Nothing Is More Important Than Your Health HerbaLabs Research Institute

Home Artemisia Hemorrhoids Ingredients Applications About Us Testimonials Research Results Scope of Parasitic Problems Anal Itch Order Healer Parasites, Sores, Itch and Wounds Prevention Signs of Parasitic Infection

A Real Breakthrough; New Formula,

What people say makes us excited::

Yes, I DID receive your new formula. Sorry I didn't respond sooner, but I took some time off and went away for a long weekend. I am VERY impressed with the sample you sent.

I have used it about six times now, and I have really experienced great relief...more than any other product that I have tried so far! So, I am very happy to pass that news along to you. And, I am also very happy to have found a product that works.

It seems to work almost immediately. The smell as well as the color is much more pleasant than your last formula, too. Congratulations on a very fine product!! You must be very excited to share this with people.

Sincerely,

Mary Selfridge

 

Epazote

The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs By Leslie Taylor, ND ; New Book! ; Available January 30, 2005

page 267:

Hemorrhoids : Sangre de Grado, Brazilian peppertree, copaiba, vassourinha, Epazote, erva tostao, passionflower, picao preto, chuchuhuasi, artichoke, quinine, yerba mate, nettle

 

Common Names: epazote, wormseed, erva-de-santa maria

 

HERBAL PROPERTIES AND ACTIONS

Main Actions

• expels worms

• kills parasites

• kills amebas

• mildly laxative

• kills bacteria

• prevents ulcers

• repels insects

 

Other Actions

• increases perspiration

• increases urination

• increases breast milk

• promotes menstruation

• stimulates digestion

• calms nerves

• mildly sedative

• heals wounds

• kills cancer cells

 

Standard Dosage

Leaves

Decoction: 1 / 2 cup once daily

 

Epazote is an annual herb that grows to about 1 m in height. It has multi-branched, reddish stems covered with small, sharply toothed leaves. Epazote bears numerous small yellow flowers in clusters along its stems. Following the flowers, it produces thousands of tiny black seeds in small fruit clusters. It is easily spread and re-grown from the numerous seeds it produces, which is why some consider it an invasive weed. The whole plant gives off a strong and dis­ tinctive odor.

Epazote is native to Mexico and the tropical regions of Central and South America, where it is commonly used as a culinary herb, as well as a medicinal plant. It has been widely naturalized throughout the world and can be found growing in parts of the southern United States. In Brazil, the plant's name is erva-de-santa-maria or mastruqo; in Peru it is called paico. It is known throughout Mexico and Latin America as epazote. The Siona name of this plant means worm remedy and here in America it is referred to as wormseed—both referring to its long history of use against intestinal worms.

In the Yucatan, indigenous Indian groups have long used epazote for intestin­ al parasites, asthma, excessive mucus, chorea (a type of rheumatic fever that affects the brain), and other nervous afflictions. The Tikuna Indians in the Ama­ zon use it to expel intestinal worms and as a mild laxative. The Siona-Secoya and Kof an Indian tribes in South America also use epazote for intestinal worms (usually by taking 1 cup of a leaf decoction each morning before eating for three consecutive days). The Kof an Indians also use the plant as a perfume—tying it to their arm for an aromatic bracelet. (Howevo; most Americans consider the smell of the plant quite strong and objectionable—offing it skunk-weed^ Cre­ oles use it as a worm remedy for children and a cold medicine for adults, while the Wayapi use the plant decoction for stomach upsets and internal hemor­ rhages caused by falls. In Piura, a leaf decoction is used to expel intestinal gas, as a mild laxative, as an insecticide, and as a natural remedy for cramps, gout, hemorrhoids, intestinal worms and parasites, and nervous disorders. Some indigenous tribes bathe in a decoction of epazote to reduce fever and will also throw a couple of freshly uprooted green plants onto their fires to drive mos­ quitoes and flies away.

In herbal medicine systems throughout Latin America, epazote is a popular household remedy used to rid children and adults of intestinal parasites, worms, and amebas. The plant is also used in cooking—it is said to prevent intestinal gas if the leaves are cooked and/or eaten with beans and other com­mon gas-forming foods. The leaves and seeds of epazote have long been used in Central and South American medicine as a vermifuge (to expel intestinal worms). In Brazilian herbal medicine, it is considered an important remedy for worms (especially hookworms, round worms, and tape worms) and is also used for coughs, asthma, bronchitis and other upper respiratory complaints, for angina, to relieve intestinal gas, to promote sweating, and as a general diges­tive aid. It is used for similar conditions in Peruvian herbal medicine today. Local people in the Amazon region in Peru also soak the plant in water for several days and use it as a topical arthritis remedy. In other South American herbal medicine systems, the plant is used for asthma, bronchitis, diarrhea, dysentery, and menstrual disorders. Externally, it has been used as a wash for hemorrhoids, bruises, wounds, contusions, and fractures.

