The Effect of Oral Rathakalka on Skin Disease of Children with Special Reference to Rathagaya

Skin diseases in developing countries have a serious impact on children's quality of life, causing lost productivity at school and discrimination due to disfigurement. Around 10% of children in developing countries suffer from various types of skin diseases. Rathagaya is one of the most common dermatological conditions in children caused by vitiated blood. The word Rathagaya could be defined in terms of indigenous system of medicine as a disease condition caused by vitiated blood. Rathakalka is a popular herbal compound of indigenous system of medicine in Sri Lanka prescribed routinely for infants for skin diseases caused by vitiated blood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Rathakalka on Rathagaya. Fifty patients of both sexes between 3 months and 3 years were randomly divided into two groups of twenty five each. Children of the test group were administered 250mg. of Rathakalka orally twice a day for two weeks. The control group was registered for Allopathic medical treatment under observation of a dermatologist. Children were followed up weekly for three months. Assessment was made by using “SASSAD” severity score [1]. Children in the test group, Erythrema, Exudation, Dryness, Cracking and Lichenfication reduced significantly (p<0.05) at the end of the third week. In the control group signs of Erythrema were reduced significantly (p<0.05). Other symptoms were also reduced slightly but there was no statistically significance. The overall outcome of the study reveals that Rathakalka has the capacity to reduce signs and symptoms of Rathagaya significantly in children.

Reference [1] Berth – Jones J., (1996) British J of Dermatol, 135: 25–30.