Treatment of acne with special emphasis on herbal remedies

Acne is a cutaneous pleomorphic disorder of the pilosebaceous unit involving abnormalities in sebum production and is characterized by both inflammatory (papules, pustules and nodules) and noninflammatory (comedones, open and closed) lesions. Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis are common pus-forming microbes responsible for the development of various forms of acne vulgaris. Common therapies that are used for the treatment of acne include topical, systemic, hormonal, herbal and combination therapy. Topically used agents are benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics and retinoids. Systemically used agents are antibiotics and isotretinoin. These drugs produce a number of potential side effects and development of resistance to frequently used antibiotics. This leads to treatment failure with previously used successful therapy. A variety of ayurvedic drugs, such as Sookshma Triphala, Thiostanin, Sunder Vati and Amalakimashi Vati, are used to treat acne. These are very safe and effective. This review focuses on the use of herbal drugs for the treatment of acne vulgaris that have been found to be very safe and effective.