| 23 March 2009
A comparative investigation on the antifungal properties of indigenous wild thyme spp. with locally distilled essential oils
Implementing organization: IPO (Increasing People Opportunities), Debre Markos Zonal Administration
The project aimed at investigating several wild species of thyme to verify whether or not their essential oils, combined in a state of art formula to create applicable products (cream and ointment), would be effective to treat mycotic infection in children. Thyme based cream, created by IPO, were verified to be effective in the treatment of skin infection in children (Tinea), leading to better skin condition in 89,8% of the cases. Out of this 66,4% were completely cured while 23,5% had a good improvement. Together with cream, an ointment against ringworm (Tinea capitis) was created and tested out. Ointment improved 77,8% of the cases: 43,6% of children were successfully cured while a partial improvement was observed in 28,9% and a very good improvement in 5,26%. Moreover, a group of children has been cured with Fluconazol, a medicinal drug used conventionally to cure tinea capitis. Comparing results on the efficacy of both Fluconazol and the ointment, the second one has been proven to be much more effective: Fluconazol was effective only in 27,3% of the cases.
Free of charge dermatological examination and check ups in Debre Marcos primary schools
During the project in Debre Markos, Ethiopia, 1102 children have been examined by an Ethiopian dermatologist and an Italian paediatrician. Dermatological examination and check ups focalised on common skin’s diseases present in children living in the targeted area.
Thyme cream efficacy against ringworm
Dermatological diseases are often considered “secondary diseases” compared with mortal diseases such as HIV and Tubercolosis. Nevertheless dermatological problems affect the 77% of the children in developing countries. In the targeted area the incidence among schoolchildren is estimated to be 74%, with an incidence of fungal infection at 42,25%. Those kind of diseases are often source of social exclusion and prejudices. Moreover they can lead to further complication. Herbal medicines represent the optimal and simple solution to cure dermatological diseases, integrated with cultural believes and local attitudes.
IPO final report (
Poverty related diseases
Poverty related diseases are often misunderstood by western society, where immigrants are sometimes seen as infective focus of diseases such as ringworm, lice, scabies. According to a Middle Age distorted perspective ,such diseases rise from “the outsider”. In Western society we should wonder about the causes of poverty related diseases and our involvement in that. We should also increase awareness on the possibility to easily cure this kind of diseases through phytomedicine. Natural resources such as herbal drugs are available everywhere, even in the most remote area of the world. Through the research in phytomedicine we could fight diseases which nowadays still afflict developing countries.
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