Health Conditions

How to Cure Malaria? 15 Effective Natural Remedies

During Monsoon. How often have you heard your mother shout at you to close the door, to not let the mosquitoes in? Why are mosquitoes so dangerous? Do they pose an imminent threat?

The risk of malaria increases exponentially during the monsoon, due to obvious reasons like stagnant water, increased breeding. Malaria is mostly observed in the tropical regions of the world, where they are closer to the equator and very hot! Like Southeast Asia, Africa, and such other continents.

Malaria is mosquito-borne disease; this insect acts a vector of the illness. Vector in more straightforward terms means that the insect transfers the disease. The females are the ones that transfer malaria amongst humans. It spreads when the mosquito pierces your skin and infuses the pathogens into the bloodstream causing dengue fever.

Malaria was primarily discovered in 1880 as a disease caused by these pathogens. There has been a rise of malaria in the sub-tropical economically developing countries.

Malaria claims about 50000 deaths a year

Doctors have predominantly used a lot of medicines for the treatment of malaria, finally settled on using quinine derivatives, that is acquired from the bark of Cinchona pubescens; A tree native to the south and central America. They have also used Artemisinin-based drugs.

Surprising Facts About Malaria!

The word malaria has been derived from the Italian word ‘mal- aria’ which roughly translates into ‘bad air’ as it was earlier believed that malaria(1) was spread by air.

Three different species of Anopheles mosquitoes have been known to spread this disease.

When a pregnant woman contracts this infection, the fetus developing has an increased chance of having reduced the weight, thereby reducing its chances of survival

People living in  106 countries and territories in the world that is more than three billion people are at a higher risk of contracting malaria

They are two different types of malaria:

  • Uncomplicated Malaria: This fever attack consists of three stages, the cold stage, the hot stage, and the sweating stage. Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, and diarrhea.
  • Severe Malaria: This occurs when the infection is spread to all the vital organs of the body causing severe organ failure and other acute symptoms such as cerebral malaria, severe anemia, kidney failure.

In the recent age, there has been an uprising in the scientific community to find a treatment of malaria by using traditional and panacea methods because the sight of a little young boy suffering from these symptoms would shake all of us to the core.

Read on to learn the home remedies for malaria that can be used to help you or anyone.

Home Remedies to Treat Malaria

1. Holy Basil – Ocimum Tenuiflorum

Holy basil, colloquially referred to as Tulsi(2) is a common plant that we all grown in our home gardens. It is a plant that bears a lot of medicinal properties, one of which is to help treat malaria.

Image:ShutterStock

What will you need?

10-15 leaves of Holy basil

½ teaspoon black pepper

Procedure:

Crush the leaves and separate the pulp from the  leaves, using a sieve

To this add the black pepper and stir the solution well

Consume the concoction!

Dosage:

It is recommended to have this juice three times a day before eating, especially during the initial stages of the disease.

Medicinal Use:

‘Queen of the Herbs’ is what Holy basil is called. It is pretty self-explanatory about the health benefits that it bears.

It has antimalarial effects when ingested on a regular basis can treat malaria effectively.

Additionally, it also provides quick relief from the other symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, fever.

[Read: Holy Basil Benefits ]

2.Alum – Hydrated Sulfate salt of Aluminum

Alum is a chemical compound that is the hydrated double salt of the element aluminum, it can be very easily procured from any store.

What will you need?

An inch of Alum

Procedure:

Roast the alum and powder it, while it is hot.

Take half a teaspoon before an expected attack (approximately)

Take half a teaspoon every two hours after an attack

Dosage:

It is recommended that you do this before and after every malarial attack as this home remedy can provide instant results.

Medicinal Use:

Alum is a significant treatment for malaria as it is antimicrobial, to cure malaria.

3. Sweet Lime – Citrus Limetta

This fantastic fruit bears a lot of medicinal properties, and it is commonly referred to as ‘Mosambi.’ It belongs to the same family of sweet lemons.

What will you need?

3-4 pieces of the fruit (recommended to keep replenishing the stock as long as you have malaria)

Procedure:

Peel the skin off and extract the juice, remove the seeds and you may consume it!

Dosage:

Ingest two glasses of this sweet concoction to keep the symptoms away!

Medicinal Use:

This fruit is the part of the citrus family, consists of a lot of Vitamin C. That is beneficial to the patient as they can easily digest it!

Also provides all the minerals and vitamins to keep the body healthy, thereby treating malaria effectively.

4.Cinnamon- Cinnamomum verum

Image:ShutterStock

This aromatic condiment and flavoring additive are used in a wide variety of cuisines, snacks, sweets. This condiment also bears a lot of health benefits as well as it is loaded with antioxidants which makes it right choice to treat malaria.

What will you need?

1 Tablespoon of cinnamon powder

A pinch of black pepper

1 Teaspoon of honey

Water

Procedure:

Add cinnamon and black pepper powders to boiling water, once the water is colored, strain it and pour it into a glass

Add honey to it

Stir it well, Drink!

Dosage:

Drink this twice daily, to cure malaria

Medicinal Use:

Cinnamon(3) is a known beneficiary to combat malaria symptoms as it is loaded with anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antioxidants. This is an effective method for treatment of malaria.

