Abstract

SIDDHA MANAGEMENT OF CONTACT DERMATITIS -A CASE STUDY

K. Rajakumar*, M. K. Sangeetha and I. Nithyamala

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Abstract

Karappaan is a Siddha medical terminology for dermatitis among pediatric age groups. The present study was a case report of a 19 year old boy who visited the out-patient department of a private Siddha clinic at Chennai during January 2022. He complained of pinkish red eruptions on his lateral aspect of neck on both sides with extreme pruritis and hyperpigmentation since one week.The history taking revealed that the boy was a student who used to wear uniform shirt with tight and closed collar. The diagnosis was primarily made as Karappaan which is the general diagnostic criteria for skin ailments mentioned in Siddha text and the simultaneous comparison with modern parameters were also made which correlated well with contact dermatitis. The humoural imbalance in Vatham was managed with therapeutic purgation with Agathiyar Kuzhambu followed by internal medicines such as Parangipattaichooranam, palagaraiparpam, Seenthil Chooranam, Gandhagarasayanam. Punganthylam was used as external medicine daily for a period of 50 days. The outcome assessment was done from base line at 0 day, 7th day and 50th day and documented. The results revealed the effectiveness of Siddha therapy for the management of contact dermatitis.

Keywords: Karappaan, Contact dermatitis, Skin allergy, Herbal medicines, traditional medicines.