Efficacy of herbal treatment for ringworm

RINGWORM is an infection of the skin and other
parts of the body like the nails. The infection,
which isworldwide, occurs mostly in children
and may be transmitted from person to person,
especially among those who live in areas
with poor hygiene and overcrowded
conditions.
Ringworm affecting the scalp is likely to be
highest in sub-Saharan Africa, where
poverty and unsanitary living conditions
are unchecked.In most sub-Saharan African
countries, including Nigeria, the incidence of
ringworm is on the increase, partly because
the health policies of many of these
countries are not directed to controlling the
disease.
However, the local populations use local
plants, which they apply on the affected
parts of the body. These plants offer
alternative remedy, since the well known
drugs are no more affordable owing to a
rise in poverty level.
Such kinds of plants used for treatment by
the local population in Cross Rivers State,
whose effectively experts tried to access, in
comparison with standard orthodox
medications, were Senna alanta and
Borreria Ocymoides.
This was a study undertaken by M.E. Eja; G.E.
Arikpo; K.H. Enyi-Idoh; S.E. Etim and H.E. Etta,
all from the Department of Biological
Sciences at the Cross River University of
Technology, Calabar.
The 2009 study entitled “Efficacy of local
herbal therapy in the management of
dermatophytosis among primary school
children in Cross Rivers State, South-south
Nigeria,” was reported in the African Journal
of Medicine and Medical Sciences.
Senna alata is commonly called ringworm
burn or candle bush. Senna alata and
Borreria ocymoides are respectively called
Egorlu and Igri-Etobo in the local dialect of
Ekureku in Abi local government area of
Cross Rivers State.
Borreria ocymoides is a weak herb with
small flowers and is commonly a wayside
weed, while S. alata is a legume. The extracts
were prepared by soaking air-dried and
ground leaves of these plants in ethanol for
seven days, before the ethanol was dried
off.
These plant extracts were later tested on
germs that cause ringworm, which were
collected from 840 pupils that were
screened for ringworm in the communities
involved in the study.The researchers found
that the local plants were more effective
than the conventional drugs used in the
treatment of ringworm, thus offering some
hope of treatment and control.
They reported that “the crude extracts of
the test plants were generally more
effective than the chemotherapeutic drugs.
There was also an indication that Borreria
ocymoides was a little more effective than
Senna alata.”
The researches pointed out the need for
better understanding of the chemical
constituents of these herbs locally used in
the treatment of ringworm, including their
safety.“What is evident in this study is that
S. alata and B. ocymoides exhibit antifungal
activity, and their antifungal properties
could be associated with their chemical
components such as saponins,
anthraquinones and flavonoids, which were
found in very high levels in the extracts.
“We are, however, reluctant to recommend
total dependence on these local plants for
treatment pending proper scientific
investigation of their chemical properties,
dosage and safety.”
While urging the government to step up
research into local medical plants by
providing funds for research to impact on
health, they advised both parents and
pupils to take issues of personal hygiene
more seriously.
They also suggested that “in the meantime,
the raw extract of the plants should be
mixed with ointment before being applied
to the portion of the skin affected by
ringworm,” stressing that such method,
however, takes a longer duration for total
cure.
Out of the 840 pupils aged between three
and 13 years screened, 68 were infected
with ringworm, with the incidence ranging
from 11 in the southern to 33 in the
northern districts, indicating a widespread
infection.
Elsewhere in Nigeria, local plants such as
Pistia stratiotes and Combretum micranthum
have been tested for their antifungal
activity against germs that cause ringworm
and found to be just as effective as Serena
alata and Borreria ocymoides.
Also, an investigation into extracts of other
plants such as aloe vera, neem, cashew
leaves, coral plant and candlestick plant
(cassia alata) under laboratory conditions
attested to their efficacy in the treatment of
some skin diseases.