No doubt, pain for whatever reason is best prevented than ameliorated. This explains why even in many communities many herbs come handy in ameliorating pain, whether it is a pain due to a woman's month menstrual period, stomach pain or even pains in other parts of the body.Interestingly, one of such herbs used for pain is often seen as a weed found on uncultivated lands called Phyllanthus amarus. This is a common herb called 'dobisowo'or 'eyin olubi n sowo' in Yoruba-speaking part of Nigeria and 'ngwu' by the Igbo tribe and 'buchi oro' by the Asaba people, both in Nigeria.Phyllanthus amarus has been used locally in the treatment of many diseases and in different countries all over the world. In Ivory Coast, it has a lot of magical uses; it is used to counter coastal pain and sore throat. In Kenya, it is used to relieve stomach pain and in Angola, it is widely used in the treatment of diarrhoea and amoebic dysentery.In western part of Nigeria, it is used as an ingredient of 'agbo' and infusion of its leaves is used for haemorrhoid. It is has also been used traditionally in the treatment of jaundice, gonorrhea, and frequent menstruation, diabetes and also in the treatment of menstrual pain. Phyllanthus amarus is tropically used as a poultice for skin ulcer, sores, swelling and itchiness. It is also used in the treatment of viral hepatitis.Although, the leaves of Phyllanthus amarus is used in relieving pain, especially among the Yoruba-speaking people of Nigeria, until recently there has not been any attempt to ascertain its effectiveness as a pain relieving herb.However, scientists in new study that was published by the African Journal of Medicine and medical Sciences to assess the decoction of Phyllanthus amarus leaves established its effectiveness for pain relief.For the study, the researchers collected, dried and ground to fine powder of Phyllanthus amarus before using it to prepare the plants' decoction. Various doses of the water extract of the plant's leaves were tested on 75 adult male albino rats.This was a study entitled, 'Analgesic activity of aqueous leaf extract of Phyllanthus amarus.' It was carried out by B.O Iranloye from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos; V.B Owoyele and O. R. Kelani, from the University of Ilorin and S.B. Olaleye, from the University of Ibadan.The study showed that progressive increase in the concentration of the water leave extract of Phyllanthus amarus protects the animals from pain produced by both chemical and thermal stimuli. 'This confirms in part that the anecdotal use of Phyllanthus amarus in pain relief like menstrual pain (dysmenorrheal) and stomach pain,' they wrote.According to the researchers,'the aqueous (water) extract of Phyllanthus amarus has been found to contain some constituents such as saponins, flavonoids, sugar and vitamins. The analgesic and anti inflammatory activities of thus extract may then be linked with the presence of an anti-oxidative constituents- -flavonoids.'Bitter leaves is traditional used as an alternative therapy for pain, for instance in southwestern Uganda. Scientists found that it has analgesic properties in mice with malaria parasite, thus corroborating its usefulness in ameliorating pain associated with malaria. The 2008 study was published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.In many parts of Africa, the leaf, stem-bark, and roots of guava (Psidium guajava) are used traditionally for the management, control, and/or treatment of an array of human disorders, including pain.Scientists in an appraise some of the medicinal uses of guava leaves found it can be used to treat painful. It effect was dose-dependent and significant in the animals used for the study.They wrote that 'the findings of this experimental animal study indicate that the leaf aqueous extract of P. guajava possesses analgesic and antiinflammatory properties, and thus lend pharmacological credence to the suggested ethnomedical, folkloric uses of the plant in the management and/or control of painful, arthritic and other inflammatory conditions in some rural communities of Africa' in the 2006 edition of the journal, Methods Find Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology.Previously, scientists also in the journal, Methods Find Exp Clinical Pharmacology lend credence to analgesic effects of mango leaves. According to them, 'the results of this experimental animal study lend pharmacological credence to the suggested folkloric uses of the plant in the management and control of painful, arthritic and other inflammatory conditions, as well as in the management of adult-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus in some rural African communities.Garcinia kola Heckel stem bark is used by traditional medicine practitioners in Ogoni, Nigeria, to treat painful menses and burns. The decoction and infusion of this stem bark is often taken without any standardised measurement, sometimes in large amounts. Nonetheless, reporting on its usefulness for painful condition were H. D. Kagbo & D. E. Ejebe from the University of Port Harcourt.According to their 2010 study, there was a scientifically rationale behind the traditional use of this part of the plant to treat dysmenorrhea and burns.In the study, published in The Internet Journal of Toxicology, they wrote, 'The result in this study validates the traditional medicinal use of the evaluated part of G. kola in treating gynaecological pains (especially dysmenorrhoea) and wounds from burns; but the acute toxicity result also indicates that the plant part (stem bark) has a 'very toxic' profile. This calls for caution in the 'dose' of the decoction given to patients in traditional medical practice.'Other herbs helpful with painS include Aloe-vera, neem, lemon grass leaves and ginger. Intake of aloe juice or aloe-gel before and during the periods will go a long way in alleviating all kinds of pains and symptoms.In addition, for painful menses take between eight and 10 leaves of neem and grind it into a fine paste with ginger juice and have this during your periods. A decoction prepared from the leaves of lemon grass, taken twice a day is also quite effective, too.
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