Malaria is one of the most dangerous and widespread diseases in the world, and it can be devastating for animals, especially dogs. Dogonyaro is an herbal remedy used in traditional African medicine for centuries to treat numerous ailments, including malaria.
We’ll explain how to prepare dogonyaro for malaria and discuss the potential benefits of using it to treat the disease.
What is dogonyaro
The English word for dogonyaro is neem. In fact, dogonyaro is a Nigerian local name for neem. Neem is scientifically known as Azadirachta indica and it has other names such as Bead tree, holy tree, and Indian Lilac.
It is a very important plant in Nigerian traditional medicine and it is used to treat malaria, fever, skin infections, and gastrointestinal disorders.
The bark, leaves, and seeds of the dogonyaro tree contain chemical compounds that have been shown to have antimalarial properties or activities.
It will interest you to know that Nigeria is not the country of origin of this “holy tree” because the dogonyaro tree actually originated from Southeast Asia before spreading to Nigeria and other countries of the world.
What is malaria?
Malaria is a disease caused by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. According to studies, this disease is life-threatening and it affects humans and animals alike.
Malaria is a major public health issue in Africa because the vector propagating this disease is typically found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
Two billion people risk contracting malaria annually.
Benefits and risks of using dogonyaro to treat malaria
In a study conducted by researchers, they used an aqueous extract of Azardirachta indica leaf and chloroquine to cure malaria infection in rabbits to determine the potential risks associated with it.
Eight adult male rabbits were used in this study and they were divided into four groups. Each group was administered the herbal treatment in different concentrations.
The result revealed that A. indica had no effect on the rabbits as long as the treatment is administered at a recommended safe dose.
Another study tried to understand the benefits of taking herbal medicine before surgery on patients but the questionnaire revealed 29.2% of 60 patients took dogonyaro for the treatment of malaria 12.5% gave other reasons.
79.2% of these patients believed that their herbal medications were effective however the side effects of their medication included intoxication, waist pain, and fever.
How to prepare dogonyaro for malaria
- Gather fresh neem leaves
- Wash the neem leaves thoroughly
- Boil the neem leaves.
- Strain the decoction
- Drink the decoction
1. Gather fresh neem leaves
Gather fresh neem leaves by looking for a dogonyaro tree in your area. If you can’t find any, you can try to buy dried or fresh neem leaves from the market especially the shops that sell herbs and spices.
2. Wash the neem leaves thoroughly
The aim of washing the leaves thoroughly is so that you can remove any first that may be present in the midst of the leaves. This is important because if the dogonyaro leaves are not properly washed, it might become difficult for you to consume.
Also, washing the leaves helps you to reduce the load of microorganisms or contamination present.
3. Boil the neem leaves
You will need to place the dogonyaro leaves in a pot filled with some amount of water then allow the mixture to boil. This process of boiling allows the neem leaves to release their beneficial chemical properties into the water, creating a brew that can be taken into the body to fight malaria.
Boil the neem leaves thoroughly for the recommended amount of time of 15-20 minutes.
4. Strain the decoction
This step is very important so don’t miss it. After simmering the neem leaves in hot water, it is necessary to strain the liquid to remove the leaves from it because straining the liquid ensures that only the potent water remains.
You can be straining the decoction using a sieve or cheesecloth. These two materials will ensure the potent water of the neem leaves is not having particles.
5. Drink the decoction
The decoction is safe to drink as a tea or to make it enjoyable because of its bitter taste, you can add natural sweeteners such as honey to make the drink palatable.
Neem dosage for malaria prevention
You see, this is one of the challenges of using herbal treatment. Because there’s no standardization and there’s less scientific research, it is difficult most times to ascertain the right dosage for effective usage.
However traditional healers can give guidance on proper dosage and usage based on individual health needs and potential interactions with other medications.
What Next
It is important to note that even though dogonyaro may have antimalaria properties, it should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment. Always seek professional medical attention whenever you suspect you have malaria.