Natural treatments for intestinal parasites
Natural treatments for intestinal parasites encompass a variety of herbal remedies and dietary changes aimed at managing infections caused by these organisms. Intestinal parasites, such as amoebas, giardia, and tapeworms, can lead to symptoms like gas, bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. While conventional medicine often employs targeted medications, some individuals explore natural alternatives, which include herbs such as anise, garlic, and black walnut fruit, as well as substances like berberine found in various plants. Probiotics and certain foods like pumpkin seeds and papaya seeds have also been suggested for their potential benefits against parasites.
Despite the popularity of these natural remedies, it is important to note that most studies on their effectiveness lack robust evidence. Many herbs show promise in laboratory settings, but translating this to real-world effectiveness in humans remains uncertain. Additionally, high doses of some herbs could pose toxicity risks. Dietary modifications, including increasing fiber intake and hydration, are often recommended to support overall digestive health alongside any natural treatments. Ultimately, while some individuals seek natural options, the efficacy and safety of these treatments should be approached with caution and considered in conjunction with professional medical advice.
Natural treatments for intestinal parasites
- DEFINITION: Treatment of diseases caused by parasites in the intestines.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: None
- OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Anise, berberine (found in barberry, goldenseal, golden thread, and Oregon grape), black walnut fruit, carrots, cloves, curled mint, essential oils, garlic, gentian, grapefruit seed extract, lapacho, neem, olive leaf, oregano, papaya, pomegranate, probiotics, propolis, pumpkin seed, sweet Annie, tansy, Terminalia arjuna, thyme, wormseed, wormwood
Introduction
The human intestines play host to an enormous variety of bacteria and fungi. Most of these are harmless or even helpful. However, other microscopic organisms can also take up residence in the intestines. Such organisms are called intestinal parasites. Common parasites include amoebas (especially Entamoeba histolytica), Cryptosporidium, giardia (Giardia lamblia), hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus), pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis), roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), and tapeworm (Taenia species).
Intestinal parasites can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including gas, bloating, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloody stools, itching in the anus, and weight loss. Some parasites are no more than a nuisance, while others can cause serious disease and even death.
Conventional treatment for parasites begins with carefully identifying the parasite involved, followed by using medications capable of destroying the infestation. Careful attention to hygiene while traveling in developing countries can help prevent future parasite infections.
Proposed Natural Treatments
Intestinal parasites are hardy organisms that are not easily killed. Traditional remedies used for parasites are generally fairly toxic. Historically, conventional treatments for parasites were also quite toxic. However, safe drugs have been developed, and it is a general rule that conventional therapies for parasites are less toxic and almost certainly more effective than natural remedies.
Despite this, many natural products are marketed for the treatment of parasites. The profusion of such offerings is due primarily to a particular current of thought among some alternative practitioners that states that parasites are the underlying cause of many illnesses. Most natural products are made of herbs that kill parasites in the test tube. However, it is a long way from a test-tube study to meaningful effects in humans, and there is almost no reliable, meaningful evidence that any of these natural therapies are helpful in a practical sense. Some herbs commonly mentioned for the treatment of parasitic infections include anise, black walnut fruit, cloves, curled mint, essential oils, garlic, gentian, grapefruit seed extract, lapacho, neem, olive leaf, oregano, propolis, pumpkin seed, sweet Annie, tansy, Terminalia arjuna, thyme, wormseed, and wormwood.
The substance berberine has shown some promise for the treatment of parasites, and it was, for a time, evaluated as a potential new antiparasitic drug. Berberine is found in barberry, goldenseal, golden thread, Oregon grape, and other herbs. For this reason, these herbs are commonly mentioned as useful in treating parasitic infections. However, the only studies relevant to these herbs used purified chemical berberine. To obtain the same amount of berberine in the form of an herb, one would have to consume massive (and possibly toxic) quantities.
One placebo-controlled study conducted in Africa concluded that dried papaya seeds could reduce intestinal parasite levels generally. However, this study had significant problems in design and reporting. Also, the form of papaya used in this trial was not equivalent to the digestive enzyme papain. Garlic, honey, pomegranate, carrot, and pumpkin seeds have also been suggested as foods that may serve as natural remedies for intestinal parasites. A 2014 study found probiotics to be marginally effective in treating intestinal parasites, though more study was deemed necessary. Smaller-scale studies have been conducted on pumpkin seeds, papaya seeds, garlic, and probiotics, but larger-scale human studies are necessary to confirm any positive benefits. Adding digestive enzymes, flushing toxins out through hydration, increasing fiber to facilitate bowel movements, and avoiding sugar are additional natural remedies also suggested for intestinal parasites.
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