Karanja
powder
for fungal
dermatosis
Chronic fungal infection of
the skin,
hair, or
nails is
caused by
specific species of fungi such as
Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton.
In layman’s
terms, the
condition
is called
“ringworm” or tinea infection which
is extremely common in general practice. Ringworm is characterized by
round lesions (rings) and there are multiple terms for ringworm
infection of various body sites such as; tinea corporis (body), tinea
paedis (feet), tinea unguium (nail), tinea capitis (scalp) or tinea
cruris (groin).
It
is highly contagious and can spread through contact with an infected
person, animal, and objects like contaminated toilet
articles, clothing,
pool
surfaces,
showers,
locker
rooms and
even soil.
Acquisition of
ringworm appears to be favoured by minor trauma (including that
incurred during wrestling), maceration and poor hygiene of the skin.
Heat and moisture help fungi grow and thrive, which makes them more
common in areas of frequent sweating as well as skin folds in groins
or between toes.
The signs and symptoms vary with the site of
infection and the fungal
species
involved.
Foot
infection
(athlete’s
foot, tinea
paedis) may
present as
fissuring
of the
toe webs,
scaling of
the plantar
surfaces or
vesicles around the toe webs and soles. Inter-digital lesions may be
itchy but become painful when bacterial
superinfection occurs. Hand infection is
less common
but it
resembles
foot
infection.
Scalp
infection (tinea capitis) is
characterized by areas of alopecia and scaling. Nail infection (tinea
unguium) presents as a white discoloration of the nails or as
thickening, chalkiness and crumbling of the nails. Tinea of the
groin (‘jock itch’) tends to have a darkening of skin colour and
extends from the folds of the groin down onto one or both
thighs.
Traditional
Herbal Remedies for Primary Health
Care
Though skin
fungal
infection
like
ringworm is
not so
easy to
treat,
recent uncomplicated infection can be checked
by one of the most popular herbal powders and oil made from a single
drug, Karanja, and
also by
maintaining
hygiene and
following
certain
do’s and
don’ts given in the Ayurvedic
literature.
- Keep the affected part clean, wash it daily with warm water and wipe dry.
- Local application of simple medicaments like neem oil, turmeric paste made with water or sulphur ointment can provide added effect.
- It is always advisable to continue the treatment for sometime, even if symptoms come under control.
- The cloth once used at the affected part should be reused only after washing and dipping in an antiseptic solution.
- Curd and heavy foods should be avoided. Food items with bitter taste are beneficial.
Karanja
(Pongamia
pinnata Linn.
Merr.)
Karanja
botanically known as Pongamia
pinnata Linn., is
a medium- sized tree with a short bole and spreading crown and found
almost throughout India up to an altitude of 1200 metres. Karanja
seeds are used internally as well as
externally in various types of skin aliments
including
fungal skin
disease.
Seed oil
is highly
esteemed
for medicinal purposes and is indicated
for local application in scabies, herpes, leucoderma and other
cutaneous diseases. This remedy is also enlisted in Ayurvedic
pharmacopoeia of India for management of various skin
diseases1.
Composition
Pongamia
oil is extracted from Karanja seeds
for local application on affected parts.
English
name
|
Indian
beech,
smooth
leaved
pongamia,
Pongam
oil
tree
|
Latin
name
|
Pongamia
pinnata
Linn.
|
Family
|
Fabaceae
|
Part
used
|
Seeds
|
A
flowering Pongamia
pinnata
branch Dried
Pongamia
pinnata
fruits
with
pods. and
seeds.
Main chemical constituents2
Karanja seeds
contain fixed oil, flavones and traces of essential oil.
Quality standards2
Foreign
matter
|
Not
more than
2%
|
Total
ash
|
Not
more than
11%
|
Acid-insoluble
ash
|
Not
more than
3.5%
|
Alcohol-soluble
extractives
|
Not
less than
10%
|
Water-soluble
extractive
|
Not
less than
16%
|
Method
of
preparation
- Preparation of powder:
- Clean the dried fruits of Karanja by removing dust and
other
foreign particles. Remove the seeds from the shells and grind them
into powder
form.
- Filter the powder through sieve. Store in air-tight container, away from direct sunlight and in a cool and dry place.
- It is always good to use fresh Karanja seed powder for
better
results. It can be used only up to four
months.
- Preparation of oil:
- Pongamia oil is extracted by crushing seeds of Karanja.
Purified
Pongamia oil available in the market can also be used.
Traditional
Herbal Remedies for Primary Health
Care
Dosage form
Dose and mode of administration
- The adult dose of Karanja seed powder is 250 mg and for
children
the dose is 30 mg to 60 mg, to be taken orally twice daily with
lukewarm water after
meals.
- Simultaneously, Pongamia oil is to be applied on the affected skin as per the requirement. Pongamia oil can be applied alone or in combination with sesame oil or neem oil.
Therapeutic properties3
Karanja has
anthelmintic, insecticidal, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, nematocidal,
and wound-healing properties.
Indications and uses4
Karanja is
indicated for skin diseases such as ringworm, scabies, eczema,
urticaria, erysipelas, leucoderma, leprosy,
gonorrhoea, herpes
(shingles or herpes zoster and also against herpes
genitalis), impetigo and pityriasis
versicolor.
Precaution and safety aspects
- Overdose of Karanja seed powder should be avoided. If any
adverse
effect is observed, stop taking it
further.
- Internal use of Pongamia oil is reported to have adverse effects due to its toxic components3 and hence should be avoided.
- Adverse effects with external use of Pongamia oil are not reported but be observant while using this medicament.
- Internal use of Karanja is not advisable for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
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