Tuberculosis - I.T. Piatnochka 2005

Treatment of Tuberculosis
Traditional medicine methods and remedies in the comprehensive treatment of tuberculosis

Interest in folk and alternative medicine is growing worldwide, particularly in Ukraine. In 1992, the Kyiv Medical Institute of the Ukrainian Association of Traditional Medicine was established. Alongside the standard curriculum of state medical universities, it introduced The Study of various branches of folk and alternative medicine, such as homeopathy, phytotherapy, manual and bioenergy-information medicine, reflexotherapy, iridology, and others.

Phytotherapy is the Treatment using medicinal plants. For Pulmonary Tuberculosis, recommended remedies include aloe tree (Aloe arborescens), sweet flag (Acorus calamus), common speedwell (Veronica officinalis), wood avens (Geum urbanum), shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), common comfrey (Symphytum officinale), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), elecampane (Inula helenium), wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), prostrate knotweed (Polygonum aviculare), field horsetail (Equisetum arvense), and pulmonaria (Pulmonaria officinalis), among others.

In phthisiology, fresh or preserved aloe juice is used, taken by patients at 1 teaspoon 2–3 times a day in courses lasting 3–4 times a year.

Phytoncides therapy (from Greek phyton meaning plant + Latin caedo meaning to kill and treat) is a branch of phytotherapy that utilizes BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES produced by plants to kill or inhibit the GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION of microorganisms for therapeutic purposes.

For therapeutic purposes, the following are used: roots of horseradish (containing Lysozyme, phytoncides, Vitamin C, etc.); fresh leaves and bulbs of onions (wild leek or garden onion) and garlic (containing the antibiotic allicin, Vitamins A and B, and iodine), administered as fresh juice or hydro-alcoholic infusion via oral and inhalation routes.

Apitherapy (from Latin apis meaning bee + therapeia meaning treatment) involves The Use of bee products (honey, propolis, venom) for therapeutic purposes.

Honey contains approximately 300 different substances, including CARBOHYDRATES, Enzymes, Amino Acids, organic acids, Trace Elements, and Aromatic Compounds. Honey exhibits bactericidal properties, which are higher in amber-colored and dark amber-colored honey.

Propolis therapy is a branch of apitherapy. Propolis contains plant resins, wax, Essential Oils, pollen, bee salivary gland secretions, and trace elements. Propolis exhibits antimicrobial, antitoxic, anti-inflammatory, biogenically stimulating, and analgesic effects. The preparation stimulates the body's defense mechanisms against infection.

Propolis is used in the Treatment of tuberculosis in the form of: an extract (taken as 20 drops three times a day, one hour before meals, for 4–10 months); oil (1 teaspoon three times a day, 1 hour before meals, for 4–10 months); an alcohol solution (taken as 20–40 drops three times a day, 1–1.5 hours before meals, in warm milk); and inhalations for 10 minutes morning and evening (exerting a phytoncide effect).