[ Read: 7 Ways to use Cinnamon for Blood Sugar ]

5.Fever Nut – Caesalpinia bonduc

The yellow knicker, as it is called commonly is found a lot in India ranging from the coastal areas to the Himalayan ranges. It is also called as ‘fever nut’ because of its antipyretic properties.

What will you need?

3-4 grams of fever nut

Water

Procedure:

These should be directly swallowed with ample amounts of water, two hours before the expected onset of the fever and one hour after it.

Dosage:

Ingest this before and after every malarial fever attack

Medicinal Uses:

This seed is antipyretic and is considered as an effective home remedy to treat malaria.

It will prevent the sudden outburst of fever one would experience during malaria. It has antimalarial and anti-inflammatory properties.

6.Apple Cider Vinegar – The Miraculous solution

It is a kind of vinegar made from fermented apple juice, mostly used in salads, marinating and cooking procedures. In recent ages, it has been used widely to treat an array of diseases and conditions.

What will you need?

3 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar

Cold water

A cloth

Procedure:

Add 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a bowl of fresh and cold water

Stir the contents and soak a soft towel in the water

Wring the soaked cloth and then place it on your forehead for about 15 minutes

Dosage:

Do this repeatedly during the fever stage of your malarial attack

Medicinal Uses:

Apple cider vinegar is a known antipyretic that will help you combat the fever and is a very potent solution to treat malaria.

7.Grapefruit – Citrus × paradisi

Image:ShutterStock

This subtropical citrus fruit is known to be somewhat bitter and sweet however it holds a lot of benefits.

What will you need?

A quarter of Grapefruit

Water

Procedure:

Boil the grapefruit in water, after peeling the skin off

Strain the pulp and extract the juice and drink it

Dosage:

Have this as often as you can

Medicinal Use:

Grape Fruit has natural quinine-like constituents that can alleviate a lot of malarial symptoms.

Caution: Don’t use Grapefruit or drink its juice if you are already on a regimen of prescribed medicines, as it alters specific enzymes in your stomach, reducing the absorption of quinidine

[ Read: Health Benefits of Grape Juice ]

8.Strawberry – Fragaria × Ananassa

This red and beautiful fruit is commonly found in a lot of salads and smoothies and juices. It is rich in antioxidants.

What will you need?

Strawberries

Procedure:

Consume these berries throughout your day and subsisting it in place of the desserts you might have.

Dosage:

Have it as often as possible

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Medicinal use:

Strawberries are dietary home treatments for malaria, and they are highly beneficial for speedy recovery from malaria.

They are rich in vitamins and also abundantly supply a lot of minerals required to the body. This nutritional profile helps in the treatment of malaria coherently.

10.Fenugreek Seeds – Trigonella foenum-graecum

This semi-arid crop that is cultivated throughout the world is filled with a lot of vitamins and has a lot of benefits.

What will you need?

4-5 grams of Fenugreek Seeds

A glass of water

Procedure:

Soak these seeds every night and start your day by drinking the water of course! After straining the seeds on an empty stomach.

Dosage:

It is advised to have this concoction on a daily basis until you are completely cured of the malarial infection

Medicinal Use:

A lot of malarial patients feel weak during their first stage of fever. These seeds are the best natural remedy to combat this weakness. They boost the immune system and help in curing malaria.

Thus, it is strongly advised that all the patients suffering from malaria ingest these seeds as much as they can

11. Turmeric – Curcuma longa

Turmeric belongs to the ginger family, this flowering plant has many uses, and it’s roots are of paramount uses, as they are bactericidal and anti-fungal.

What will you need?

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

A glass of warm milk

Procedure:

Add turmeric to the warm milk and stir well

Ingest this every night before you go to sleep

Dosage:

Ingest it every night to cure your malaria.

Medicinal Uses:

Being a powerful antioxidant and antimicrobial agent, it cleanses the body of all the toxins that are building up because of the Plasmodium infection caused by the pathogen.

It also anti-inflammatory properties that are known to treat malaria symptoms such as muscle pain and joint aches.

11. Datura – Datura stramonium

Image:ShutterStock

Commonly referred to as Thorn weed, This ancient plant has a lot of medicinal benefits. It belongs to the nightshade family

What will you need?

2-3 Datura leaves

½ teaspoon of jaggery

Procedure:

The leaves should be crushed and mashed into a form of a consolidated pill

This mix should then be mixed with jaggery

Dosage:

Consume this every day until the infection lasts.

Medicinal Use:

The ancient Indian Datura plant has been used as a medicine to treat malaria and dengue.

12.Sweet Wormwood – Artemisia annua

Sweet wormwood, commonly referred to as sweet annie is a common type of wormwood native to temperate Asia, it is mostly seen in China.

Its oil and leaves are used to treat a lot of diseases and have been used for many years in traditional medicine in China.

What will you need?

4-5 leaves of Sweet wormwood

Water

Procedure:

Soak these leaves in water for a few hours

Drain the leaves and consume the water, directly!

