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Chaulmoogra

Chaulmoogra is a plant that is used to make medicine.

Despite serious safety concerns, people apply chaulmoogra powder, oil, emulsions or ointments to the skin to treat skin problems including psoriasis and eczema. Chaulmoogra is administered intravenously for leprosy. This is not surprising as the first drug used to treat leprosy used chemicals that are found in Chaulmoogra.

How does Chaulmoogra work?

Chaulmoogra may have sedative and antipyretic properties. Chaulmoogra may also have activity against skin diseases. Some animal studies suggest that Chaulmoogra may damage the bacterium that causes leprosy.

How effective is Chaulmoogra?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of Chaulmoogra applied to the skin for psoriasis, eczema and other skin diseases, or of Chaulmoogra administered intravenously for leprosy. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of Chaulmoogra in these conditions.

Safety and side effects

Chaulmoogra is not safe and harmless when taken orally, as this plant contains cyanides and could cause cyanide poisoning. Chaulmoogra can cause coughing, difficulty breathing, throat spasms, kidney damage, visual disturbances, headaches, muscle pain and paralysis when taken orally. Nothing is known about the safety of Chaulmoogra applied to the skin. Chaulmoogra may cause skin irritation.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of Chaulmoogra during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Chaulmoogra.

Interactions

There is currently no information on interactions between Chaulmoogra and medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of Chaulmoogra depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for Chaulmoogra. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. 1st ed. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse Corp, 1999.
  2. Levy L. The activity of chaulmoogra acids against Mycobacterium leprae. Am Rev Respir Dis 1975;111:703-5.