The plant's ability to expel intestinal worms has been attributed to the essen­ tial oil of the seed and "Oil of Chenopodium" has been used for several cen­ turies worldwide as a worm remedy. The oil was once in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as a drug used against amebas, roundworms, and hookworms. The therapeu­ tic dose of the essential oil, however, does have other toxic effects; therefore it fell from favor as an internal remedy many years ago. Intake of 10 mg of the oil has been known to cause cardiac disturbances, convulsions, respiratory distur­bances, sleepiness, vomiting and weakness, and even death. 1

Epazote is rich in chemicals called monoterpenes. The seed and fruit contain a large amount of essential oil, which has a main active chemical in it called ascaridole. 2' 3 This chemical was first isolated in 1895 by a German pharmacist living in Brazil and it has been attributed with most of the vermifuge (worm- expelling) actions of the plant Ascaridole has been also documented with seda­ tive and pain-relieving propertie|t§ jib wdl as antifungal effects. 5 Application of the oil topically was reported tocfectivriy treat ringworm within seven to twelve days in a clinical study wi^gpipBB pigs. 3 In other in vitro clinical studies, ascaridole was documented with activity against a tropical parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi 3 as well as strong antimalarial 6 and insecticidal actions. 7

The main chemicals found in epazote include alpha-pinene, aritasone, ascaridole, butyric-acid, d-camphor, essential oils, ferulic-acid, geraniol, 1- pinocarvone, limonene, malic-acid, menthadiene, menthadiene hydroperox-ides, methyl-salicylate, myrcene, p-cymene, p-cymol, safrole, saponins, spinasterol, tartaric-acid, terpinene, terpinyl-acetate, terpinyl-salicylate, tria- contyl-alcohol, trimethylamine, urease, and vanillic-acid.

A decoction and infusion of the plant was analyzed in vitro to determine if they had toxic effects. At various concentrations, the extracts caused cellular aberrations in the test tube, indicating possible toxic effects. 8 However, in the 1970s the World Health Organization reported that a decoction of 20 g of leaves rapidly expelled parasites without any apparent side effects in humans. 9 In 1996, extracts from the leaves of epazote were given to seventy- two children and adults with intestinal parasitic infections. A stool analysis was performed before, and eight days after, treatment. On average, an antiparasitic efficacy was seen in 56 percent of cases. 10 With respect to the tested parasites, epazote leaf extract was 100 percent effective against the com­ mon intestinal parasites, Ancilostoma and Trichuris, and 50 percent effective against Ascaris. 10

In a study in 2001, thirty children (ages 3-14 years) with intestinal round-worms were treated with epazote. Doses given were 1 ml of extract per kg of body weight for younger children (weighing less than 25 pounds), and 2 ml of extract per kg of body weight in older children. One dose was given daily on an empty stomach for three days. Stool examinations were conducted before and fifteen days after treatment. Disappearance of the Ascaris eggs occurred in 86.7 percent, while the parasitic burden decreased in 59.5 percent. 11 In addition, this study also reported that epazote was 100 percent effective in eliminating the common human tapeworm (Hymenolepsis nana).

In other research, epazote has been documented with toxic effects against snails 12 and was shown to have an in vitro toxic action against drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis I 3In 2002, a U.S. patent was filed on a Chi­ nese herbal combination containing epazote for the treatment of peptic ulcers. This combination (containing Chenopodium essential oil) was reported to inhibit stress-induced, as well as various chemical- and bacteria-induced ulcer forma­tion. 14 The most recent research has documented the anticancerous and antitu-morous properties of epa/ote. In one study, an extract of the entire plant of epazote showed the ability to kill human liver cancer cells in the test tube. 15 Another study reported that the essential oil of epazote (as well as its main chemical, ascaridole) showed strong antitumorous actions against numerous different cancerous tumor cells (including several multi-drug resistant tumor cell lines) in the test tube. 16

 

