Neem, Aloe Vera, and Turmeric: A Review of their Synergistic Potential in Polyherbal Creams for Psoriasis Scar Management

Abstract

Psoriasis is a persistent immune-mediated skin condition marked by abnormal keratinocyte proliferation, chronic inflammation, and post-inflammatory dermal changes that frequently result in visible scarring. Standard scar-management therapies—including corticosteroids, retinoids, and silicone preparations—often provide limited relief because they act on only one or two biological pathways, whereas psoriatic scarring involves multiple disruptions such as inflammation, oxidative damage, collagen irregularities, and impaired barrier recovery. This limitation has increased interest in polyherbal topical formulations that can address several mechanisms simultaneously while maintaining a favorable safety profile. Neem (Azadirachta indica), Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller), and Turmeric (Curcuma longa) are among the most widely investigated botanicals for dermatological applications. Neem exhibits strong anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immune-regulating actions, helping reduce plaque-associated inflammation and lowering the risk of secondary infections that exacerbate scar formation [1]. Aloe vera contains polysaccharides like acemannan that promote fibroblast regulation, balanced collagen remodeling, enhanced hydration, and rapid epithelial repair, contributing to smoother scar recovery [2]. Turmeric, rich in curcumin, suppresses NF-?B signaling, minimizes oxidative stress, and modulates profibrotic pathways, thereby reducing abnormal collagen deposition and improving post-psoriatic scar texture [3]. When used together in a polyherbal cream, these botanicals offer synergistic rather than merely additive effects. The combination supports optimized cytokine modulation (TNF-?, IL-17, IL-23), boosts antioxidant defenses, accelerates wound-healing kinetics, restores the skin barrier, and promotes organized collagen alignment. These actions collectively help diminish structural damage caused by psoriatic plaques, regulate pigmentation changes, and enhance overall scar remodeling. Such formulations also exhibit favorable biocompatibility, stability, and patient adherence compared with many synthetic treatments, making them suitable for long-term management.

Introduction

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder driven by rapid keratinocyte turnover and immune dysregulation involving cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-23. Even after active lesions heal, many patients develop persistent post-inflammatory scarring, including collagen distortion, pigmentation changes, redness, and dermal thinning. These long-lasting scars arise from chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired fibroblast function—factors that make healing more complex than normal wound repair.

Conventional topical therapies (corticosteroids, retinoids, silicone gels) provide limited benefits and may cause irritation or skin thinning because they act on narrow biological pathways. This has led to growing interest in polyherbal formulations that can target multiple mechanisms simultaneously, including inflammation, oxidative imbalance, hydration, collagen regulation, and microbial control.

A polyherbal combination of Neem (Azadirachta indica), Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller), and Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is highlighted for its multi-mechanistic benefits.

• Neem contains limonoids (azadirachtin, nimbin, nimbolide), flavonoids, and phytosterols with strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory activity. These compounds help regulate cytokines, prevent infection, reduce oxidative stress, and support collagen reorganization.

• Aloe vera offers bioactive polysaccharides such as acemannan, vitamins, anthraquinones, and sterols that promote fibroblast growth, collagen synthesis, re-epithelialization, hydration, and pigmentation control.

• Turmeric provides curcuminoids and essential oils that inhibit NF-κB and other inflammatory pathways, reduce oxidative damage, regulate fibroblast activity, and prevent abnormal collagen buildup associated with scars.

Each botanical exhibits strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound-healing properties through mechanisms such as COX/LOX inhibition, cytokine suppression (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), ROS reduction, fibroblast stimulation, collagen remodeling, and improved barrier repair.

When combined in a polyherbal cream, Neem, Aloe, and Turmeric work synergistically to improve psoriatic scarring by reducing inflammation, restoring collagen balance, accelerating healing, supporting hydration, minimizing pigmentation abnormalities, and strengthening the skin barrier. This multi-targeted, natural approach offers a safer and more holistic alternative to single-agent topical treatments.

Conclusion

1) The integration of Neem (Azadirachta indica), Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller), and Turmeric (Curcuma longa) into a single polyherbal formulation offers a scientifically sound, multi-dimensional therapeutic approach for improving psoriasis-related scars. The key bioactive compounds—azadirachtin from Neem, acemannan from Aloe vera, and curcuminoids from Turmeric—work together to regulate inflammation, oxidative imbalance, abnormal keratinocyte proliferation, and defective wound-healing mechanisms. 2) In-vitro investigations consistently demonstrate that these herbal extracts possess strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and keratinocyte-normalizing properties. These mechanistic findings align with major pathological changes seen in psoriasis and scar formation, such as cytokine disturbances, oxidative stress, and altered collagen remodeling. 3) Preclinical animal models further reinforce their therapeutic potential by showing enhanced wound closure, improved fibroblast activity, better collagen organization, and faster epithelial regeneration when applied topically. Such outcomes indicate that the combined herbal cream can support more efficient tissue repair and smoother scar restructuring. 4) Evidence from human dermatological studies on comparable herbal preparations reveals favorable skin tolerance, minimal irritation, and noticeable improvements in scar texture, hydration, scaling, and redness. These clinical observations highlight the practical applicability of Neem–Aloe vera–Turmeric blends in managing psoriatic skin conditions. 5) Compared with conventional synthetic scar-care agents, polyherbal creams offer multiple advantages, including broader therapeutic action, reduced side effects, affordability, and greater user acceptability. These attributes position them as promising options for long-term psoriasis scar care. 6) In summary, formulations combining Neem, Aloe vera, and Turmeric present a biologically justified and clinically relevant strategy for managing psoriasis-associated scarring. To confirm their full therapeutic potential, future research should focus on well-designed clinical trials using standardized extracts and optimized cream bases.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Deepali Dattatraya Wagh, Sanika Bhaskar Yewalkar, Karishma Amarsing Rathod. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.