Treating Pundareega Kuttam (Dermatophytosis) With a Siddha Herbo Mineral Formulation: A Single Case Study

Abstract

Tinea infection of skin is analogous with Padarthamarai kuttam in Siddha system of medicine, which is one among the AYUSH systems of medicine. The conventional treatment available is topical antifungal creams and oral antifungal drugs. The Siddha medicine being safe and cost effective was used to treat a patient diagnosed as Padarthamarai. A 47 year old male was treated with Kandhaga Rasayanam, a Siddha herbo-mineral formulation having Sulphur as the sole mineral ingredient. The response was very good in terms of itching and erythema. The newly appeared lesions of Tinea corporis vanished and the hyperpigmentation in two lesions remained as such. The skin scrapings were negative after treatment. The response was good and there was no relapse in the follow up period. Since there was no external medicines prescribed, a treatment package with an external drug with larger number of population in a controlled environment will help in further validating the treatment.