Psoriasis: A Comparative Study as Per Ayurveda Samhita and Contemporary Medical Sciences

This paper explains and compares a common modern skin disease called psoriasis with similarconditions described in Ayurveda, mainly Kitibha Kushtha, Eka Kushtha, and Sidhma Kushtha. Psoriasis is along-lasting skin problem where people develop red, thick, dry patches covered with white or silvery scales,often with itching, pain, and sometimes cracking or bleeding. In Ayurveda, Kushtha refers to skin diseasesthat make the skin look unhealthy or discoloured. Conditions like Kitibha, Eka Kushtha, and Sidhma Kushthashow similar features such as rough, hard, dry skin, discoloration, scaling, and itching. The study comparesboth systems by looking at causes, early signs, symptoms, and how the disease develops. Modern medicineexplains psoriasis as an immune-related condition where skin cells grow too fast, leading to thick, scalypatches. Ayurveda explains it as an imbalance of body energies (doshas) along with improper digestion andaccumulation of toxins, which affect the skin and blood. The paper also highlights that factors like poor diet,stress, lifestyle habits, and environmental triggers play an important role in both systems. Early signs may bemild patches, which later become more severe with scaling, itching, and spreading over different body parts.In terms of treatment, modern medicine mainly focuses on controlling symptoms using creams, light therapy,and medicines that act on the immune system. Ayurveda, on the other hand, focuses on treating the root causeby balancing the body, improving digestion, and removing toxins. This includes cleansing therapies (likeVamana and Virechana), blood purification, herbal medicines, and external applications like oils and pastesto reduce dryness and scaling. The study concludes that psoriasis and the Ayurvedic descriptions of Kushthaare closely related in terms of causes, symptoms, and progression. It also suggests that Ayurveda provides aholistic approach that not only manages symptoms but also aims to prevent recurrence through proper diet,lifestyle, and internal balance.