Dosage:

Drink this solution two times a day

Medicinal Use:

These leaves are antipyretic and will help you keep your fever in check.

They are also anti-parasitic which means they would help you in killing those sickly Plasmodium pathogens.

13.Ginger – Zingiber officinale

This flowering plant has roots that are the most beneficial in traditional medicine in China. It is widely used as a spice and folk medicine.

What do you need?

1-inch of ginger

Water

Procedure:

The ginger needs to be chopped into small pieces and should be thrown into trough of boiling water

Let it boil for 5-10 minutes

Strain this solution, let it cool. To this concoction add a few drops of honey.

Dosage:

It is advised to have 2 cups of this concoction daily.

Medicinal Use:

Gingerol, the active ingredient in ginger is an anti-microbial and an anti-inflammatory en14.zyme.

Ginger also helps with nausea and aids in better digestion. Thereby helping in treating malaria.

14.Chirata – Bitter Sticks

This is a herb, that was used by ancient East Indians, to cure a lot of diseases. They used the parts that grew above the ground that is the shoot, leaves.

What do you need?

1-2 Cinnamon sticks

2-3 Cloves

15 grams of Chirata

Procedure:

Fill a trough with water, while boiling the water, add cinnamon, cloves, and chirata and stir well over medium heat.

Strain the solution of the sediments

Dosage:

Drink two teaspoons of this solution twice or thrice a day. This is one of the most effective natural remedies for the treatment of malaria.

Medicinal Use:

Although it is not clear as to what does chirata, have, however, it is considered that it can effectively cure malaria and a lot of other diseases.

15. Herbal Tea – China’s Gift to World!

Image:ShutterStock

These caffeine-less beverages are a wonder drug to the body. They have a lot of benefits as they are a concoction consisting of a lot of herbs, plant extracts, and spices.

What do you need?

A bag of Green Tea

A piece of tamarind

A cup of hot water

Procedure:

Boil a cup of water, to that add the bag of green tea and the tamarind. Let is rest until the solution is lukewarm.

Remove the bag, drink up!

Dosage:

Have this wonderful beverage twice daily!

Medicinal Use:

This drink is filled to the brim with antioxidants that will strengthen your immune system, and the tamarind acts as an antipyretic helping in reducing the fever!

[ Read: Health Benefits of Tulsi Tea ]

Home remedies for prevention of malaria

The government takes extensive steps for malaria prevention and control. A few malaria prevention methods that can be implemented at home include the following.

Prevent the stagnancy of water.

Build a good drainage and sewage system around your house to do away with the stagnation of water that becomes the breeding ground for malaria parasites.

Use mosquito repellent creams, wear long-sleeved night clothes and take proper care to protect yourself against malaria.

Things to remember!

1. Healthy Diet

A healthy diet comprising of fresh fruit juices, vegetables and raisins and nuts helps you in speedy recovery from the infection.

Initially, you can consume fruits juices and other fluids like orange juice until your fever is under control.

After the fever subsides, you can eat fresh fruits and milk. A balanced diet is necessary to cure malaria. Malaria patients must avoid consumption of processed foods and canned foods during the time of infection.

2. Warm Water

Warm water must be used for drinking as it helps in cleansing your bowel system and keep the body hydrated. It also helps in proper functioning of the body.

3. Clean Surrounding

The surrounding area of the patients should be kept clean to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.

Clean the stagnant water as it increases the breeding of mosquitoes and flies. Make use of insecticides to kill the mosquitoes and prevent the spread of malaria infection.

4. Mosquito Nets

Mosquito nets can be used to protect yourself from the mosquito bites. Mosquitoes are responsible for spreading infection from one person to the other.

Mosquito nets can be used to protect yourself from the mosquito bites. Mosquitoes are responsible for spreading infection from one person to the other.

If you observe any symptoms of malaria, you must get it diagnosed at the earliest to avoid complications. Malaria cure is done by using certain natural home remedies that can help in boosting your immune system and also prevent you from infections. Natural cure for malaria is generally preferred as it has fewer side effects and cures completely

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Is malaria contagious?

Malaria is not contagious in natureand as such, it cannot be contracted from getting in physical contact with the infected person. However, if there is any blood transfusion or organ transplant conducted between the infected person and a non-infected person then there is the risk of getting infected with malaria.

2. Is malaria a waterborne disease?

Malaria is not a waterborne disease. It can only thrive in blood and cannot be contracted from drinking water. However, dirty and contaminated water breeds the malaria parasite and can infect you with malaria when drunk.

3. Can you survive malaria?

Malaria is caused by asexual erythrocytic parasites. When treated with the right drugs accompanied with meticulous natural treatment then malaria can be effectively cured in considerable time in about a fortnight.

4. How to cure malaria naturally without drugs?

Malaria can be treated effectively at home without the administration of toxic chemical drugs.

  • Mix a few drops each of lemon and lime juice and then add the juices to a glass of lukewarm water. Drink this daily.
  • Another effective natural cure of malaria is cinnamon. Mix a teaspoon each of cinnamon powder, honey and powdered pepper and add that to a glass of water with gentle stirring.
  • Take this daily throughout the stages of malaria.