Author: Dr. Vikram Chauhan

Abstract

Giardiasis is an infection of the small intestine by a parasite called Giardia Lamblia. Parasites are the organisms that live on other organisms, which is a major problem in tropical and subtropical areas. Common parasites in the United States are- Trichomoniasis, Toxoplasmosis, Giardiasis. Different parastites show different symptoms such as Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection causes redness, itching. Toxoplasmosis is flu-like which causes swollen nodes, muscle pain. Anyone can get parasite infection but some people are at high risk such as low immunity, lack of clean water, and living in tropical or subtropical areas. Toxoplasmosis is a very harmful infection for pregnant women and their developing babies. Parasitic infections can be caused by 3 organisms such as protozoa (single cell organisms), Helminths (multi celled organisms), ectoparasites (multi celled organisms). In this topic we are going to study about its causes, symptoms and its ayurvedic aspect in detail.

INTRODUCTION

Giardiasis is a parasitic infection marked by Stomach cramps, bloating, and watery diarrhea. It is the most common water borne disease found in swimming pools, wells, lakes. Giardia can spread through food, person to person. Giardia is a microscopic parasite which affects humans, dogs, and cats. It is the most common parasitic human disease known as beaver fever. Giardiasis spreads when the giardia cysts are within feces contaminated in food which is consumed orally. It can be improved by proper hygiene. This disease can be spread among animals and humans, the cysts usually survive for nearly three months in cold water. Can be easily diagnosed by stool tests. This infection can make a person lactose intolerant, the infection rate is high 7% in developed countries and 30% in developing countries.

FACTS

1. Infection with giardia is one of the most common cause of waterborne nonbacterial and non viral disease
2. Giardia feeds using specialized organelles called PV.
3. Giardia survives in the environment of infectious cysts.

CAUSES

They commonly live in the intestines of people and animals. They are passed in the stools which are encased in the hard shells called cysts which allow survival outside intestines. This whole is occurring due to

1. Swallowing contaminated water- As giardia is usually found in lakes, ponds, rivers where water is infected with giardia from wastewater discharge, animal feces. Sometimes children’s diapers can contaminate the pools.
2. Eating contaminated food- Giardia spreads through food who do not wash their hands properly and raw products which are washed with unsafe water cause infections.
3. Person to Person contact- One can get infected with Giardia if the hands are not washed properly, it can even spread through sex as it is sexually transmitted disease.
4. Children are at high risk of Giardia as they are likely to come in contact with feces when they wear diapers or spend time in child care centers.
5. Person who has weakened immune

SYMPTOMS

1. Watery or greasy stools
2. Gas
3. Weight loss
4. Stomach cramps
5. Bloating
6. Foul smelling
7. Itchy skin
8. Swelling of eyes and joints
9. Malabsorption of  nutrients
10. Nausea
11. Vomiting
12. Lactose intolerance (can be temporary or permanent)
13. Headaches
14. Loss of appetite

DIAGNOSIS

1. Stool test
2. Upper endoscopy
3. ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay)
4. Entero test

COMPLICATIONS

1. Dehydration- Severe diarrhea can lead to dehydration.
2. Failure to thrive- Chronic diarrhea from infection can further lead to malnutrition
3. Lactose intolerance- This infection can cause inability to digest milk sugar properly.

TREATMENT

1. Metronidazole- is the most common antibiotic for the treatment of giardiasis.
2. Nitazoxanide- it comes in liquid form so it is easy for childrens to swallow
3. Tinidazole- It works the same as metronidazole.
4. Probiotics- It clears the infection of giardia.

PREVENTION

1. Wash your hands- This is the simplest and best way to prevent infections. Wash your hands 20 seconds after using the toilet.
2. Purify wilderness water- Avoid drinking untreated water from wells, lakes, rivers. Filter or boil for at least 10 minutes.
3. Wash raw fruits and vegetables with safe and uncontaminated water.
4. Use bottled water- While traveling to other parts one must carry a water bottle to drink safe and filtered water.
5. Practice safe sex.

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT

In ayurveda giardiasis is co related with krimirogas, is very common in children which mainly occur as intestinal infection. They easily breed up in the human intestine with the help of food and blood. Due to causative factors Kapha dosha and pitta dosha get aggravated and form different types of krimi at various places of the body. There are various krimi on the basis of their origin such as kaphaja krimi, raktaj krimi, pureeshaj krimi. The main factors responsible for krimi are ingest of food during indigestion state, milk, excess use of madhur and amla ras so acharya described 20 types of krimi-

1. Bahya krimi

• Bahya krimi (external krimi), Abhyantra krimi (internal worms).
• Bahya krimi- These worms mainly occur in the hairy part of the body, and are considered as urticaria.

2. Abhyantra krimi

This usually occurs due to the production of ama by consuming a sweet and sour diet.

According to effects on body

1. Non pathogenic (sahaja)
2. Pathogenic (vaikarika)

According to source of origin

1. Malaja- Originated from mala (sweet)
2. Raktaja- Originated from blood vessels
3. Kaphaja- Originated from stomach
4. Purishaja- Originated from intestines.

ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS

1. Poor hygienic conditions
2. Lack of awareness
3. Consumption of flesh, sour, salty substances
4. Virudh ahara which forms ama
5. Divaswapna, asana, disturbed life patterns.

