How to Prevent and Treat Malaria

What is Malaria?

The word malaria is comprised of mal and aria implies bad air and in Ayurveda, Malaria is known as Vishma Jwara. Malaria has became one of the very most debilitating yet serious health problems for ever and more than one million people pass away from malaria every year. Malaria is a parasitic infection sent by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito within the red blood cells seen as a chills, fever, pain, and sweating, which is mainly confined to tropical and subtropical areas. The parasite is exists in the saliva of the mosquito and transmitted into the blood via the bite of the infected mosquito.

A severe malaria invasion has three stages - The cold stage, hot stage, and sweating stage.

Incubation period -

The time passing between the bite of the infected mosquito and the first appearance of fever with parasites in the blood of a non-immune host is approximately the same in all infections, about 10 to 20 days or more.

Transmission of Malaria

Malaria can be sent from mother to her foetus (unborn child).

It can transfer from sharing needles, blood transfusion, and organ transplant.

Causes of Malaria

Depending after the parasite which in turn causes malaria, the varieties of Plasmodium concerned in human malaria are -

Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) - Beningn tertian- 60 - 70 % of instances.

Plasmodium malariae (P. malariae) - Quartan.

Plasmodium ovale (P. ovale)

Plasmodium falciparum (pernicious malaria) - Malignant tertian - 20 - 25 % of cases. It's complicatios may develop unexpectedly at any phage in either an essential append or a recrudescence of pernicious malaria. They seem mostly in non-immune patients who have been sick for quite a while without appropriate treatment and in the individuals who have experienced repeat attacks which have been insufficiently treated.

Other predisposing triggers are -

Unhygienic living conditions.

Wrong food patterns - Excessive consumption of tinned, caned, or processed foods.

Consuming excessive alcoholic beverages / liquor.

Habits such as sleeping without mosquito net.

Environmental factors - Humidity, moisture and rainfall helps breeding of mosquitoes.

Signs and Symptoms of Malaria

Anaemia, brought on by destruction of red blood cells.

Fever, Chills / Shaking chills and shivering in the body.

Headache, Nausea and Vomiting.

Profuse sweating/ Excessive sweating.

Diarrhoea / loose stools.

Body pain, Muscle and Joint pain and Pain in the limbs.

Jaundice / icterus.

Deep breathing and respiratory problems.

Blood in stools.

Tiredness.

Convulsion.

Coma.

Spleen enlargement.

Cerebral oedema.

Pulmonary oedema.

Digestive disorders.

Malaria Complications

Cerebral malaria - swelling of the blood vessels of the brain, brain infections like Cerebritis, Meningitis etc.

Pulmonary edema and respiratory failure - a build up of fluid and accumulation in the lungs that causes breathing problems.

Kidneys/ liver / spleen failure and rupture of the spleen resulting in heavy internal bleeding.

Haemolytic anaemia because of destruction of red blood cells.

Hypoglycemia - low level of blood sugar.

Dehydration.

Antimalarial allopathic drugs

Sulphonamides -

1.Pyrimethamine.

2. Sulphadoxine.

It's mostly used in chloroquine resistant conditions of malaria.

Dose-

2 - 3 tablets in single dose for adult and in children, 20 mg per kg body weight of sulfadoxine and 1 mg per kg body weight of pyrimethmine as a single dose.

Both drugs involve some inhibitory impact on the erythrocytic phase, specially of p.falciparum. However they form supra-additive synergistic combination with pyrimethamine due to sequential block. Such mixture are actually preffered for the prophylaxis as well as treatment of malaria. Though both components are slow acting, the combo is faster, so that it can be employed as a clinical curative as well Development of level of resistance is also retarded.

Side effects - Gastro-intestinal disorders, pruritus / itching, pharingeal swelling, skin rashes, erythema, allergy etc.

Donot use in Severe liver or kidney disorders, hypersensitive individuals to sulphonamides, new born children, pregnant or lactating women.

