Dermatophytosis and homoeopathy

Dr. Gaurav Nagar¹, Dr. Arun Kumar²

¹Professor, Dr. MPK Homoeopathic Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre (under Homoeopathy University), Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

²PG Scholar, Dr. MPK Homoeopathic Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre (under Homoeopathy University), Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Tinea or dermatophytosis is a superficial infection which mostly affects middle age group.

These dermatophytic infections are named as per the site of infection. It mostly presents as itching papulovesicular eruptions which are liable to spread peripherally. Homoeopathic medicines selected by aid of repertory or on the basis of knowledge of materia medica can treat these fungal infections effectively and without recurrence.

Keywords

Dermatophytosis, Tinea, Ringworm, Homoeopathy, 

Introduction

Tinea or dermatophytosis is an inflammatory or non-inflammatory superficial, itchy, annular polycyclic lesion with clear center and active margin with papulovesicles and scaling.¹

Both men and women are susceptible to dermatophytic infections but these infections are more common in males than females and in all age groups, predominantly in younger and middle age group. ¹

These dermatophytic infections are named according to their site of infection or body part affected.

Table 1: Clinical Types according to site of infection^1,2

Clinical Types	Site of Infection
Tinea capitis	Head (scalp), eyebrows, Eyelashes
Tinea corporis	Body (glaborous skin)
Tinea cruris	Groin region
Tinea unguium	Nails
Tinea barbae	Beard area of face
Tinea manuum	Hand
Tinea pedis	Feet (athlete’s foot)
Tinea Imbricata	Back, arms & abdomen
Tinea faciei	Region of face without beard

These fungal infections are caused by three genera of dermatophytes, namely Trichophyton, Epidermophyton and Microsporum. ² It is a communicable skin disease and hence, is liable to spread from one person to another. Most common presentation is an erythematous annular scaly lesion spreading peripherally with central clearing.¹ These eruptions can be papulovesicular and itchy and can affect almost any part of our body.

Treatment

In conventional medicine, patients are prescribed with different antifungal creams after which eruptions may disappear but are prone to reappear after sometime with resistance to those antifungal creams. Homoeopathy is the branch of science in which medicines are prescribed to patients on the basis of symptom similarity and not to kill the pathogenic organisms and hence patients are not liable to develop resistance to treatment. Dr. J.C. Burnett, in his book “Ringworm: its constitutional nature and cure” describes the fungal infection not being a local disease but a local manifestation of the diseased organism. He gives example that, Gout in a big toe is not only a disease of that toe or acne over shoulder is not disorder of skin of that area only but a local manifestation of some internal derangement of the whole organism. These examples show that organism itself must be at fault to develop these infections. So a pre-existing cause must be present in the living organism to develop such an environment that allows these fungal infections to grow their and survive. ³

Homoeopathy has several medicines which can help us deal with these dermatophytic infections and selection of medicine is based on the symptoms similarity of the patient.

Table 2: Remedies relating to Tinea⁴

RINGWORM in general	anac. anag. ars-s-f. BAC. bacls-10. Bar-c. bar-s. calc-act. calc-ar. Calc. chrysar. clem. dulc. dys. equis-h. Eup-per. Graph. hell. hep. iod. Lith-c. mag-c. med. morg-p. morg. Nat-c. NAT-M. parth. phos. PHYT. psor. rad-br. Sanic. . semp. SEP. spong. sulph. syc. TELL. ter. THUJ. tor. TUB.
RINGWORM in intersecting rings	tell.
RINGWORM in isolated spots	sep.
RINGWORM in every spring	SEP.
RINGWORM in clusters	dulc.
RINGWORM of beard area of face	ant-t. anthraci. ars. aur-m. Bac. calc-s. Calc. chrysar. Cic. cinnb. cocc. cypr. Graph. Kali-bi. kali-m. lith-c. Lyc. mag-p. med. merc-pr-r. nat-s. Nit-ac. petr. phyt. plan. Plat. rhus-t. sabad. sep. sil. Staph. stront-c. sul-i. Sulph. tell. THUJ.
RINGWORM of face	anag. Bac. bar-c. calc. cinnb. clem. dulc. Graph. hell. kali-chl. lith-c. lyc. Nat-c. Nat-m. phos. SEP. sulph. tarent. Tell. Thuj. TUB.
RINGWORM of head (scalp)	CALC. DULC. Phyt. Sep. tell. thuj. tub.
RINGWORM aggravated by cold water	clem. Dulc. Sulph.

CONCLUSION

Tinea is a very common skin disease and its prevalence in India is increasing day by day. With the development of resistance by dermatophytes to different antifungal ointments, it is becoming further difficult for conventional medicine to treat tinea. 

Homoeopathy has many medicines which can be effective in the treatment of these dermatophytic infection without chances of developing resistance.  Homoeopathic medicines may be selected on the basis of knowledge of Materia medica or with use of repertory or also on the basis of predominant miasm and constitution of the patient. So different approaches for selection of similimum to treat tinea can be adopted in homoeopathy itself. And homoeopathy can play its role as a complementary and alternative medicine, where conventional medicine is developing resistance or complications.

REFERENCES

1. Lesher J. Tinea Corporis: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology [Internet]. Emedicine.medscape.com. 2019 [cited 25 December 2018]. Available from: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1091473-overview
2. Khanna N. Illustrated synopsis of dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases. 4th ed. Delhi: Elsevier; 2011.
3. Burnett J. Ringworm: its constitutional nature and cure. Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel; 1892.
4. Schroyens F. Radar10. Belgium: Archibel Homoeopathic Software; 2009.