Sidharthakadi Lepa in Mukhadushika - A Clinical Study

Background: Acne vulgaris is a very common malady of adolescents. It is common enough to be called as a physiological process but is better regarded as a disease due to its inflammatory component and the disfigurement. Acne vulgaris is a common skin disorder of pilosebaceous unit that primarily affects the face which if not treated leads to pigmentation. Mukhadushika is a Kshudra Roga which mainly involves Kapha and Vatadosa with Raktha. This is a common illness affecting 80 % of adolescents. Lepa is one of the external therapies explained in Ayurvedic classics. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of Sidharthakadilepa in the management of mukhadushikaw.s.r. to acne vulgaris. Methods: 30 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were selected. They were given Sidharthakadi Lepa for external application over face for one month. Patients were observed for changes on 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day. The response to therapy was evaluated at the end of 28 days by calculating acne lesion score and the efficacy was determined by the percentage reduction in ALS. Results: The analysis revealed that 40% of patients had complete remission, 30% patients showed marked improvement and 30% showed moderate improvement