World Health Day: Can Naturopathy Help In Tuberculosis Management And Recovery? Expert Shares Benefits of Nature-Based Treatment

World health day: An estimated 1.4 million people are estimated to have passed away from the infectious bacterial disease tuberculosis in 2019. It is one of the top 10 causes of death globally. Tuberculosis, which is brought on by the bacterial species mycobacterium, mostly affects the lungs but can also harm the spine, intestines, and brain. With 26.9 lakh cases in 2019, India has the highest incidence of tuberculosis in the world. 

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that can lead to infection in your lungs or other tissues. Although it usually affects the lungs, it can also damage other organs including the spine, brain, or kidneys.

Tuberculosis is also known as TB. If you’re infected, develop symptoms and are contagious, you have active tuberculosis or tuberculosis disease.

The three stages of TB are:

- Primary infection

- Latent TB infection

- Active TB disease

Tuberculosis Treatment and Recovery: Signs and Symptoms

Those with active TB can show any of the following symptoms:

- Bad cough (lasting longer than two weeks)

- Pain in your chest

- Coughing up blood or sputum (mucus)

- Fatigue or weakness

- Loss of appetite

- Weight loss

- Chills

- Fever

- Night sweats

Dr. Srikanth H.S, Senior Naturopath at The Jindal Naturecure Institute shares facts and information about a more natural and drug-free tuberculosis treatment and its benefits in recovery for the serious disease.

Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis has become a serious worry and is slowing efforts to eradicate the disease even as the world struggles to ensure that everyone is treated.

The basic method of treating tuberculosis includes prescribing antibiotics for 6–9 months, which, in most cases, cures the patients. The potential of naturopathy and other alternative systems of medicine to enable better treatment of tuberculosis and pave the way for better patient recovery has recently caught the interest of medical professionals, researchers, and the general public.

Naturopathy in Tuberculosis Treatment: Can it help?

Naturopathy is a form of natural medicine that boosts the body's ability to heal through a wide range of methods such as herbs, food control, yoga, and lifestyle changes. Naturopathy, a drug-free medical practise, is extremely safe and even aids the body in coping with the negative effects of some modern medications.

Many herbal therapies have been shown to have anti-tuberculosis advantages and, when used in conjunction with anti-TB medications, can help the body heal more quickly. Most notably, herbal products significantly reduce liver damage, a common adverse effect of prolonged antibiotic use.

The environment in India is infested with tuberculosis microorganisms. In fact, a lot of individuals have latent microorganisms in their bodies. When a person's immune is weakened for a variety of reasons, such as nutritional deficiency or other diseases, the germs may readily attack. Naturopathy is crucial in raising immunity and fortifying the body's defences against germs and viruses. Thus, the broad application of naturopathic techniques and herbal treatments can also serve as a defence mechanism against tuberculosis.

Naturopathic And Herbal Interventions For Tuberculosis

Some people experience major adverse effects with anti-TB medications, such as kidney and liver damage, both of which have the potential to be deadly. Hepatotoxicity really compels many patients to stop receiving therapy. Even more challenging, numerous treatment cycles are recommended for tuberculosis that is multi-drug resistant, which has more harmful toxic effects on the body.

The harmful effects of anti-TB medications have been discovered to be greatly reduced by plant extracts from certain plants. Plant extracts include components called phytochemicals, flavonoids, and glycosides that function as antioxidants to protect cells from free radical damage and to restore normal liver enzymes, which helps patients recover more quickly. Moreover, they aid in lowering blood enzyme, protein, and total bilirubin levels.

Another study that was published in the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge in 2004 found that patients getting anti-TB medications who also took herbal supplements like Aloe vera extract, Berberis aristata root, Solanum nigrum, and Phyllanthus fraternus at the end of the 12-week trial presented normal liver enzyme activity. Patients in the placebo group, on the other hand, had an increase in ALT and AST values, which are indicators of hepatotoxicity3.

Several Ayurveda medicinal herbs, including Fumaria indica (pitpapra), Apium graveolens (ajmoda), and A. indica (neem), to mention a few, have also been discovered to possess antibacterial action against TB germs.

Despite the availability of an antibiotic treatment, tuberculosis still puts a significant impact on global healthcare. With the rise of multi-drug-resistant TB, there is a greater need than ever for adjuvant therapies and herbal treatments that can speed up patient recovery while reducing the harmful side effects of chemical-based medications. 

In such a situation, creating an integrated strategy to TB that includes both conventional medicine and naturopathy can aid in providing patients with considerable therapeutic advantages.