Managing Scalp Psoriasis Through Ayurvedic Therapies: A Case Report

Nagpure D, Asutkar S, Yadav P, Patil S (2025) · Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine · n=1

RCT evidence detailTrial reference

GRADE Very LowInsufficient evidenceCondition: Psoriasis (Chronic Plaque, Recalcitrant) →

Study Profile

Design: single-patient case report (35-year-old male with chronic scalp psoriasis, Mahatma Gandhi Ayurvedic College Hospital & Research Center, Salod-H, Wardha, India)
Sample size (n): 1
Intervention: Multi-modal Ayurvedic protocol: Panchakarma including Vamana (therapeutic emesis), 777 oil topical, Psora soap, Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu, Sut Shekhar Ras, weekly Leech therapy (Raktamokshana) for 1 month, plus lifestyle modifications
Comparator: Conventional psoriasis therapies (prior treatments failed)
Primary endpoint: Symptom relief, scaling reduction, erythema improvement, lesion thickness change
Primary result: Significant relief from itching, scaling, erythema, and lesion thickness; improved scalp texture and absence of flare-ups at follow-up; no adverse effects reported
Follow-up duration: 1 month treatment + follow-up assessment
PMID: 40492749

Key Findings

Multi-modal Ayurvedic protocol with leech therapy adjunct
Significant symptom improvement: itching, scaling, erythema, thickness
No flare-ups at follow-up
No adverse effects reported
Authors call for further clinical trials

Limitations

Single case - cannot establish efficacy
Multi-component intervention prevents isolation of leech contribution
Subjective outcome assessment
1-month follow-up insufficient for chronic disease relapse rate
Publication bias toward successful Ayurvedic outcomes

Clinical Implications

Nagpure 2025 provides hypothesis-generating evidence for leech therapy as part of multi-modal Ayurvedic protocol in recalcitrant scalp psoriasis. For US clinicians under K040187, this case extends device application into dermatologic conditions beyond the established flap/replant indication. The multi-component intervention prevents isolated efficacy attribution but motivates controlled adjunct trials.

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