Table of contents:
Worm extract is often touted as a potent medicine for treating typhus (typhus) or typhoid fever. The worm extract medication for typhus has been popular among Indonesians for a long time. However, have its properties been proven from a medical point of view? Check out the following explanation.
Is worm extract effective as a cure for typhus?
Deworming for typhus is different from deworming for parasitic (worm) infections. Deworming for typhus means earthworms that are extracted in powder form and consumed to treat typhus.
Earthworm extracts have often been used as traditional medicines to treat various conditions, ranging from inflammation, fever, liver disorders, to typhus. This traditional medicine has actually been used for a long time in Asian countries, including China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and Indonesia.
Published research Bali Medical Journal researched the phenol and antioxidant content in red earthworm powder extract (Lumbricus rubellus). As a result, the red earthworm extract contains phenolic acid and exhibits antioxidant effects.
Earthworm extract in powder form has the potential to be used as a natural source of antioxidants to treat inflammation-related disorders. However, the study did not show how effective deworming drugs were for treating typhus in humans or animals.
Meanwhile, research conducted by the Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University actually states that earthworm extracts do not have an antibacterial effect against bacteria that cause typhus. Salmonella typhii . Nor were these studies conducted on animals or humans.
Another published study Journal of the Indonesian Medical Association showed that the worm extract administration Lumbricus rubellus in patients suffering from typhus has no effect on healing. Medicines in the form of worm extracts do affect some people, but they do not kill the bacteria that cause typhus.
From the explanation above, it can be concluded that the efficacy of worm medicine to treat typhus is still the pros and cons, even in medical circles itself. There are still not many studies that show the efficacy of worm extract as a natural remedy for typhus. These studies have not shown promising results.
What is the recommended treatment for typhus?
Typhus is an infectious disease caused by bacteria Salmonella typhii. Typhus symptoms vary, from mild to severe. If not treated thoroughly, complications of typhus may occur and can be life threatening.
Overcoming typhus with traditional medicine in the form of worm extracts is not recommended because its efficacy has not been proven.
In addition, the Mayo Clinic states that antibiotics are the only effective typhus treatment. Antibiotics commonly used as typhus drugs, such as:
- Ciprofloxacin
- Azithromycin
- Ceftriaxone
You need to apply the doctor's recommendations for taking antibiotics. The reason is, these drugs can cause various side effects. Long-term use can lead to the development of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Apart from taking antibiotics, you are advised to adopt a healthy lifestyle when you are suffering from typhus. Taking worm extract as the only typhus drug is not recommended. The reason is, until now medical drugs are still trusted for the treatment of a condition, including typhus.
Herbal or traditional medicine is usually given as a complement, not a substitute.
Eating healthy foods and drinking lots of water are easy steps you can take to reduce discomfort due to typhus. Drinking lots of water is useful for preventing dehydration due to typhus symptoms, such as fever and diarrhea.
In addition, you also need to keep yourself and the environment around you clean. Please note, typhus is transmitted from unhealthy habits, such as not washing hands or handling infected surfaces.
After understanding the explanation above, you can wisely decide whether you need to take deworming medicine to treat typhus or not. Remember to always consult a doctor for proper treatment.
