Depuratives (Clinical Update) (Detoxification for Skin Diseases‪)‬

The complexities of treating skin problems are borne out by the fact that they are often a manifestation of some deeper metabolic imbalance (Bone 2004). The external manifestations of skin disease are evidence of this allostatic disharmony existing within. However it is finding the balance between homeostasis and this allostatic response that works to achieve and maintain internal stability (Spelman 2004), which is essential in the treatment of skin disorders. This process has traditionally been one of detoxification of both exogenous and endogenous toxins which, after entering the systemic circulation, are cleared through phase 1 and phase 11 pathways in the liver. Werbeloff (2001) explains that phase 1 involves the action of cytochrome P450 and P-glycoprotein which remove toxic substances that if not cleared will often manifest as an external skin condition. Statistics taken from Australia's Health 2000 showed that for the period 1997-1998 skin conditions accounted for 319,765 stays of an average 4.7 days in public hospitals and 107,438 stays of an average 3.6 days in private hospitals. With figures such as these it becomes imperative that we, as herbalists, use all the tools at our disposal and constantly upgrade our treatment methods and approaches.