Psoriasis

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Vitamin D [1, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help in preventing some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Please note, this acts as a PREVENTATIVE treatment, and not necessarily symptomatic relief.

Recommendation: strongly in favor (Studies have shown that a Vitamin D derivative may be effective in reducing the symptoms of psoriasis)

Grade of Evidence: high quality of evidence

Thuja (Eastern White Cedar, Thuja Occidentalis) [1, 19, 20, 21]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Little is known about the full effects of Thuja, so it is not recommended for medicinal use. Thuja can be poisonous if ingested in large amounts.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Thuja helps to treat psoriasis)

Grade of Evidence: very low of evidence

Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense) [1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Red Clover helps to treat psoriasis)

Grade of Evidence: very low of evidence

Pau D'Arco (Lapachol, Tabebuia Impetiginosa, Tabebuia Heptaphylla) [1, 11]:

Please note, this treatment has potentially serious side effects. Some of the chemicals in the plant are known to be toxic. High doses are known to cause liver and kidney. Even at low doses, chemicals in the plant may interfere with blood clotting, causing excess bleeding and anaemia. Pau D'Arco should be avoided, especially by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Recommendation: Strongly against (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Pau D'arco helps to treat psoriasis. This, combined with its potentially harmful side effects if taken without supervision from a doctor or pharmacist gives enough reason to avoid this treatment.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica, Hydrocotyle Asiatica) [1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Gotu Kola helps in the treatment of psoriasis in any way. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Evening Primrose Oil  [1, 2, 3, 4]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation  (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Primrose Oil helps to treat psoriatic arthritis any way.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Ultraviolet Light Therapy:

Recommendation: Strongly in favor (UV light therapy is effective in treating psoriasis)

Grade of Evidence: High quality of evidence

 * www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/evening-primrose

3. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/eveningprimrose/

4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4395826.stm

5. Winston, D., Maimes, S., Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007, pp. 226-7

6. "A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on the Effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on Acoustic Startle Response in Healthy Subjects". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 20(6):680-684, December 2000. Bradwejn, Jacques MD, FRCPC *; Zhou, Yueping MD, PhD ++; Koszycki, Diana PhD *; Shlik, Jakov MD, PhD

7.  B. M. Hausen (1993) "Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer." Contact Dermatitis 29 (4), 175–179 doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03532.x

8. Cataldo, A., Gasbarro, V., et al., "Effectiveness of the Combination of Alpha Tocopherol, Rutin, Melilotus, and Centella asiatica in The Treatment of Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency", Minerva Cardioangiology, 2001, Apr; 49(2):159-63

9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotu_kola#Medicinal_effects

10. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/gotu-kola

11. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pau-d-arco

12. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/redclover/

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19609225

14. http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/natural-fertility-boosters.html

15. http://indigo-herbs.co.uk/acatalog/Red_Clover_Flowers_Info.html

16. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/trifolium_pratense.html

17. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/red-clover

18. http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69350.cfm

19. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002769.htm

20. http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_thoc2.pdf

21. http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v%3Aproject=medlineplus&query=thuja&x=0&y=0

22. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD006164/frame.html

23. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10824056

24. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcb.10338/abstract

25. http://pain-topics.org/pdf/vitamind-report.pdf

26. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1185/030079908X253519

27. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article756975.ece

28. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17556697

29. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18065602

30. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamind.html