Diarrhea is a health condition characterized by loose and watery stools, as well as an increased frequency of bowel movement. It is commonly caused by eating foods that are contaminated with viruses, bacteria, and parasites. For patients suffering from this disease, treatment often involves increasing water intake so that dehydration can be avoided because this complication is a major cause of diarrhea-related fatalities. Aside from this, there are also antidiarrheal medications but these actually promote longer periods of infection since the expulsion of pathogens through stool is inhibited. To avoid this, natural antidiarrheal remedies can be used.
Practitioners of traditional medicine make tea from gabiroba leaves to treat diarrhea and other stomach disorders. In addition, the plant extracts also reduce inflammation, kill microbes, relieve pain, and prevent tumor growth. These pharmacological activities are potentially attributed to the presence of phytochemicals like terpenoids and chalcone derivatives. However, there was no information regarding the antimicrobial activities of compounds from gabiroba leaf extracts prior to this study.
In this study, the researchers determined the different bioactive compounds present in volatile oils and extracted fractions from gabiroba leaves and flowers. They also evaluated the effects of these extracts against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungi. The researchers identified the presence of the various compounds in the chemical fractions but among these, valoneic acid and gallic acid were of particular interest. This is because they have already exhibited the ability to kill microbes prior to this study. Aside from antimicrobial activity, gallic acid also prevents diarrhea, reduces inflammation, reduces oxidative stress, and suppresses tumor. Other compounds found in volatile oils, such as verbenene, sabinene, and limonene, have previously been associated with the prevention of fungal growth but the researchers could not verify this information.
Overall, these results show that gabiroba has antibacterial and antifungal activities that eliminate the root cause of diarrhea. The researchers attributed antimicrobial activities of the plant to the identified bioactive compounds, especially gallic acid and valoneic acid. These results prove that gabiroba can be used as a natural remedy for diarrhea. (Related: Naturally address and relieve the causes and symptoms of diarrhea.)
How to prevent diarrhea
Although diarrhea is very common, it is also easily preventable. Some safety precautions that can be taken to avoid getting this disease include the following:
- Keeping food clean -- Many cases of diarrhea are caused by food-related infections. To keep your food safe from contaminants it is important to separate uncooked meat from other foods since this serves as a breeding ground for bacteria. It is also important to thoroughly cook meat and eggs to kill bacteria. Washing fruits, vegetables, and utensils also eliminate bacteria that can potentially enter your body.
- Maintaining good hygiene -- Aside from food, you can also get pathogens when you touch unclean surfaces like doorknobs, phones, or someone's hand. To prevent these microbes from entering your body it is important to wash your hands with soap or to simply use alcohol if no water is available.
- Eating probiotic-rich foods -- Probiotics are bacteria that are beneficial to the digestive system. They promote good digestion while also helping the body respond to the presence of bad bacteria. Most fermented foods, like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles are rich in good bacteria.
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