Eighty-two patients with acne vulgaris were randomised into five groups. Four different Ayurvedic treatment schedules were given orally for 6 weeks, while one group received a placebo. Physical and clinical investigations were carried out at 2 week intervals. A significant reduction in lesion count was observed in patients receiving Sunder Vati when compared with the placebo and the other Ayurvedic formulations, which failed to produce any significant difference from the pretreatment condition. The drug therapies were well tolerated.