Abstracts of Articles

 

Controlling bilharzia might be as easy as growing a plant.
Wolde-Yohannes L; Esser, K.B. Semagn,K.
Agroforestry Today 1999, Vol.11,No.3/4,pp.7-9,5 ref.

Bilharzia, a chronic disease caused by a parasitic worm carried by snails, can severely damage the liver, intestines, lungs and bladder. It affects an estimated 200-300 million people in the tropics and subtropics.  The disease is spreading as a result of increased development of wetlands and irrigation farming.  
This article describes and discusses the potential use of the berries of endod (Phytolacca dodecandra), a molluscicidal plant, to reduce the numbers of bilharzia (schistosomiasis) carrying snails in Ethiopia.  Endod occurs wild in the highlands of Ethiopia, and the berries were formerly extensively used as a soap for washing cotton fabrics. The decline of endod soap use is thought to have led to increased bilharzia incidence in the country, and the feasibility has been investigated of reintroducing its use in snail infested locations or adding endod directly to streams through community mobilization.  The plant is a semi-succulent scrambling shrub which can grow to 4 m. tall and climb to 18 m when supported; it bears fruit twice  yearly  under     favorable climatic conditions.  Studies are currently underway to determine how endod assisted control of bilharzia can be most effective under different social and environmental conditions in Ethiopia.  
A summary is given of present knowledge (from earlier studies) on endod cultivation, including collection of germplasm, proparagation (by seeds or cuttings), Planting, pest problems harvesting the berries, and preparation of extracts.




Control of schistosomiasis (bilharzia) using berries from Phytolacca dodecandra (endod)
Esser, K.B.Gundersen, S.G; Gebre-Michael, T. Wolde-Yohannes, L.
Sci.  News -NORAGRIC, 2000, No. 2, pp.1-2.

An overview of toxicological studies conducted in Ethiopia on the use of Endod berries (Phytolacca dodecandra) to kill the snail vectors of schistosomiasis, is presented.  Investigations on the agronomic aspects of Endod, and the familiarity of people in Ethiopia with the plants and its various uses, are also discussed.




Medicinal use and social status of the soap berry endod (Phytolacca odecandra) in Ethiopia.
Kjell B. Essera, Kassa Semagn and Legesse Wolde-Yohannes
Journal of Ethnopharmacology,Volume 85, Issues 2-3, April 2003, Pages, 269-277

Berries from Phtytolacca dodecandra L'Herit (endod in Amharic) offer a readily available molluscicide to control schistosomiasis.  Parts of the endod plant have been used as a detergent and as traditional medicine for centuries in Ethiopia.  An interview survey was performed in the highlands of Ethiopia to provide information on the distribution of the plant, people's traditional use of it, their perception of the plant, and the potential for increased production and use of endod as a soap for indirect control of schistosomiasis.  People of all ages report that they are familiar with the plant and its detergent and medicinal uses.  The plant is largely disappearing from unprotected areas due to land clearing.  Younger people appear to use endod as a soap whenever it is available.  Older women prefer commercial soap and consider endod to be associated with poor people. Common medicinal uses include treatment of skin itching (ringworm), abortion, gonorrhea, leeches intestinal worms anthrax and rabies.  Two thirds of the people express interest in cultivating endod for personal use if supplied with rooted cuttings.   Increased cultivitation of endod and use of berries for washing might be possible if  information about schistosomiasis and its control is disseminated among people.  Preference for commercial soap and lack of land for cultivation are major obstacle for increasing the availability and use of endod.