Panchakarma, a branch unique to Ayurveda, mainly attracts the attention of people for its multi factorial action of curative, promotive as well as preventive benefits. As global acceptance and awareness has tremendously increased in the recent years, it is the need of the hour to work on individual Karma, with different formulations for different diseases, in a scientific manner.

Kitibha Kushta, according to Ayurveda, is a type of skin disorder characterized by raised, rough patches or papules on the skin. It is classified under Kshudra Kushta, which encompasses various minor skin conditions. Ayurvedic texts describe Kitibha Kushta as predominantly caused by aggravated Kapha and Vata doshas, along with dietary and lifestyle factors. It can be corelated to psoriasis in contemporary science.

Psoriasis is a chronic, noncommunicable, painful, disfiguring and disabling disease and has a significant negative impact on patients’ quality of life. Skin lesions are localized or generalized, mostly symmetrical, sharply demarcated, reddish black papules and plaques, and usually covered with white or silver scales. Lesions also cause itching and stinging type of pain.

The reported prevalence of psoriasis worldwide ranges between 0.09% and 11.4%, making psoriasis a serious global problem.  In India alone, the incidence of psoriasis is about 1.4% to 2% of the total population. 

There are three major methods of management which include topical therapy, phototherapy and systemic therapy. The need for treatment is usually lifelong and is aimed at remission. Shodhana, a multi-dimensional modality of intervention exclusively mentioned in Ayurveda, mainly focuses on elimination of the disease-causing factors from the source, thereby reducing symptoms and re-occurrence of the disease. Vamana karma is one such Shodhana therapy, wherein, medically induced vomiting, in a controlled environment results in elimination of excess mucous and other kapha-related toxins from the body thereby bestowing the person with comprehensive detoxification and rejuvenation. 

Therefore, in the present study Vamana Karma is opted as the treatment methodology in the management of kitibha kushta (psoriasis). 

In the classical texts, many different formulations are described for Vamana Karma but only a few are in practice. Shodhita Madanaphala Pippali (Randia dumetorum Linn) ^[2] (Madanaphala Beeja) is commonly used since it has Kashaya tikta rasa, kaphahara and lekhana properties and less complications during vamana karma. Indrayava (Kutaja Beeja) is also mentioned as a potent vamaka Dravya with krimigna, kushtagna, raktha shodhaka, shoolaprashamana and vrana ropana properties.

Hence, this study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Vamana karma using Madanaphala Pippali choorna and Indrayava choorna in cases of kitibha kushta (psoriasis), titled “A RANDOMIZED SINGLE BLIND COMPARATIVE CLINICAL STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF VAMANA KARMA WITH MADANAPHALA PIPPALI CHOORNA AND INDRAYAVA CHOORNA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF KITIBHA KUSHTA W.S.R.TO PSORIASIS.”