Ringworm, or tineacorporis, is a fungal infection that affects the skin of humans and animals alike. Its name is derived from the ancient belief that the ring was caused by a worm. However, recent studies show that dermatophytes or skin fungi are the cause of the signs and symptoms of the disease. Many modes of treatment have been discovered to cure ringworm. However, our ancestors used different techniques and ways to eradicate this type of infection. Let’s discover some of them:
Turmeric
In ancient India, turmeric, an herbal plant, was commonly used to treat ringworm. This plant has been used for more than 4,000 years to cure different types of ailments and diseases. In the Vedic period in India, honey was mixed with 15 ml of turmeric and consumed by the affected person. Also, turmeric juice was applied directly to the site of infection.
neem
The Neem tree has been considered a “wonder tree” for hundreds of years in India. It has been used as an antiseptic, antimicrobial, antidiarrheal, and antifungal. Aside from these medical uses, it has also been used as an ingredient in cosmetics. As a treatment for bacterial, fungal, and other infections, ancient peoples used its seeds, oil, leaves, and bark in many different ways to make it a full-spectrum treatment for many conditions.
Henna
The use of Henna is well documented in the Ancient Egyptian Pharmacopoeia, “TheEbers Papyrus”, a compilation of approximately 876 remedies and sets of formulas made by ancient physicians as early as 1550 B.C. C. The Ebers Papyrus was discovered in 1862 by Edwin Smith in Thebes, Egypt. According to collected artifacts, the remedy for “scabs on all limbs” (which could be ringworm or other fungal disease), was Henna from the swamps, Henna from the fields and Henna from knots. With these components of Henna, red grains crushed in oil, goose oil and semen were incorporated. If body grade Henna was applied to the injured skin, a permanent staining of the affected area would normally result.
Nut
Traditional Chinese Medicine regards Walnut as an herbal treatment for many conditions. It has been cultivated in Europe since Roman times and was introduced to China after 206 BC. The outer covering, bark, leaves, and nuts were used as treatments for different forms of illness. External application of Walnut was shown to treat ringworm and other forms of fungal infections.
These ancient methods of treating ringworm were used by early peoples in very convenient ways. Advances in science and medicine can make them very obsolete. However, the way diseases are treated now may also be outdated centuries from now. It is always good to look back and rediscover what our ancestors have done to pave the way for greater discoveries. The idea that one day, somehow, our treatments and the latest innovations will no longer be as effective as they are now is very sobering. Indeed, the world changes and evolves and as the saying goes, “there will always be a higher mountain”.
