Evidence supporting the use of: Sugar cane
For the health condition: Cholera
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) has been used in some traditional medical systems as a supportive measure for cholera, primarily in South Asian folk medicine. Historically, sugar cane juice or sugar solutions were sometimes administered to individuals suffering from cholera to help maintain hydration and provide energy during bouts of severe diarrhea and dehydration. The rationale was mainly practical: sugar, when mixed with water, helps create a simple oral rehydration solution (ORS) that can help replace lost fluids and electrolytes. However, it should be noted that traditional use did not precisely match the scientifically validated ORS formulas recommended today by the World Health Organization (WHO), which include specific ratios of glucose and electrolytes. There is some indirect scientific support for the use of sugars, including glucose, in oral rehydration, but no high-quality clinical trials specifically validating sugar cane juice itself for cholera treatment. The modern ORS is based on the principle that glucose facilitates sodium and water absorption in the intestine, a key mechanism in managing cholera-induced dehydration. While sugar cane juice contains glucose and other sugars, it lacks the precise electrolyte balance of ORS. In summary, sugar cane's use in cholera treatment is based in tradition, with limited indirect scientific rationale. Modern medicine strongly favors properly formulated ORS over sugar cane juice for effective rehydration in cholera patients.
Other ingredients used for Cholera
activated charcoalgreen chiretta
betel
bilberry
blueberry
rice
chloride
cowage seed
turmeric
forsythia
garlic bulb
ginger
licorice root
pear
pomegranate
saccharomyces boulardii
spirulina
zinc
squawvine
xanthium (cockleburs)
mugwort
neem tree
alpinia galangal
holarrhena antidysenterica
blackboard tree
caesalpinia crista
peony
buckthorn
sodium salt
siler root
morinda
zanthoxylum
indigo leaves
Anamu
Aconite
Bishop's Weed
Black galingale
Bitter Grass
Bael
Baccharoides anthelmintica
Black Nightshade
Bombax
Borassus Palm
Borassus aethiopum
Capillary Artemisia
Chinese Raisintree
Cowherb
Colombo
Chirata
European-Five Finger Grass
salt