CURRENT PRACTICAL USES

Due to the toxicity of the essential oil (usually distilled from the seeds), the oil of this plant is no longer recommended for internal use. The leaves of the plant (containing smaller amounts of essential oil) is the preferred natural treatment for intestinal parasites in herbal medicine systems today throughout the world. It is best to find a source for only epazote leaves, as products sold as "whole herb" can contain a significant amount of seeds (and resulting essential oil) depending on when it was harvested. For intestinal worms and parasites, most herbalists and practitioners recommend l/ 2cup of a standard leaf decoction taken in the morning on an empty stomach for three days in a row. On the fourth day, a mild laxative is given to evacuate the bowel (and the dead and dying parasites and worms). This is repeated two weeks later to address any worm eggs that may have survived and hatched.

Traditional For intestinal parasites, V 2 cup of a leaf decoction is taken once daily on an empty Preparation stomach for three days. A decoction of the leaves is employed (in l/ 2cup dosages) for menstrual, respiratory, and digestive problems on an as-needed basis.

Contraindications

The plant and essential oil should not be used during pregnancy and lactation. Not only does the plant have toxic activity, it has also been traditionally used to induce abortions.

While epazote has been used by indigenous tribes as a contraceptive, this use is not verified by clinical research (nor should it be relied on for such). How­ ever, the use of the plant is probably contraindicated for couples trying to get pregnant.

The oil of epazote is considered extremely toxic and should not be taken internally.

Drug Interactions None known.

 

Worldwide Ethnomedical Uses

Region: Belize, Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, Panama Peru, Trinidad, Turkey, United States, Venezuela Elsewhere

 

Uses

for digestive problems, hangovers, intestinal gas, intestinal parasites, and as a sedative

for abortions, angina, bacterial infections, bronchitis, bruises, circulation problems, colds, coughs, contusions, digestive sluggishness, dyspepsia, falls, flu, fractures,gastric disorders, hemorrhages, hemorrhoids, increasing perspiration, insomnia, intestinal gas, intestinal parastes.laryngitis, menstrual difficulties, palpitations, sinusitis, skin parasites, skin inflammation, skin ukeration, spasms, throat inflammation, tuberculosis, worms, wounds, and as an insect repellent and :

for indigestion, intestinal gas, intestinal worms, slow digestion for parasites, skin sores, stomachache, worms, and as an antiseptic for colic, increasing perspiration, menstrual disorders, nerves, parasites, toothache, tumors, water retention, worms for asthma, dysentery, worms for abscesses, arthritis, birth control, blood cleansing, cholera, colic, contusions, cough, cramps, diabetes, diarrhea, digestive problems, dysentery, edema, excessive mucus, fractures, gastritis, gout, hemorrhoids, hysteria, increasing perspiration, indigestion, intestinal gas, liver support, lung problems, memory, menstrual disorders, nervousness, numbness, pain, paralysis, parasites, pleurisy, rheumatism, skin disorders, spasms, stomach pain, tumors, urinary tract inflammation, urinary infections, vaginal discharge, vomiting, water retention, worms, wounds; and as an antacid, antiseptic, insect repellent, and sedative for amebic infections, asthma, childbirth, dysentery, dyspepsia, fatigue, fungal infections, lung problems, palpitations, sores, worms for asthma, digestive problems, menstrual difficulties, nervous disorders, worms for childbirth, increasing milk flow, menstrual disorders, nerves, pain, parasites, worms for aiding digestion, worms for abortions, amebic infections, anemia, appendicitis, arthritis, asthma, breathing difficulty, bug bites, childbirth, cholera, colds, colic, conjunctivitis, coughs, cramps, dyspepsia, dysentery, fatigue, fever, fungal infections, hookworms, increasing perspiration, intestinal gas, intestinal parasites, intestinal ulceration, malaria, measles, menstrual irregularities, nervousness, neurosis, pains, palpitations, paralysis, rheumatism, roundworms, snakebite, stomach problems, spasms, tonic, tumor, water retention, worms; and as an antiseptic, insecticide, lactation aid, and sedative.

 

 

Home	Artemisia	Hemorrhoids	Ingredients	Applications	About Us	Testimonials
			Order			Anal Itch Landing Page

 

Iconocast is about learning and teaching without borders; we offer eMarketing, Internet Advertising, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Online Branding, and eMarketing News Services ; StarMonitor ; actonvision ; eMarketingMag