Topi Cardiospermum Cream from Schwabe is indicated in symptoms of psoriasis such as thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches/scales with or without itching and eczema.
- Brand/Manufacturer: Willmar Schwabe India
- Availability: Online and at medical stores
- Type of medicine: Proprietary Homeopathic Medicine
- Main Indication: Psoriasis
- Presentation: 25 g in a tube
- Price of Topi Cardiospermum Cream: Rs. 72
- Contraindications: This cream should not be used for patients with known hypersensitivity to Cardiospermum.
- Interactions: No known interaction
- Side-effects: No known side effects
About Psoriasis
- Psoriasis is a skin disease. It is characterized by red, scaly skin. It may feel painful, swollen, or hot.
- It is an autoimmune disease. It is caused by genes. It runs in families. Sometimes other factors also play important role in this condition.
- It is seen as more common in adults. It has a family history.
- It also occurs in all racial groups but at varying rates. About 1.9 percent of African-Americans have psoriasis, compared to 3.6 percent of Caucasians.
- It develops between the ages of 15 and 35. But it can develop at any age.
- About 10 to 15 percent of those with psoriasis get it before age 10. Some infants have psoriasis, although this is considered rare.
- It is not an infectious disease.
Different types of psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis- It causes patches of skin, which are red at the base and covered by silvery scales.
It is the most common form of the disease. It is characterized by raised, red patches covered with a silvery-white in color. It consists of dead skin cells. It is seen in the knees, elbows, and lower back.
It is itchy and painful. It cracks and bleeds.
Guttate psoriasis: It causes small, drop-shaped lesions on the trunk, hands, and feet, scalp. It is most commonly triggered by respiratory infections. It often starts in childhood or in young adulthood. It is often caused by streptococcus infection. It is the most common type of psoriasis. About 10 percent of people who get psoriasis develop guttate psoriasis.
Pustular psoriasis: It causes pus-filled blisters. It consists of white blisters that have non-infectious pus in them. Pus consists of white blood cells. It can occur in any part of the body but is seen more often in hands or feet.
Triggering factor may be-
- Medicines
- Infections
- Stress
- Chemicals
Inverse psoriasis: It causes smooth, red patches in the folds of the skin.
It is seen:
- Near genitals
- Under the breasts
- Armpits
Sometimes rubbing and sweating can make psoriasis worse.
It appears smooth and shiny. Many of this patient has another type of psoriasis present elsewhere in the body.
Erythrodermic psoriasis: It causes red and scaly skin. It causes severe itching and pain and make the skin come off in the sheets.
It occurs in 3 percent of individuals who have psoriasis during their lifetime.
Cause:
- Sunburn
- Medicines like corticosteroids
- It is a dangerous type of psoriasis.
Symptoms:
Patches of thick, red skin are seen. Dry, raised red patches of skin which is covered with silvery scales. These patches are seen on the knees, elbow and scalp.
- Dents and discoloration of the nails.
- Swollen and painful joints.
- Itching.
- Soreness.
Erythrodermic psoriasis can be seen:
- Elbows
- Knees
- Legs
- Scalp
- Lower back
- Face
- Palms
- Soles of feet
- Fingernails
- Toenails
- Genitals
- Inside mouth
- Eyelids
- Ears
- Mouth
- Lips
- Hands and feet
Scalp- It is very mild and has slight, fine scaling. It can be very severe with thick, crusted plaques that may cover the entire scalp. It can extend to the forehead, the back of the neck, and around the ears.
Face- It affects eyebrows, the skin between the nose and upper lip, the upper forehead, and near the hairline.
Hands and feet nails- It causes cracking, blisters, and swelling in hands and feet. Nail changes occur in up to 50 percent of people with psoriasis and at least 80 percent of people with psoriatic arthritis.
Genital psoriasis
The most common type of psoriasis seen in genitals is inverse psoriasis. It is seen in males.
Skin folds- It is seen as skin is irritated by rubbing and sweating.
What happens in psoriasis?
It is an autoimmune disease. The body starts overacting and makes antibodies against body cells. A type of white blood cells which are called T cells become active. It triggers immune system responses. It causes swelling and fast turnover of skin cells. This condition has cell turnover, which means skin cells that grow deep in the skin rise slowly to the surface. Skin cells rise too fast and pile up on the surface, which causes the skin to look red and scaly.
Causes
- Infections
- Stress
- Changes in weather cause dryness of the skin.
- Medicines.
- Injuries like cuts and scratches.
- Sunburns
It is seen that Crohn’s disease is common in patients with psoriasis. They also develop diabetes and heart related disease.
Severity of disease
- Mild psoriasis- Which covers less than 3 percent.
- Moderate- It covers 3 to 10 percent of the body.
- Severe- It covers more than 10 percent of the body.
- Psoriasis often develops psoriatic arthritis. About 11 percent diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.
Precautions:
- Keep skin well moisturized.
- Have a well-balanced diet which makes the body healthy.
- Reduce stress level.
Topi Cardiospermum Cream Composition
It contains 10% of Cardiospermum helicacabum mother tincture.
Cardiospermum halicacabum
- It is a medicinal plant that grows in the eastern region of India. It is used in the Indian System of medicine.
- Botancial name: Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn
- Preparation of remedy- Mother tincture is prepared with 62% alcohol is made of flowering tops. It is important to remedy different skin conditions. It can be used effectively externally. It is useful in itching, dryness of skin, burning, and pain. It is not only useful in psoriasis but is very useful in the treatment of eczema and skin conditions associated with dryness. It is suitable for long term therapy and usage.
- It is seen that it can substitute the corticosteroid group of compounds.
- It is an ointment which is a very important remedy for psoriasis.
About plant:
- Common name- Balloon plant
- Love in a puff.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Order: Sapindales
- Family: Sapindaceae
- Subfamily: Sapindoideae
- Genus: Cardiospermum
- Species: C. halicacabum
It is a climbing plant. It is seen in tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia. It is found as a weed along roads and rivers.
It is known as ant diarrhoeal medicine.
It is one among the “Ten Sacred Flowers of Kerala State in India, collectively known as Dasapushpam.
It can be taken by a patient who is very irritable and forgetful. He has anxiety. He has vertigo, especially with exertion. It cures sinus pain. He has fluctuation in appetite with a desire for meat. It is given to a patient who has weak memory and he forgets things that are related to work. He has irritability towards his family. This irritability is seen in the afternoon and from noise. He has mental confusion, especially about location. He does not want company.
It is given in eruptions that are allergic in nature. It cures eczema, urticaria with redness and goose flesh.
Topi Cardiospermum Cream Dosage
It should be applied 2-3 times daily by applying a layer on the affected skin areas with gentle rubbing. It can be used simultaneously with Topi Berberis and other oral medicines.
Contraindications, Interactions, Side-effects, and Suggestions
It has no known side-effect.
It has no known drug interaction.
Keep the medicines:
- Away from strong smelling substances like camphor, menthol, etc.
- In a cool, dry place away from direct exposure to sunlight.
- Away from the reach of children.