CLINICAL SYMPTOMS

1. Fever
2. Malaise
3. Anorexia
4. Stomach cramps
5. Itching in anal area
6. Diarrhea
7. Fainting

CHIKITSA

1. Apakarshan chikitsa
2. Prakruti vighata chikitsa
3. Nidana parivarjan chikitsa

1. Apakarshan chikitsa

Extraction of krimi by following methods

1. Yantra (manual extraction)- Can be extracted using yantra such as sandash yantra.
2. Bhesaja apakarshan (therapeutic extraction)- This involves shodhana therapy alone or along with forcefully extracting krimi. The procedures involved are virechana, asthapana basti, shiro virechana.

2. Prakruti vighata chikitsa

The use of krimighna drugs such as katu, tikta, kashaya kshara and ushana properties cause the adverse environment that is required for the growth of krimi. It inhibits the growth of krimi.

3. Nidana parivarjana

This chikitsa involves taking care of the causative factors by avoiding viruddha ahara, maintaining the hygienic condition, this therapy is the preventive approach rather than treating.

PATHYA- APATHYA

Pathya

1. Rasa- tikta, kashaya
2. Dugdha- ghrita, dugdha
3. Drava- tila tail, sura, gomutra
4. Kritaanna- madhu, tambula, asthapana basti, dhoopan, abhyanga.

Apathya

1. Rasa- Amla, madhura
2. Guna- drava
3. Dugdha- dadhi, ghrita

HERBS USEFUL FOR GIARDIASIS

1. NEEM

Neem (Azadirachta indica) is widely used herb for worm infestations, antimicrobial and treats many skin disorders. The extract of this plant has anti-inflammatory properties and has a protective effect on neurons. It is very light to digest, and tikta (bitter) taste, impacts cooling effect on the body, improves the digestion process and relieves tiredness.

2. VACHA

Vacha (Acorus calamus) has scraping quality and useful in obesity, piles, and has a pungent (katu) bitter (tikta) taste. It balances kapha and vata dosha. Vacha is a useful herb in the treatment of improving epilepsy, schizophrenia, and relieves gaseous distention of the abdomen. It induces uterine contractions and is administered in dysmenorrhea.

3. VIDANGA

Vidanga (Embelia ribes) is a powerful anti parasitic herb useful in treatment of intestinal worm infestation. Vidanga has pungent (katu) astringent (kashaya) taste, has hot potency, balances kapha and vata doshas. Vidanga is useful in abdominal colic pain, in abdominal distension, relieves anorexia, ascites. It detoxifies the blood so it is widely useful in skin diseases.

HERBAL REMEDIES BY PLANET AYURVEDA FOR GIARDIASIS

Planet ayurveda is an ayurvedic clinic which provides great results to the patients. All the formulations made are under the strict guidance of ayurvedic practitioners. These medicines are free from any kind of colors, resins, and synthetic material. They are 100% pure and vegetarian extracted from plants. For the treatment of giardiasis planet ayurveda described the following herbal remedies which provides great relief to patients without any side effects.

PRODUCTS LIST

1. DIGESTION SUPPORT
2. VIDANGADI LOHA
3. KRIMI MUKTI CAPSULE
4. MAHASHANKH VATI

PRODUCTS DESCRIPTION

1. Digestion Support

Digestion support are poly herbal capsules formulated by planet ayurveda using ingredients such as- Amla (Emblica officinalis), Sounf (Foeniculum vulgare), Jeerak (Cyminum cuminum) and many more. These capsules help to maintain natural pH balance in the stomach, control acidity, gas, and flatulence. This capsule contains jeerak so it is helpful in improving appetite. Digestion support capsules contain pippali so it stimulates the liver, intestines to decorate the digestive juice.

Dosage– 1 capsule twice daily with plain water after meals.

2. Vidangadi Loha

Vidangadi loha are herbal tablets formulated by planet ayurveda using ingredients such as Shudh Gandhak (Sulphur), Pippali (Piper longum), Sonth (Zingiber officinale) and many more. It balances pitta and rakta dosha. Useful in diseases like inflammatory disease, helminthiasis, gastroenteritis, anorexia. These tablets are beneficial in abdominal colic pain, headache, worms infestation. Usually this medicine is used for deworming the intestines as it has a laxative property so it eases the dead worms out of the intestines.

Dosage– 1 tablet thrice daily with lukewarm water.

3. Krimi Mukti capsule

Krimi Mukti capsule are poly herbal capsules formulated by planet ayurveda using ingredients like-  Afsanteen (Artemisia absinthium), Vidang (Embelia frondosa), Palaash (Butea frondosa) and many more. These capsules contain harad which balances tridosha and has rejuvenating properties. This capsule improves skin complexion, relieves digestion and helps in removing worms from intestines. Used as shiro virechana so helps in expelling out of doshas out of the body.

Dosage- 1 capsule twice daily with plain water after meals.

4. MahaShankh Vati

These are herbal tablets formulated by planet ayurveda using ingredients like Sea Salt, Black Salt, Tamarind bark and many more. It has various properties like analgesic, anti rheumatic. It helps to balance vata and pitta dosha, reducing intestinal pain, lessen the formation of gas. Mahashankh vati is useful in treatment of ulcerative colitis, piles, acidity, and malabsorption.

Dosage– 2 tablets twice daily with lukewarm water.

CONCLUSION

Giardiasis is an infection of the small intestine by a parasite called Giardia Lamblia. Parasites are the organisms that live on other organisms, which is a major problem in tropical and subtropical areas. Giardia is a microscopic parasite which affects humans, dogs, and cats. It is the most common parasitic human disease known as beaver fever. In ayurveda giardiasis is co related with krimirogas, Due to causative factors Kapha dosha and pitta dosha gets aggravated and form different types of krimi at various places of the body. Planet ayurveda provides remedies for the benefit of giardiasis which we discussed in this topic in detail.