Herbs That Kill Parasites in the Body

Factors that put people at risk for parasitic infection include poor hygiene and sanitation, pre-existing immune system complications, and traveling abroad to infected areas. Parasites enter the body through contaminated drinking water, uncooked meat and unclean fruits and vegetables. Certain herbs may kill or expel these unwelcome guests.

Types of Parasites

• Common parasites include tapeworms, ringworms, pinworms, hookworms, protozoa and flukes. These organisms feed off the host's body, depositing eggs and releasing toxins. Parasites often are found in the kidneys, liver, stomach, intestine, blood and brain of infected people.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a parasitic infection can include stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, gas, headaches, joint pain, anemia, skin problems and worms in the stool.

Treatment

• Severe parasite cases require professional medical attention, and a doctor will prescribe a drug regimen. However, advocates of herbal remedies say that these prescription drugs will target only specific areas of the body or specific stages of parasitic development, leaving some parasites behind that can then repopulate the infected person. These advocates recommend herbal remedies for complete elimination of parasites from the body.

Most Popular

• Black walnut hull, wormwood and cloves are considered the most effective herbs for getting rid of parasites. The three should be combined and administered in a single treatment. The black walnut hull and wormwood kill the adult parasites, while the cloves take care of eggs and earlier developmental stages of the parasites. This concoction may be effective against more than 100 types of parasites.

Black Walnut Hulls

• The hull surrounding the nut of the black walnut tree is a natural parasiticide. To be most effective, the hull should be made into a tincture, which requires extraction with alcohol.

Wormwood

• Wormwood may have been named for its ability to ward off worms and other parasites. Many herbalists say that wormwood works especially well on roundworms and threadworms. It is often ingested in a tea mixed with other herbs, as too much wormwood can be harmful to the human body. You also can use wormwood extracts externally as an insect repellent.

Cloves

• This common kitchen spice must be ground up in order to tap into its anti-parasitic properties. Use fresh cloves, as pre-ground cloves may lose their medicinal properties over time.