Abstract

LITERATURE STUDY OF VICHARCHIKA IN AYURVEDA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ATOPIC DERMATITIS

*Dr. Dadasaheb Hanumant Ghuge, Dr. Ishwarayya Mathapati, Dr. G. Vinay Mohan, Dr. Tejaswini

Abstract

Illness, many a times is not a direct contrast to health and much less super added factor to the living organism, but they rob his joys and pleasures creating great deal of miseries, like skin diseases. The study of Indian medical classics reveals that all skin diseases were considered as one of the broad heading of “Kushtha”. ‘Vicharchika’ is described under Kshudra Kushtha in Ayurvedic classics, also mentioned as a curable disease yet the relapsing nature of this disease makes it much harassment for patient and troubles some for physician too. Vicharchika is not a life threatening, it makes worried the patient due to its appearance, severe itching disturbing routine and its nature susceptible to be chronic. According to Charaka, the ancient medical authority, Vicharchika is characterized by skin eruption with dark discoloration, itching and profuse discharge. Authors like Vagbhatta, Madhavakara and Bhava Mishra are in agreement with him whereas Sushruta, the Father of Surgery has mentioned the symptoms as dryness of the skin with intense itching and marked linings. As the opinion of modern dermatology, in Eczema, a similar clinical presentation is seen which is defined as a non-contagious inflammation of the skin characterized by erythema, scaling, oedema, vesiculation and oozing.

Keywords: Vicharchika, Atopic dermatitis, Ayurveda.