Medicina Tradicional y Naturopatía Clínica

Abstracto

A Single Case Study on Hypertrophic Lichen Planus and Its Ayurvedic Management

Hari Krishna Shriwas1*, Surafel Shibiru2 , Abel Debebe2

Hypertrophic Lichen Planus (HLP) is a subacute or chronic variant of lichen planus (LP) of unknown etiology. It is an inflammatory disorder in which T‑lymphocytes attack the basal epidermis, producing characteristic clinical and histological lesions. It occurs in middle age, and women are commonly affected than men. It is characterized by epidermal hyperplasia in response to persistent itch and gets intense by stress. Squamous cell carcinoma, keratoacanthomas developing on the HLP of lower limbs have been reported. Most recent conventional treatment of the HLP and LP disorders consists the use of topical and systemic corticosteroid, psoralen and ultraviolet A therapy, immunosuppressant, systemic retinoid, cyclosporine, and acitretin. All these drugs are proved to reduce the symptoms temporarily. In Ayurveda, this condition may be considered under Charma Kushtha, a type of Kshudra Kushtha (minor skin diseases), due to the similarity in signs and symptoms with HLP. Charma Kushtha is dominant of Vata Dosha and Kapha Dosha. In this condition, the skin over the patch becomes thick like the skin of an elephant (lichenification).