Worms

Worms

Here's a letter I received after one of my Amazon ecotours. It came from a tour participant who decided to put some of the herbal medicines he learned about on the tour to the test.

"I enjoyed finally meeting you and attending your lectures during the Pharmacy from the Rain Forest workshop last fall in Peru. I thought you might like to know that the field trip to the local aguardiente (rum) distillery proved to be unexpectedly educational.

"I believe that as a result of sampling the fermenting brew prior to pasteurization, I unwittingly ingested some intestinal parasite. An unpleasant experience followed, but my abdominal distress nevertheless afforded an opportunity to put to use some of the folk medicine of the region that you discussed.

"An infusion of wormseed in warm milk relieved all my symptoms for two days," my correspondent continued.

While I can't be sure from this letter that this fellow actually had worms, I felt glad that he learned something at the workshop and was able to treat his symptoms herbally.

The worms that we're concerned with in this chapter are tiny parasites that invade the human intestinal tract and occasionally other parts of the body. True worms include flukeworms, hookworms, pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms and whipworms.

More than one billion people worldwide are host to various intestinal worms. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this problem is confined to developing countries. The New York Times estimates that 25 million Americans, mostly young children from all social classes, have worms.

Green Pharmacy for Worms

Mainstream medicine uses a variety of drugs to treat worms. They are generally effective, although some may cause severe side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, cramps and vertigo. If you suspect intestinal parasites, it's a good idea to get a diagnosis from a physician and follow his or her advice concerning treatment. Then discuss these herbal remedies with your doctor. If you try a natural approach, you might be able to deal with the problem without the side effects caused by many pharmaceuticals.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). New England herbalist Paul Schulick, author of Ginger: Common Spice and Wonder Drug, states that the tangy root is remarkably effective against some of the world's most dangerous parasites.

Among these is the anisakis worm, a Japanese worm that is carried in raw fish and is now increasingly common in the United States. No wonder the Japanese eat pickled ginger with their raw fish dishes: In one study, a ginger extract immobilized more than 90 percent of anisakis larvae within 4 hours and destroyed them in 16 hours.

If you're a big fan of sashimi, the Japanese raw-fish specialty, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to adopt the Japanese custom of having some pickled ginger along with your meal or shortly afterward. This should offer a measure of protection. If it's not served in the restaurant where you have your sushi, you could enjoy a piece or two when you get home. Pickled ginger is available in Asian markets and many specialty food stores.

The same advice goes for eating ceviche, the Latin American dish made from marinated raw fish: Top off your meal with a piece of pickled ginger.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo). Pumpkin seeds and extracts have been shown to immobilize and aid in the expulsion of intestinal worms and other parasites. At least one patent has been granted for the use of a pumpkin extract in an intestinal worm treatment. Alternative practitioners often suggest that people with intestinal parasites eat one ounce of pumpkin seeds a day while the problem lasts. You could munch on pumpkin seeds and ginger for a double whammy.

Wormseed (Chenopodium ambrosioides). Wormseed is not used as a dewormer only in the tropics. As a long-time resident of Maryland, I am proud to relate that wormseed was once produced commercially in my state's Carroll and Frederick counties for treatment of intestinal worms in American children and pets. I've also found that wormseed helps relieve gas, so I add it to bean soups. For worms, I'd try a concentrated tea. A word of caution: The concentrated wormseed oil is too potent to use.

You're far more likely to find this herb sold under the Spanish name epazote. Although wormseed is the correct English name, natural food stores tend to shy away from selling it under this name.

Garlic (Allium sativum). Naturopath Chris Deatheridge, N.D., a Missouri herbalist, uses garlic to treat pinworms, roundworms, giardia (an amoeba) and other parasitic infections. He suggests juicing three cloves with four to six ounces of carrot juice and taking it every two hours.

papaya (Carica papaya). Here's another Panama-Peru connection: The Choco Indians that I studied more than three decades ago used to take the protein-digesting (proteolytic) latex of papaya to get rid of intestinal parasites. My new Peruvian Indian friends have gotten a mite more efficient and tidy: They swallow about a dozen of the pellet-size papaya seeds to accomplish the same end. I have chewed papaya seeds, and they are almost as hot as mustard seeds.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus). Tapeworms may clear up after three days of eating nothing but pineapple. Pineapple contains the protein-digesting enzyme bromelain.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa). Indian folk healers recommend this tasty spice for getting rid of worms, particularly nematodes. Turmeric contains four compounds with antiparasitic action. Individually, each of these compounds is ineffective, but when they're mixed together, they have strong worm-killing properties. The best way to take turmeric, as far as I'm concerned, is to enjoy curry dishes, in which it is a key ingredient. It is responsible for curries' yellow color.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum). Cloves have been demonstrated to be active against several parasites, including intestinal worms. I'd recommend taking a strong clove tea or adding powdered cloves to pineapple or papaya juices.

Finally, because proteolytic enzymes play such a major role in worm treatments, I'd recommend my Proteolade, a fruit smoothie made by blending the juice and pulp of fruits that are well-endowed with these enzymes. These include breadfruit, figs, papaya and pineapple. Spice the beverage to taste with cloves, ginger and turmeric. (Unless you live in the tropics, you probably won't be able to get the breadfruit. It's okay to leave it out.) You might also add a little prune juice as a laxative to help expel dislodged worms.