BITTER ORANGE, the new cure for drug-resistant Candida spp. infections

Toronto, May 20, 2007: Drs. Prasanta and Pratip Banerji, reputed homoeopaths from West Bengal, India, presented their research findings as a poster “Bitter Orange may be used to treat patients with Anti-Fungal Drug Resistant Candida Infection.” Their presentation was based on a research study using Bitter Orange leaves collected from Morocco and Spain.

Bitter Orange plants, belonging to the species Rutaceae, grow in warm tropical climates, and are largely found in South Africa and Australia. There are a total of 150 genera and about 900 species.

Although Bitter Orange is known to treat many ailments and diseases, its curative activities on Candida was, however, largely unknown.

Candida is the most common cause of fungal infections worldwide. There are around 154 species of which eight frequently cause fungal infections in humans. More importantly, in recent times there has been an increase in the incidence of fungal infections owing to the non-albicans Candida species which have been found resistant to the commonly used drug fluconazole for treatment through conventional medicine. Thus, Drs. Prasanta and Pratip Banerji conducted extensive research over many years to find out newer non-toxic anti-fungal medicines which may be effective in curing such infections. Thus, activities of Bitter Orange on Candida infection were undertaken by the PBHRF.

Methodology adopted for Research

Fresh leaves of Bitter Orange were collected and dried in the shade. The dried leaves were ground to powder, and 100 gms powder was suspended in ethanol in sterile 250 ml conical flasks, and kept in 4oC overnight. After overnight incubation, the supernatant was filtered through Whatman No. 1 filter paper and the filtrate was dried to evaporate the organic solvent and different aqueous concentrations of the extracts were prepared after evaporating the alcohol, and they were challenged in lawn cultures of ten wild strains of Candida albicans, eighteen wild strains of Candida tropicalis, and two wild strains of Candida parapsilosis by gel diffusion techniques.

Results

It was found that crude extract of bitter orange could inhibit growth of most Candida spp.(63.3%) at a concentration of 75 mg/L. Thus MIC values for Candida spp. were found less than 100 mg/L and this appears much less than the usual doses taken by the tribal population. Candida spp. which were fluconazole resistant were also found sensitive to Bitter Orange in our study. 60% Candida spp. were fluconazole resistant in this study and they were all sensitive to Bitter Orange considering 100 mg/L of crude extract of Bitter Orange as the cut off point.

On the basis of the research undertaken by PBHRF, Bitter Orange appears to be a good anti-fungal agent effective on Candida spp.

About The PB Homoeopathic Research Foundation (PBHRF)

In interaction with the masses of patients, the Drs. Prasanta & Pratip Banerji often came across people who are grossly under-privileged. These patients are quite incapable of treating themselves to expensive investigative devices like CT scans, MRIs, ECG or even a comparatively reasonably-priced test like a blood test. In aid of such people and also for the sake of accuracy in the treatment, it was decided to finance these pathological tests. Thus in 1992, the PB Homoeopathic Research Foundation was set up.

A Research Foundation whose aim to establish Homeopathy as a scientific and effective mode of medicine, finally borne fruit when The National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA, recognised The Banerji Protocol in the year 1999. Today due to the effort and success of various research projects by Dr. Prasanta Banerji, Founder, and Dr. Pratip Banerji, Co-Founder, the foundation has received recognition from the Department of Industrial and Scientific Research, Government fo India. This Foundation offers comprehensive healthcare as well as scientific establishment to bring homoeopathy to its rightful position as the medicine of the masses.

Collaborative research

The PBH Research Foundation is based in Kolkata, India and is at present in collaborative research with the following Institutions of world renown:

• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center at Houston, USA, on the action of Homoeopathic medicines on various cancer cell lines such as brain tumors, lung and breast cancers and so forth

• The laboratory of the Professor of Pathology and Director, Image Cytology Diagnostic Laboratory, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center at Houston on Bronchogenic carcinoma

• The laboratory of the Director, Cancer Research Unit, VA Medical Centre, University of Kansas on Breast cancers