INTRODUCTION:

What is Leprosy?

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by an acid fast rod shaped bacteria Mycobacterium leprae (does not grow in artificial media or even in tissue culture like other bacteria), which causes damage to the skin and the peripheral nervous system.

It is also known as Hansen’s disease named after Dr Gerhard Armauer Hansen (Norwegian scientist) who first discovered Mycobacterium leprae in 1873.

It is also called kusht in Hindi (India), kusta in Indonesian and rate in Tetum (Timor-Leste). (WHO)

The disease progresses slowly (from six months to 40 years) and cause in skin lesions and deformities, most often affecting the cooler places on the body (such as: eyes, nose, earlobes, hands, feet, and testicles).¹

It is transmitted slowly via droplets through from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contacts with untreated cases.

Symptoms:

Unfortunately, the early signs and symptoms of leprosy are very subtle and occur slowly (usually over years).²

The following are the major signs and symptoms of leprosy:

· Joint Pain

· Numbness

· Loss of temperature sensation

· Touch sensation reduced

· Pins and needles sensations

· Deep pressure sensations are decreased or lost

· Nerve injury

· Weight loss

· Blisters and/or rashes

· Nosebleeds

· Ulcers, relatively painless

· Eye damage (dryness, reduced blinking)

· Large ulcerations (later symptoms and signs)

· Hair loss (for example, loss of eyebrows)

· Loss of digits (later symptoms and signs)

· Facial disfigurement, for example: loss of nose

· Erythema nodosum leprosum: tender skin nodules accompanied by other symptoms like fever, joint pain, neuritis, and edema.

Some Herbs Used in Treatment of Leprosy:

Hydnocarpus kurzii (Flacourtiaceae)³

Chalmugra or Dalmugri (Hydnocarpus kurzii, family: Flacourtiaceae) is a small to medium-sized tree having brownish hair in young parts. The tree can be up to 15 meters tall. Bark is almost brown. Wood is very hard. It is mostly found in the hilly areas of greater Chottogram and greater Sylhet forests. The tree is also found in South and South Asia.

It used in the treatment of leprosy and other disease.

Tinospora cordifolia (Menispermaceae)⁴

Tinospora cordifolia (common names heart-leaved moonseed, guduchi or giloy) is an herbaceous vine of the family Menispermaceaeindigenous to tropical regions of the Indian subcontinent.

It has been in use for centuries intraditionalmedicine to treat various disorders and leprosy.

Euphorbia tirucalli (Euphorbiaceae)⁵

Euphorbia tirucalli (commonly known as Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, pencil cactus, milk bush) is a tree that grows in semi-aridtropicalclimates. A hydrocarbon plant, it produces a poisonouslatex that can cause temporary blindness.

Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae)⁶

Basil (Ocimum basilicum), is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae.

The herb is native to India, but thrives in hot and dry conditions, such as southern Europe, the southern states of the U.S., and Australia.

There are many varieties of basil. In India traditionally basil has been used for the treatment of anxiety, leprosy, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, headaches, nerve pain, as anticonvulsant and anti-inflammatory.

Bombax ceiba L. (Malvaceae)⁷

Bombax ceiba, like other trees of the genus Bombax, is commonly known as cotton tree. It is sometimes known as Malabar silk-cotton tree, red silk-cotton, and red cotton tree.

The ﬂowers are astringent and refrigerant and to treat cutaneous infections. The young roots are diuretic and tonic. They are used in the treatment of cholera, tubercular ﬁstula, coughs, urinary complaints, nocturnal pollution, abdominal pain due to dysentery and impotency.

Stem bark are considered as acrid, demulcent, diuretic, inflammation, slightly astringent and tonic. It is applied on swelling, boil and burning sensation and applied on face in facial complaints such as freckles, acne vulgeris and other cutaneous as well as pigmentation disorder The root are taken in consumption and sexual weakness including seminal disorder.

Dioscorea transversa (Dioscoreaceae)⁷

Dioscorea transversa, the pencil yam, is a vine of eastern and northern Australia.

The leaves are heart-shaped, shiny, with 5-7 prominent veins. The seed pods are rounded, green or pink before drying to a straw brown papery texture.

Bauhinia variegata Linn. (Fabaceae)⁸

Bauhinia variegata is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to an area from China through Southeast Asia to the Indian subcontinent.

Common names include orchid tree and mountain ebony.

Traditionally plant used as anti-helmintic, astringent, anti-leprotic, anti-microbial, liver tonic and in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea.

Plant is also useful for treatment of skin diseases, wounds, edema, dysentery, ulcers, eye disease, piles, hemorrhoids and an antidote against snake bite

Amaranthus spinosis (Amaranthaceae)⁹

Amaranthus spinosus, commonly known as the spiny amaranth, spiny pigweed, prickly amaranth or thorny amaranth, is a plant is native to the tropical Americas, but is present on most continents as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed.

In the folk medicine of India, the ash of fruits of is used for jaundice, Water extracts from its roots and leaves have been used as diuretic, as anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antidiuretic, antiviral and hepatic disorders. It is a popular medicinal plant also used for treat digestible, bronchitis, appetizer, blood diseases, burning sensation, leucorrhoea, leprosy, piles and as a treatment for hallucination, healing of wounds and rheumatism etc.¹¹

Tamarindus indica (Fabaceae)¹²

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica- Fabaceae) is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa.

It is normally used to treat Leprosy, glycaemia and other metabolic disorders.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

I would like to thanks all above authors for support and valuable advice.

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Received on 27.07.2023 Modified on 16.01.2024

Res. J. Pharmacognosy and Phytochem. 2024; 16(2):130-132.

DOI: 10.52711/0975-4385.2024.00025