Evaluation of a Novel Herbal Formulation in the Treatment of Eczema with Psoralea Corylifolia

Abstract

Background: We studied the efficacy of an herbal semisolid formulation, prepared from hexane extract of seeds of Psoralea Corylifolia, which has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, in the treatment of eczema. Methods: Extraction of seeds of Psoralea Corylifolia was done in Soxhlet apparatus using hexane as the solvent. Furthermore, Oil in Water (O/W) cream was formulated with a stearic acid base and was evaluated for various parameters like pH, viscosity, rheology, etc. This cream was then utilized for the treatment of eczema. Results: The formulation was effective in treating eczema in this open clinical trial. Thirty patients suffering from eczema were treated for 1 month, out of whom twenty five completed the study. The patients recovered from their symptoms using the cream twice daily and were assessed every week for 1 month. It was observed that the symptoms score reduced at the end of 2 weeks onwards. At the end of the study, the symptom score for eczema reduced from 6.367±1.098 to 0.333 ± 0.279 for length of the lesion, from 1.333 ± 0.994 to 0.165 ± 0.087 for exudation rate, and from 2.567 ± 0.504 to 0.165 ± 0.132 for the rate of itching. Conclusion: The plant Psoralea Corylifolia has been used in treatment of various skin disorders, and the present research concluded that this plant could be effectively used for the treatment of eczema.