Evidence supporting the use of: Java brucea
For the health condition: Parasites (nematodes, worms)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Java Brucea (Brucea javanica) has a long history of use in traditional medicine, particularly in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Southeast Asian herbal practices. It has been used to address a variety of ailments, including parasitic infections such as those caused by nematodes and other worms. The seeds of Brucea javanica are specifically cited in classic materia medica texts as remedies for intestinal parasites, often administered as part of polyherbal formulations. The traditional rationale is based on the perceived 'toxicity' and 'bitterness' of the seeds, which were thought to expel or 'purge' parasites from the digestive tract.

Scientific validation for this use is limited but not entirely absent. Some in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that extracts from Brucea javanica possess anti-parasitic activity, particularly against protozoans like Entamoeba histolytica and Plasmodium species (malaria), rather than nematodes or helminths specifically. There is a lack of robust clinical trials or detailed mechanistic studies evaluating its efficacy against nematodes or common intestinal worms in humans. Therefore, while the traditional use is well documented, scientific support, especially for nematode or worm infections, is weak and primarily anecdotal or limited to preclinical models.

Overall, Brucea javanica’s reputation as an anti-parasitic agent is rooted more in tradition than in high-quality scientific evidence, particularly when it comes to nematodes or intestinal worms.

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