Echinacea angustifolia in Dengue Fever
Acon., Ars., Bell., Bry., Chin., Coloc., EUP-PER., Ferr., Ham.,
Ip., Merc., Nux-v., Podo., Rhus-tox., Sec., Sul-ac.
I hope to prevent and treat
Dengue Fever, Arsenicum album, Belladonna
atropa and China officinalis are important remedies. Ferrum metallicum, Ipecacuanha,
Secale cornatum and Hamamelis virginicus, Phosphorus and Crotalus horridus
are useful for Haemorrhagic Dengue fever.
Echinacea angustifolia is not
in the Dengue fever rubric! It is a fever remedy and treats Malaria as recorded
in the Lotus Materia Medica. The Boericke Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia
Medica records the following symptoms: great debility, tired feeling
and aching in limbs.
Echinacea not only increases
blood cell production but can decrease the production when it has been higher
than optimum levels. This confirms the dynamic and systemic nature of the
remedy’s action on the vital force – the ability to regulate cell production as
the situation demands.
As Dengue treatment, I advise
and prescribe Echinacea 200 twelve doses over twelve hours and blood counts
show a favourable response – it works quickly which is vital in any acute
disease and more importantly stimulates the accurate immune response. When the
immune function is restored, the fever as well as HCT/PCV is regulated and the
infection does not overwhelm the patient.
According to the article
‘Echinacea’, in the herbal form it:
• Promotes Macrophage activity
• Stimulates T-cell production
• Stimulates Interferon production
• Increases Phagocytosis
The best method of prevention
is avoiding mosquito bites and eliminating breeding sites, but this is not
always possible. Stagnant water and garbage provide rich breeding ground for
the mosquitoes in close proximity to homes, and schools, and government
resources cannot cope with eradicating this menace completely without the
concerted help of the public. The changeable weather patterns may also
contribute to the unpredictable incidence of Dengue. It is sobering to think of
repeated attacks of this disease in a person’s lifetime and that the virus can
mutate.
Constitutional remedies and
Echinacea to support the immune function are prescribed during peak seasons and
offer effective protection – with emphasis on a diet rich in antioxidants and
adequate hydration. As preventive medicine I usually prescribe Echinacea
angustifolia 30c one pill daily for two weeks when Dengue is imminent. It has
been six years since that epidemic and Echinacea has become a familiar and dear
remedy to my patients, family and friends and indeed to me!
Conclusion
Diseases such as Dengue are
physically debilitating, have a long recovery phase, can be lethal and result
in a lot of anxiety and depression. In 2011 approximately 28,000 cases were
reported (55.9 percent of cases from the Western Province) and nearly 2,000
people died in all world. Homeopathy has the potential do so much more in
improving these mortality rates and incidence of the disease.
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