A salve based on onion extract, manufactured in the eastern Cuban province of Guantánamo, is proving an effective substitute for steroids in treating psoriasis, a non-contagious skin disease that causes inflammation and dryness Castanyoca cream, created by scientist Noelvis Pineda, has been used for the past five years to treat psoriasis at the Agostinho Hospital in Guantánamo.

Pineda says the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and healing characteristics of the onion help recuperate the natural texture of damaged skin, and, unlike steroid creams, can be applied anywhere on the body and used by patients of all ages. It also proves effective in treating acne.

It has also been found that patients treated with the natural medication, she says, improved their quality of life, and that the frequency of psoriasis crises was reduced.