A Clinical Approach to Ayurvedic Management of Childhood Psoriasis

Abstract

Psoriasis is a common papulosquamous disorder that causes disfigurement of skin and can cause significant psychological effects in the patient. The onset of psoriasis in childhood is common. Psoriasis affects about 2% of the population with a worldwide distribution. Systemic treatments and phototherapy have been of limited use in children and are found to have gonadal toxicity. In the present chapter, a comprehensive description of causes, pathogenesis and treatment of psoriasis as per Ayurveda is given. As per Ayurveda, skin diseases are known as kushta which encompasses a variety of conditions affecting the skin. Psoriasis resembles the disease kitibha, a variety of kshudrakusta explained in Ayurveda.   A case report on a patient of childhood stable plaque psoriasis which was successfully managed by employing ayurvedic principles mentioned for kushta, has been presented in the chapter. The patient was treated with a course of virechana, a form of purification procedure and internal administration of guggulutiktaka ghrita and mahatiktaka kashaya along with an external application of 777 oil. After 4 months of treatment, a complete remission of the disease was observed with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score getting reduced from 32.8 before treatment to 0 after treatment. This observation serves as a primary evidence to state that ayurvedic classical treatment can modify the disease process in psoriasis.