Chloroquine is quickly acting against malarial parasites.

1000 mg. followed by 500 mg after six hours and 500 mg daily for next two days.

Side effects of chloroquine are nausea, vomiting, headache, itching, loss of vision, rashes, photo-sensitivity, hearing problems, discolouration of hairs, mental disorders etc.

Donot use in the cases of liver disorders, gastro-intestinal disorders, eye impairment and haematological disorders.

Artesunate (Artemisinin derivatives) -

It can be utilized as a part of severe malaria including cerebral malaria so that as a second line treatment in chloroquine resistant malaria.

Dosage - It should be used in adult as 100 mg two times daily on the first day followed by 50 mg two times daily for the next four days and in children 1.2 mg per kilogram for five days (maximum 60 mg)

Side effect - Drug rash, drug fever, breathing disorder, heart block, vision problems.

Donot use in first trimester of pregnancy, lactating mothers and in children, may be used if chloroquine resistance present.

Useful ayurvedic herbs in Malarial infection

Wormwood - Artemisia absinthium / Artemisia annua.

Karanja - Indian beech - Pongamia pinnata.

Tulsi - Basil leaves - Ocimum sanctum.

White cheesewood - Alstonia Scholaris.

Dalchini - Cinnamon - Cinnamomum verum.

Grapefruit - Forbidden fruit - Citrus paradisi.

Sunthi - Ginger - Zingiber officinale.

Dhaniya - Coriander - Coriandrum sativum.

Haritaki - Indian hog plum - Terminalia chebula.

Kutaki - ‎Hellebore - Picrorhiza kurrooa.

Neem - Margosa Tree - Azadirachta indica.

Ajwain - Carom Seeds - Trachyspermum ammi.

Kali Mirch - Peppercorns - Piper Nigram.

Pippali - Long pepper - Piper longum.

Air Plant/ Cathedral Bells - Kalanchoe pinnata.

Cryptolepis - Cryptolepis sanguinolenta.

Latakaranja - Fever nut - Caesalpinia Crista.

Chirayata - Swertia chirata.

Dhatura - Jimsonweed - Datura stramonium.

Ghritkumari - Aloe vera - Aloe Barbadensis.

Guarana - Paullinia cupana.

Lahasuna - Garlic - Allium sativum.

Krishna Siris - Oil cake tree - Albizia amara.

Baobab tree - Adensonia digitata.

African medlar - Vangueria infausta.

Amala - Indian gooseberry - Phyllanthus emblica.

Kismish - Raisins - Vitis Vinifera.

Guduchi - Tinospora cordifolia.

Patha /Abuta - Velvet leaf - Cissampelos Pareira.

Saptaparna - Alstonia scholaris.

Fenugreek seeds - Trigonella foenum.

Lemon - Citrus limon.

Shikakai - Acacia concinna.

Diet, Prevention, and Life-style modification

Hygienic condition should be maintained around the house and for this reason always make use of a spray of insecticides like DDT, Pyrethrum, Gammexane or kerosine oil etc. to control the mosquito. DDT powder is best for spraying at damp area to eliminate mosquito breeding and avoid unnecessary water stagnation.

Use mosquito nets, mosquito coils, mats, creams, liquids etc. during bed retiring.

Prevent entry of mosquitoes into house for this purpose always use screened windows.
Keep your body covered and use protective clothing.

Garbage should be dumped in the covered drum.

Household water should be drained properly.

Light and easily digestible foods like soups, fruit juices, khichdi, etc. should be utilized during the disease. Foods like orange, papaya, gooseberry, green vegetables, grams etc. should be given to the patients.

Drink lukewarm water.

Avoid intake of processed foods, spicy food, fatty foods, pickles, carbonated beverages, coffee, tea refined and canned foods.

Cold Pack - Use cold sponging to keep the temperatures down.

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ARTICLE BY RAJESH KUMAR

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