Several Ayurvedic herbs and herbal combinations are traditionally recommended for treating acne. You might take oral or a combination of oral and topical Ayurvedic herbs to clear up your acne. Consult your doctor before using any Ayurvedic herbal remedies to treat acne to discuss the potential health risks and proper application or dosage.
History
Ayurveda is a philosophy originating thousands of years ago in ancient India. Ayurveda is a traditional system of healing that employs holistic medical treatments including certain herbs to treat or prevent health problems and diseases, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Ayurveda helped to shape traditional Chinese medicine, as well as European and Islamic medicine.
Treatment
A combination of herbs used orally and topically is recommended in Ayurveda for treating acne. These herbs include Aloe barbadensis, turmeric, ashwagandha, neem, Indian sarsaparilla, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia arjuna, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Another Ayurvedic herbal combination for treating acne uses ginger, bitter oleander and Embelia ribes. Taking the Ayurvedic herb guggul orally might help in clearing up hormone-related acne, as well. You might take 500 mg of guggul twice daily to treat hormonal acne, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Talk with your doctor before taking any Ayurvedic herbs to treat acne.
Function
Guggul might have estrogen-like effects in your body, which is why the herb has potential for treating hormone-related acne. Guggul, ashwagandha, turmeric, ginger and aloe all appear to have antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects that could help in treating acne, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Terminalia chebula offers immune-system stimulation actions that could help your body to fight acne-related bacteria.
Scientific Evidence
A double-blind clinical trial published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 1995 found that the Ayurvedic herbal combinations reduced acne pimples and lesions, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The study used the Ayurvedic combination of Aloe barbadensis, turmeric, ashwagandha, neem, Indian sarsaparilla, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia arjuna. Over the course of one month, the study compared the use of Ayurvedic herbal remedies used topically and/or orally to placebo tablets and creams. The people with acne who used the herbal topical treatment along with the oral treatment experienced substantially more improvement in their acne symptoms than taking the placebo or using a placebo cream, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A controlled clinical trial published in the Journal of Dermatology in 1994 found that taking guggul was equally effective as tetracycline in treating acne related to menstrual cycles, says the University of Michigan Health System.
Warnings
Each herb contained in Ayurvedic treatments for acne poses its own potential health risks, drug interactions and side effects. For example, due to guggul’s potential estrogen-like effects, you shouldn’t take the herb if you have a history of hormone-related cancers such as prostate, breast or ovarian cancers. Also, you shouldn’t take guggul if you’re also taking contraceptives containing estrogen, tamoxifen or “blood-thinning” medications such as anticoagulants and antiplatelets. Turmeric could cause liver toxicity if you take large amounts of it or over long periods of time, so you should be careful about taking turmeric if you have liver diseases. Turmeric might also worsen gallbladder disease. If you have hyperthyroidism, you should avoid taking remedies containing ashwagandha, because the herb might increase your thyroid hormone levels. Ashwagandha could also increase the effects of sedative medications.
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