Taiwan Today

At present, some 10,000 people in Taiwan suffer from psoriasis, which often treated with steroids. However, research by the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital has now demonstrated that the indigo naturalis extracted from the Chinese medicine "indigofera" controls overproliferation of keratinocytes in the skin and their abnormal division, thus effectively treating psoriasis. In addition to its use as a medication, clinical trials at Chang Gung have also investigated the use of lotions containing indigo vs. placebo lotions. The two types of lotion were applied to a patient's right and left hands, respectively, or to the right and left feet, both of which had psoriasis lesions, for a 12-week period. Seven of the patients in the trial showed significant differences between the degree of healing on the two affected limbs. The side to which the indigo preparation had been applied was evaluated for redness, flaky skin and thickness, and an improvement of up to 75% was noted. The side that had received only a placebo lotion treatment showed an improvement of only 20 to 30 percent. These results have been published in an international journal of medicine and have attracted attention from around the world. Reports of this Taiwanese innovation have been carried on CBS, Reuters, the Washington Post and the Canadian media. Lin Yin-yu, an attending physician in internal medicine in the Department of Chinese Medicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital's Keelung Branch, says that historical records show that indigo naturalis can be used in treating skin ailments such as sores and carbuncles. Originally, the intent was to treat acne, but due to its bright color, it proved unsuitable for application on a patient's face. However, many psoriasis patients were experiencing recurrent episodes of the disease and were not responding well to medications taken internally, or had adverse reactions. The hospital decided to do a test. Little did anyone imagine that the results would be so encouraging. The effects were particularly good in children. In the past few years, over 10,000 patients have been treated with indigo naturalis, and the rate of efficacy has been over 50%. If patients are able to combine this treatment with a few changes to their daily habits and an adjustment in diet, the results are even better. However, indigo naturalis cream treatment for psoriasis is not effective on every patient. Patients in the acute phase or with lesions cracking open or who have blisters are not suited to this treatment. The western medical establishment tends to doubt the effiency of Chinese medicine due to insufficient scientific evaluation. Lin and Su Chung-hui, assistant professor at the Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences of Chang Gung University, did a preliminary study that showed that the effective ingredient in indigo naturalis is likely indirubin, which acts by influencing the proliferation and division of keratinocytes. Chao Chao-ming, a dermatologist, says that the rate of growth for keratinocytes in psoriasis patients is about eight times normal. The redness, thickening of skin and flaking is generally believed to be inflammation caused by the body's autoimmune response, which causes abnormal thickening of the keratinzed cells. If the effective ingredient in Chinese medicine could get the cell proliferation and division rate back to normal, the root cause would be addressed. Chao says that in the future, if the active ingredient can be commercialized, he would be happy to use it. A large number of people already shy away from steroid treatments, and other treatments such as retinoic acid or vitamins are much more expensive compared to indigo naturalis.