Abstract

MANAGEMENT OF KUSTA (SKIN DISEASES) IN AYURVEDA –A REVIEW

*Dr. K. Vanitha, Dr. Nischal Gupta, Dr. K. Aruna Gayathri and Dr. K. V. Ram Subba Rao

Abstract

Dermatology is essential part of General Medicine. In today‟s materialistic world, every one desires for lustrous, glowing and beautiful skin. Thus, skin plays a pivotal role in every one‟s life. In addition to physical discomfort, it inflicts great impact on patient‟s mind. Even though beauty is skin deep, its significance in modern world is greater. The vast turnover of beauty aid products is itself a clear point to this fact. Skin is the largest organ of the body interacting with the environmental agents like physical, chemical, biological and all sorts of pollutants. Kusta is a broad term mentioned in Charaka Samhita which infers to all types of skin diseases under one umbrella and was categorised as Mahakusta (7) and Kshudrakusta (11). The aim of this review is to enlighten the work on curative drugs recommended in different chapters of Classical texts of Ayurveda for all skin diseases. The review explains Monograph of individual drug and specific drugs. This work stimulate Researchers to evaluate their efficacy by conducting Pharmaceutical and Clinical Researches on various varieties of Kusta.

Keywords: Dermatology, Kusta, Mahakusta, Kshudrakusta, Ayurveda.