Chapters authored
Medicinal Plants to Calm and Treat Psoriasis Disease
Psoriasis is a chronic and inflammatory multifactorial disease. For psoriasis treatment, topical chemical agents are applied, in spite of inefficient effects or less effectiveness. But medical plants can be one of the alternative treatment methods. In the field, herbal creams are the most used. In fact, they are helping to inhibit leukotriene formation, inflammation and blocks cyclooxygenase enzymes, then heal skin wounds due to the plant's flavonoids and tannins. The aim of this study is the making of new herbal cream for treating psoriasis. In the mentioned cream, synergistic effects of medicinal herbals extracts were evaluate on damaged skin. Some of these extracts include Santalum album, Arctium lappa, Matricaria chamomilla, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Lavandula angustifolia, Avena sativa, Aloe barbadesis, Pinus eldarica and Cydonia seed‐Mucus. Cream was prepared by mixing water‐in‐oil (W/O) and was proposed to five patients who suffer from psoriasis. Results were remarkable. All five patients were satisfied from itching inhibition and skin inflammation in first week. After 2 weeks applying cream, fading skin redness and increasing skin flexibility and repair were noticeable. An important point in this cream was the mixed herbal extract with high effectiveness than each of them alone. In fact, S. album and L. angustifolia were caused softening of skin corneous layer. Flavonoids and tannins in G. glabra, A. lappa, P. eldarica and A. sativa are effective for treating skin lesions such as psoriasis. Polysaccharides in A. barbadensis and mucilage in C. seed‐Mucus not only are healing skin wounds but also their malic acid make peeling skin dead cells. Moreover, pectin and provitamins (A) act as antioxidants and prevent damage of skin healthy cells. Herbal β‐sitosterols are factor of fading skin redness and anti‐itching, a‐bisabolol (M. chamomilla) as anti‐inflammation; blocks cyclooxygenase enzymes and inhibits leukotriene formation to prevent redness. In fact, this treatment cream is effective for collagen synthesis, wound improvement, epidermal‐moisture maintenance, inflammation relief and boost immune system and will inhibit psoriasis common symptoms in shortest time and no side effect.
Part of the book: Aromatic and Medicinal Plants