Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Patients using lemon juice and lemongrass experienced 88% recovery from oral thrush.
For patients infected with the HIV virus and suffering from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, one of the debilitating illnesses they can suffer from is oral thrush, a bacterial infection in the mouth (caused by the bacterium Candida albicans) that affects two-thirds of HIV/AIDS patients (1). Oral thrush accelerates health problems by making swallowing painful and difficult, leading to decreased eating, possible malnutrition and further immune system weakening.
One of the medications for oral thrush is a solution of 0.5% gentian violet that is applied to the inside of the mouth three times per day and continued for two days after oral thrush has been cured (2). But two problems arise for HIV/AIDS patients who need gentian violet medication. In developing countries, there is the problem of access to proper medical care to obtain the solution. In both developing and developed countries, the medication produces a visible purple stain around the mouth, stigmatizing those with HIV/AIDS.
Fortunately, research (3) suggests that lemon juice or lemongrass may be an effective and affordable treatment for oral thrush. In the study, 52 patients with oral thrush received one of three treatments:
- Gentian violet solution (18 patients): Applied 3 times per day for a maximum of 10 days (control group)
- Lemon Juice (17 patients): 20 milliliters of lemon juice was diluted with 10 mL of water. Patients were instructed to rinse their mouth with half the mixture (no time duration was given) and spit out. After waiting 5 minutes, rinse again (no time duration given). Apply 2-3 drops of lemon juice inside of mouth 3 times per day for the next 10 days.
- Lemongrass (17 patients): Mix 12.5 mL of dried lemongrass with 500 mL boiling water, boiling for 10 minutes and allow to cool. Initially drink 125 mL of the mixture on first day, then drink 250 mL twice per day for the next 9 days.
Patients were seen six times (Days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11) and they provided feedback on any adverse events of the treatments or dissatisfaction with the treatments.
At the end of the treatment periods, the researchers observed the following:
- 16 of the 18 lemon juice patients (88.9%) experienced “clinical success” (cured oral thrush) compared to 9 of the 18 gentian violet patients (50%). This led the researchers to conclude “Lemon juice is better than the gentian violet aqueous solution 0.5% in treating oral thrush in an HIV-positive population.”
- 15 of the 17 lemongrass patients (88.2%) experienced “clinical success”. This led the researchers to conclude “Lemon grass is better than the gentian violet aqueous solution 0.5% in treating oral thrush in an HIV-positive population.”
All results listed above showed statistical significance (p<0.05).
Regarding adverse events, those in the gentian violet group experienced the purple mouth discoloration as well as cracked lips and dry mouth, with the purple discoloration being the most common complaint. For the lemon juice group, change in the taste of food and abdominal cramping were reported. The lemongrass juice only had one adverse event and that was increased appetite, leading lemongrass to be the most well-tolerated of the treatments.
For the researchers, “The data support the hypotheses that both lemon juice and lemon grass are better than gentian violet aqueous solution 0.5% in the treatment of oral thrush in HIV/AIDS patients” and that lemon juice and lemongrass “are cheap, perennial plants that will present people living with AIDS with a viable resource to treat oral thrush.”
Source: Wright, S. C., J. E. Maree, and M. Sibanyoni. “Treatment of oral thrush in HIV/AIDS patients with lemon juice and lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) and gentian violet.” Phytomedicine 16.2 (2009): 118-124.
© 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Posted April 28, 2014.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com
References:
- Fichtenbaum, C.J., Koletar, S., Yiannoutsos, C., Holland, F., Pottage, J., Cohn, S.E., Walawander, A., Frame, P., Feinberg, J., Saag, M., van der Horst, C., Powderly, W.G., 2000. Refractory mucosal candidiasis in advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection. Clin. Infect. Dis. 30, 749–756
- South Africa Department of Health, 2003. Essential Drug List: South Africa. CTP Book Printers, Cape Town.
- Wright SC. Treatment of oral thrush in HIV/AIDS patients with lemon juice and lemongrass(Cymbopogon citratus) and gentian violet. Phytomedicine 2009;16(2-3):118-24. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2008.07.015. Epub 2008 Dec 23
