AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF EK-KUSHTA ( PSORIASIS )-A CASE STUDY

Psoriasis is described in Ayurveda as ek-kushta, it is type of kshudrakushta. The number of people suffering from Psoriasis all over the world is increasing progressively. Ayurvedic medicine is oriented toward prevention, health maintenance and treatment of diseases. There is large number of drugs of herbal and mineral origin mentioned in Ayurvedic texts, regarding the treatment of ekkushta. The present case study is successful Ayurvedic management of a case of ek-kushta (psoriasis). Here a case report of a 35 years-male having with the complaint of ubhay pad pradeshi twak aaraktavarniya twakavaivarnya, kandu, twakrukshata etc. since 2 months. He was treated with Ayurvedic herbs & some panchkarma procedure which give effective result with Ayurvedic Management.


Introduction
Ek-kushta is one of the skin disorder explained by Acharya in kushta-chikitsa adhyaya.There are two types of kushta, namely mahakushta and kshudrakushta.Ek-kushta is one of kshudra-kushta.Aswdanam (not perspire), mahavastu (extensive) and yana-masyoshakalopamam (looks like fish scale), arun varna (discoloration) are the main symptoms ek-kushta (1) .Ek-kushta is most closely resembles like Psoriasis.Psoriasis is a long-lasting autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin.These skin patches are typically red, dry, itchy and scaly.Psoriasis varies in severity from small, localized patches to complete body coverage (2) .
In modern era, different types of pollution, lack of proper diet, uses of various cosmetic, chemicals all this leads prevalence of skin diseases day by day.The prevalence rate of psoriasis is 0.44-2.8% in India (3) .Line of Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis is shodhan and shaman chikitsa.Shodhan chikitsa can be given by vaman (emesis) and virechana (purgation) Raktamokshana (blood-letting) whenever Vata is dominant, Ghrita should be prescribed, similarly, where the Kapha is dominant, Vamana Karma & in the dominancy of Pitta, Virechana Karma & Raktamokshana should be done (4) .While Shaman chikitsa given by internal and external medication.all the medicine which are used having properties tikta and katu rasatamak which is used to purification of vat, kaph and rakta Dosha.Ek-kushta can be treated remarkably with procedures of panchakarma and internal medications.By this treatment it gives excellent result to patient.

Case Report
A 35 years old male patient came to us with following chief compliant - 2) Yanamasyoshaklopamam (erythmatous patches rounded and irregular shape appearing as silvery scale) 3) Kandu (itching ) 4) twakrukshata (dryness)

History of Present Illness
A 35 years old male patient presented with reddish erythromatous plague on legs he was complaining of itching and burning sensation over there.
On history patient had above complaints since 2 months.Patient took modern medicine but get only temporary symptomatic relief.Severity of symptoms increased day by days, So he came for our clinic for Ayurvedic treatment Ras manikya (5) vatshelshamak jwar nashak,kushtagna,swaskas-nashak 2.

Aaharaja Hetu
Aahar is one of trayopstmbha, so it is one of the chief responsible factors in the production of the kushta.

Discussion
Discussion on treatment principles adopted w.r.

t clinical condition
In line of treatment we think about Aampachn, dipan,,vata kapha shamanaand shodhan chikitsa. rasmanikya, talsindhur having properties of raktadushtinashak and kushtagna as well as praval panchamrut are pittshamak so reduces the symptomp of kandu of patient . Nimba having antibacterial,kushtaghna property as well as katukrohini and patol having katu tikta rasa which reduces the raktdushti kamdudha act as a pittshamak which is also helpful for reducing raktdoshti. Stanik abhyanga with Valyapladi oil reduces the twakrkshta  Daily virechana by trivruttavaleha is helpful reducing pitta kaphaj drushti which is helps to decreases all the symptoms of the diseases. Psora kot having kushtagna drwya like swetakutaj, nimba,kirat-tikta as well as takradhara is vatkaphagna properties helps to reduces twakvaivarnya  At the end of 2 months, there is improvement of 80% of total symptoms of the patient

Observation and Result
The results observed after the treatment: Improvement in signs and symptoms of the patient.Relief was found in kandu, (itching) twak vaivarnya (discolouration over skin),

Conclusion
Ayurvedic herbs along with panchkarma therapy shows highly significant results in ek-kushta.

Table 1 :
Showing symptoms & duration of patient:

Table 4 :
Showing panchakarma done in study

Table 5 :
Showing mode of action of drug.

Table 6 :
showing symptoms before and after treatment