, India
Mobile : +91 9653695897
 
Patient came in the OPD of Dayanand Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Jalandhar on 4th March 2014with complaint of psoriatic plaques on back, chest, legs, arms, face and head with severe itching on patches
Diagnosis: On the basis of clinical evaluation patients was diagnosed suffering from Plaque Psoriasis on 25 percent area of body.
Treatment: In the Panchkarma department of college Snehan and Virechan was given to patient and after detoxification with Panchakarma, ayurvedic formulation Arishatadi Powder, Giloye & Haridra Compound were given orally, locally Indaryav Tail was applied. Procedure of Virecahn was repeated after 45 days
Result: After 16 days of Virechan plan patient was having 60 % relief and after second Virechan plan patient is having 90 % relief from psoriasis.
 
Dr. Sanjeev Sood is Prof. & Head of Panchakarma Department at Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar and Visiting faculty to EISRA-
Holland, ICAU-Belgium, Medicarom-Romania. Mob.: + 91 9814004142, E-mail: drsanjeevsood@yahoo.com
 

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