Indigo Inhibits Psoriasis

Once again, Chinese herbal medicine beats Western pharmaceuticals in a clinical trial.

WebMD reported today that an ointment made of Indigo Naturalis, also known as "Qing Dai," performed better than corticosteroids to reduce or eliminate chronic plaque psoriasis. Patients in the study reported dramatic improvement over the 12 week time frame - 31 out of 42 patients reported that their bilateral plaques either cleared or nearly cleared.

Patients in the study were chosen because their psoriasis was unresponsive to standard Western drug therapy. Researchers said the Indigo treatment was non-toxic and without side effects, but that the ointment did stain the participants' skin and clothing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/18/health/webmd/main4613580.shtml