Intestinal worms, such as tapeworms, pinworms and roundworms, may come from contaminated soil, food or water and can cause a range of discomfort. You may experience abdominal pain, fatigue, excessive hunger, cramps, nausea, diarrhea and gas. Conventional treatment may include drugs like thiabendazole and mebendazole, but these can have unpleasant side effects. Herbs have a long history of use in eliminating intestinal worms. Consult a health care professional before starting herbal treatment.
Herbal Actions
Herbs for intestinal worms may either kill them internally or expel them live from your body. It may help to eat food that worms dislike, such as onion and garlic, a few days before taking herbs so they become more vulnerable to herbal treatment. Depending on the type of worm, you can take herbs as a tea, capsule or enema. In their 2000 book, "The Herbal Drugstore," Dr. Linda B. White and medicinal plant expert Steven Foster caution that herbal remedies for worms may take longer to work than conventional medicine, but they also state that herbs have fewer side effects. Consult a qualified practitioner for usage and dosage instructions for your particular case.
Quassia
Quassia, or Picrasma excelsa, is a tall tree with light green flowers, native to the West Indies. Traditional healers use wood from the inner bark to kill pinworms, which burrow into the mucous membrane lining of the small intestine. In his 1996 book, "The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal," clinical herbalist David Hoffmann states that you can use quassia either as a tea or enema to remove threadworms. Consult a knowledgeable practitioner for dosage instructions, and do not use this herb if you are pregnant.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin, or Cucurbita pepo, is a historic remedy for tapeworms and roundworms. The seeds contain fatty acids, zinc, sterols and an amino acid called cucurbitine, which may be the ingredient active against worms. You can use pumpkin seeds in several ways. In their 2000 book, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," Dr. James F. Balch and Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, recommend using an extract, and White and Foster advise eating several handfuls of the raw seeds each day. If you are taking diuretics, consult your doctor before using pumpkin seeds.
Wormwood
Wormwood, or Artemisia absinthium, is a bitter herb found throughout the world. Herbalists use the leaves and flowers to treat digestive problems and to eliminate intestinal worms, especially roundworms and pinworms. The Balches recommend wormwood for many different types of worms, but caution not to use it during pregnancy or long term. Hoffmann recommends wormwood pills, and he also advises using the powdered form of another species, southernwood, or Artemisia abrotanum, for removing threadworms in children. Consult a knowledgeable professional for dosage and usage instructions.
References
- "The Herbal Drugstore"; Linda B. White, M.D., Steven Foster; 2000
- "The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal"; David Hoffmann; 1999
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, M.D.; 2000
