Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology
Food-Derived Substances and Edible Chinese Medicinal Materials in Psoriasis Management: Potential, Evidence, and Perspectives-A Narrative Review
By Ma X, Zheng S, Kai J and 1 others.
Abstract
Background
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease mediated by immune dysregulation, with a prolonged course, high recurrence rate, and limited curative options. Biologics are effective but costly, carry immunosuppressive risks, and are associated with relapse after discontinuation.
Objective
To review the potential mechanisms by which food-derived substances and edible Chinese medicinal materials improve psoriasis through immunomodulation, oxidative stress mitigation, and gut microbiota regulation, and to grade the clinical evidence descriptively.
Methods
This is a narrative review, not a systematic review. Literature was searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wanfang up to June 2026. Search terms included psoriasis, diet, nutrition, microbiota, metabolism, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Evidence grading was informed by the GRADE framework, but no formal GRADE assessment was performed. Main findings: The Mediterranean diet and weight-loss interventions have relatively higher levels of evidence. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, bioavailable curcumin, specific probiotic strains, and some medicine-food homologous Chinese herbs show potential adjunctive benefits, but most studies are small, single-center, and lack blinding. Traditional applications of honeysuckle, wolfberry, and Coix seed are gradually being explained by modern pharmacology.