What is chaulmoogra oil ?
Modern leprosy drugs wouldn’t exist without chaulmoogra oil, which comes from the seeds of Hydnocarpus wightiana, H. anthelmintica, and Taraktogenos kurzii. This herb was discovered in the 1920s by Joseph Rock, a botanist who’d heard that a certain plant he’d never seen could cure leprosy. While searching for the plant throughout the Far East and India, he obtained some seeds in an Indian market. Rock learned that they came from a tall local tree with leathery leaves and white flowers. He collected the seeds and naturalized the plant In Hawaii. About 20 years later, active components from the seeds provided the basic materials for the first leprosy drugs.
Common doses of chaulmoogra oil
Chaulmoogra oil is available as a topical oil. Some people inject a salt form of the oil under the skin. Experts disagree on what dose to take.
Why people use chaulmoogra oil
- Leprosy.
Side effects of chaulmoogra oil
Call your health care practitioner if you experience stomach irritation after injecting chaulmoogra oil under the skin. Also be aware that such injections may cause calcium deposits to form under the skin.
Interactions
Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Tell your health care practitioner about any prescription or nonprescription drugs you’re taking.
Important points to remember
- Don’t use this herb if you’re pregnant or breast-feeding.
- If you suspect you may have leprosy, seek medical advice from a health care practitioner who has experience in leprosy treatment. He or she may recommend more conventional treatment.
- Don’t try to self-inject this herb except under close supervision of a health care practitioner who has experience in leprosy treatment.
What the research shows
Medical experts caution people not to use chaUlmoogra oil because safer leprosy treatments exist. The herb’s role in treating leprosy and other disorders hasn’t been determined.
Other names for chaulmoogra oil : –
Other names for chaulmoogra oil include chaulmogra oil, gynocardia oil, and hyilll carpus oil.
No known products containing chaulmoogra oil are commercially available.
Useful References