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==News About Tawa Tawa == | ==News About Tawa Tawa == | ||
'''Euphorbia hirta – a possible cure for dengue''' | |||
*Source:http://specialty.mims.com/topic/euphorbia-hirta---a-possible-cure-for-dengue | |||
:By Dr. Emilia Kristina Maramba | |||
Dengue is a public health problem in worldwide. The incidence has increased 30-fold over the past 50 years, with Asia representing about 75 percent of the global burden and Southeast Asia as the region with the highest incidence. | |||
In the Philippines, the DOH established the National Dengue Prevention and Control Program in 1993 in response to this growing health concern. Surveillance data, however, show that the number of cases have continued to increase since 2000. An average of 220 cases per day were reported between 2011 and 2015, while the average cost of treatment per case is USD409.3 | |||
Management involves supportive care. Effective therapies to diminish viral load or minimize its effects have not been developed. Vector control offers the most effective means of prevention but is difficult to implement and maintain. A vaccine has been recommended and approved for use in the Philippines in 2015. Cost-effectiveness is still being monitored. | |||
The lack of specific treatment and the potentially severe consequences fuels the search for alternative therapies. Herbal medicine has been particularly popular with the advent of naturopathy. The use of herbs, however, is not a new phenomenon. The rich cultural heritage of the Philippines is a rich resource of indigenous health knowledge. Traditional healing practices are, in fact, still observed in the country, especially in the remote areas where access to formal health care services is non-existent or difficult at best. | |||
Following annual dengue outbreaks, the intake of a leaf decoction of Euphorbia hirta (garden spurge; locally known as “tawa-tawa”) for dengue has been gaining popularity. De Guzman et al documented the use of E hirta for dengue among three indigenous groups in Pangasinan: Anda Island, Mt. Colisao and Mt. Balungao. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2016;5:239–43] Major uses agreement (MUA) were calculated to determine the importance of the use of E hirta for particular symptoms. Epistaxis, gum bleeding and skin blisters received the highest MUAs (>35 percent); fever, joint pains and headache received relatively high MUAs (>9 to ≤35 percent); while symptoms observed during the convalescence stage (skin rash, pruritus and diarrhea) received the lowest MUAs (≤9 percent). Fidelity levels (FLs) were also estimated to determine whether E hirta was the preferred medicine for the particular symptom. The investigators noted a concordance between MUAs and FLs, ie, high MUAs received high FLs, low MUAs received low FLs. The investigators concluded that E hirta was deemed important by the three indigenous communities as treatment for the symptoms, thus, further investigation is necessary to prove the efficacy and safety of E hirta for dengue fever. | |||
Other studies have been conducted to support the potential benefit of E hirta for dengue patients. Arollado et al, observed a significant increase in platelet counts (p=0.04) after in vitro administration of E hirta to anagrelide-induced thrombocytopenic Sprague-Dawley rats. Paredes et al, also observed less precipitous decrease in platelet levels during the initial stage of the disease and rapid increase in platelet counts during the convalescence stage in a small cohort of confirmed dengue patients who took E hirta preparations during the course of their illness. Mir et al had similar observations in their study among confirmed dengue cases in Lahore, Pakistan. Abd Kadir et al reviewed other medicinal plants that are thought to be beneficial for the treatment of dengue throughout Asia. | |||
As a growing public health problem, it is imperative to find a cure for dengue. While traditional medicine offers a myriad of treatment alternatives, not only for dengue, but also for other diseases that contemporary medicine has not discovered a cure, there is still a need to subject these alternatives to rigorous study to ensure that they are safe and cost-effective. Primum non nocere. | |||
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'''Tawa-tawa: Because Dengue is No Laughing Matter''' | '''Tawa-tawa: Because Dengue is No Laughing Matter''' | ||
*Source:http://teresay.com/tawa-tawa-because-dengue-is-no-laughing-matter/ | *Source:http://teresay.com/tawa-tawa-because-dengue-is-no-laughing-matter/ | ||