Harry Hirsute
New member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2006
- Location
- Propecia, CA
This is a column, written by Dr. Alan Gaby, from the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients.
https://www.townsendletter.com/April2008/litrev0408.htmPapaya seeds eradicate intestinal parasites
Sixty asymptomatic Nigerian children with evidence of intestinal parasites on stool microscopic examination were randomly assigned to receive 20 ml of an elixir containing air-dried and blended Carica papaya seeds (0.2 g/ml; 4 g of seeds) and honey or honey alone (placebo).
Seven days after the treatment, stool examination was negative for parasites in 76.7% of the children receiving active treatment and in 16.7% of those receiving placebo (p < 0.00002).
The stool clearance rates for the various types of parasites were 71.4%-100%: A. lumbricoides, 11 of 13; E. histolytica, 5 of 7; N. americanus, 4 of 5; S. stercoralis, 4 of 4; T. trichiura, 3 of 3; G. lamblia, 2 of 2; and T. saginata, 1 of 1. No adverse effects were seen.
Comment: Seeds of the tropical fruit, Carica papaya, have antihelminthic and anti-amoebic activities and have been used in folk medicine to treat helminthiasis.
The results of the present study indicate that this treatment can eradicate most of the common intestinal parasites. Further studies should compare the effectiveness of papaya seeds to that of conventional medications used to treat parasites.
Okeniyi JAO, et al. Effectiveness of dried Carica papaya seeds against human intestinal parasitosis: a pilot study. J Med Food. 2007;10:194-196.