Skin ulcers, remedies

Many species of phyllanthus have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 2000 years. It is a traditional remedy for ailments such as jaundice, dysentery, diabetes, skin ulcers, and urinary tract infections. Phyllanthus s principal constituents — lignans, alkaloids, and bioflavonoids — have been found to act primarily on the liver, which confirms its traditional use in the treatment of jaundice. Phyllanthus amarus attracted the attention of Nobel prize winner Baruch Blumberg. He and others studied its uses in preventing hepatitis B and devised a vaccine. 

Honey has been used in healing remedies for at least 4,000 years. It is now known to act as an antiseptic/antibacterial agent, and is most commonly used as an anti-microbial agent used for dressing wounds, burns, and skin ulcers. 

As an early background of its capacity to interplay with ascorbic acid, it is interesting to mention that pine bark was utilized against inflammation and also to overcome the symptoms of scurvy. Other uses of pine bark extract were suggested by the naturalist Hieronymus Bosch and included topical apphcation on skin ulcers and other skin disorders In the so-called New World, the bark of the pine was consumed by native Americans either as food or to obtain infusions to be utilized as a remedy for different diseases that are now recognized to have some free-radical involvement in inflammatory conditions. " ... 

Traditional use The roots, leaves, stems, and flowers are used in folk medicine. The powdered leaves are used to treat wounds, cuts, and bruises. Juice from the leaves mixed with cow fat is used to treat lung and ear diseases. The root is used a laxative. A decoction of the herb is used to wash wounds and to treat skin ulcers, fungal skin diseases, and scabies. Avicenna used this species to treat asthma, lung disease, chest pains, liver and spleen diseases, and as a choleretic remedy (Khalmatov 1964). 

Traditional Medicine. Fruits, bark, or seed has reportedly been used externally for ulcers a folk cancer remedy. Seeds used for gastritis, enteritis, and hemorrhoids (duke 2). Bark tea astringent, used in malaria, dysentery externally for lupus and skin ulcers (foster and duke). 

The powdered or crushed fresh roots make a first-rate poultice, and the leaves also are used as a fomentation in inflammation. The addition of Slippery Elm powder improves the poultice, and the two remedies are frequently made up into an ointment for skin diseases, boils and ulcers. 

Generally in West Africa, the fruit is widely used in traditional remedies for the treatment of disease conditions including convulsion, gastric ulcer, rheumatism, fevers, whitlow, skin rashes, smallpox, malaria and dysentery (2, 39, 40, 104). It is also used to manage diabetes and cardiovascular diseases like hypertension and stroke in some parts of Ghana (Amoako-Atta, CBUD Director, KNUST, personal communication). The fruits are used to flavor foods and alcoholic beverages 2, 40). 

Although Garty hypothesized that the infants delicate skin predisposed them to garlic bums, such reactions have also been reported in older children and adults. For example, a 6-yr-old child developed a necrotic ulcer on her foot after her grandmother applied crushed garlic under a bandage as a remedy for a minor sore (Canduela et al., 1995). 

A bitter, astringent, and fetid smelling native of Europe and Asia, herb-Robert has spread into North and South America, and is considered a folk cancer remedy. Preparations are applied externally to tumors and ulcers. Freshly picked and crushed leaves, when rubbed upon the skin, are said to repel mosquitoes. Fresh extracts are active against vesicular stomatitis virus (V SV), which is in the same family as the rabies virus. Antibacterial effects also occur. 

Fatty oils and fat-like substances - Fats and oils are esters of glycerin and higher fatty adds. In pure form, oils (castor, sea-buckthom and others) are used as remedies or as solvents for pharmaceutical substances. Fatty oils are used in medicine to make ointments, liniments and emollients, and for skin care and therapeutic massage. Some oils have therapeutic action. For example castor oil is used as a puigative and sea-buckthom is used internally to treat stomach and duodenal ulcers and externally for skin bums. Plant waxes, sterols and other substances are fat-like substances. Some of them are used in medidnal preparations. Unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic and other acids) prevent development of atherosclerosis. They are contained in plant seeds (almond, sunflower, flax and others), and fruits (olives and sea-buckthom). 

Traditional use The fruits are used as an analgesic, as a remedy for stomach pain, to improve digestion, and to treat scurvy. A decoction of the fruits is drunk to treat ulcers and is added to baths to prevent skin diseases. Fresh fruits are used to moisturize the skin, to help heal small wounds and bums, and to treat skin diseases associated with poor metabolism. An infusion of the leaves is dmnk or the leaves are directly applied to the body to treat rheumatism. A decoction of the seeds is used as a laxative (Khatmatov et al. 1984 Khodzhimatov 1989). 

IVaditional use Fresh fruits, infusion of the dried fruits, syrup or jam, or taken with tea, are widely used to quench the thirst, as a tonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative, and sedative, as a remedy to increase the appetite, and to treat chronic gastritis and enterocolitis, stomach and duodenum ulcers, hver diseases, the flu, sore throats, pneumonia, stomatitis, dysentery, typhoid and fever. Water extracts, infusions or tea of the leaves and roots, is commonly used to treat stomach ulcers, chronic gastritis, and kidney stones (Nuraliev 1989). A decoction of the fruits, leaves, and branches is taken to treat cystitis, pyelitis, bronchitis, diabetes, urinary incontinence, eczema, vitiligo, psoriasis, fungal skin diseases, hair loss, and dnring menopanse (Knrochkin 1998). 

Traditional Medicine. Used in Africa and since the early 20th century in Europe for indigestion (bitter tonic), blood diseases, headache, allergies, rheumatism, arthritis, lumbago, neuralgia also as febrifuge, purgative externally for sores, ulcer, boils, and skin lesions folk cancer remedy. 

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