Black Walnut Oil's Effect on Worms

Parasitic worms are an extremely common health problem, and can be difficult to eradicate. While pet owners are aware of the importance of worming regularly, it is less well-known that humans too are breeding grounds for countless varieties of parasite. Black Walnut Oil is commonly recommended by herbal and alternative health practitioners as a natural and highly effective remedy for all kinds of parasitic infections, fungal and helminthic (worms), for humans and animals alike.

Context

• The black walnut tree (juglans nigra) is a deciduous tree that has been naturalized in many parts of the world, although it is native to North America. The actual nuts are shelled commercially for food preparation, while the hulls are extracted and used in alternative medicine. The black walnut tree contains the chemical compound juglone, a known toxin that has well-documented herbicidal properties. Juglone is toxic to many species of animals and plant and is found in particularly high levels in the leaves, roots, husks and bark of the black walnut tree.

Treating Animals

• Susan G. Wynn and Barbara Fougere in their 2007 book "Veterinary Herbal Medicine" cite several 19th-century sources that claim black walnut to be effective in killing and expelling intestinal worms from animals. They add that it is a popular choice for the elimination of heartworms in dogs, but that there is no clinical data to support its usage. They also state that the substance is shown to be toxic in dogs, and that long term use is not advised.

Treating Humans

• In her 1995 book "The Cure for all Diseases", the well-known and controversial naturopath Dr. Hulda Clark recommends black walnut for the elimination of adult and larval worms in humans, although she adds that it will not be effective in eradicating any eggs. Many patients and practitioners report positive results using the hull extract in the eradication of fungal and helminthic parasites, particularly when used in combination with Wormwood and Cloves, which are said by Dr. Clark to kill parasite eggs.

Evidence

• Clinical trials involving humans and the anti-parasitic effects of black walnut have not yet been carried out. However, a 1991 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture did show that juglone and plumbagin, both derived from black walnut hulls, are two of a number of substances found to be highly effective in inhibiting the development of parasitic worms, worm larvae and eggs (Fetterer, 1991). However, studies have also shown that black walnut is toxic to certain animals, and therefore should not be administered as an anti-helminthic (Galey, 1991).

Warning

• In the absence of verifiable clinical trials it is ill-advised to recommend extracts of Black Walnut hull or leaf, since both juglone and plumbagin found in black walnut are known toxins. For this reason traditional herbal medicine advises extreme care in the use of black walnut in humans and animals, and should only ever be used for short periods, if at all. Drug Information Online (Drugs.com) states that black walnut extract has severe contra-indications for pregnant and lactating women, and is best avoided.