Wonder plant Maduruthala to eradicate dengue menace

By Ranil WIJAYAPALA

'Prevention is better than cure' must be the most appropriate saying in controlling the deadly dengue disease which had engulfed almost the entire country within the first eight months of the year claiming more than 200 lives.

The entire nation is lined up to fight against the deadly dengue disease during the past few weeks but with plus and minus points on the methodology they use in controlling the dengue disease. Whatever the methodology they use, whether it's western or eastern, modern or primitive, all those methodologies focus on controlling and destroying mosquito breeding grounds and the ways of avoiding contacting mosquitoes since it was the most appropriate means of getting out of the serious situation.

Therefore, everyone dealing on the subject from western physicians to traditional physicians came out with various methodologies to combat dengue. The Chief Medical Officer of Department of Indigenous Medicine of the CMC Dr.C.D. Palathiratne came out with the methodology of using herbal plant maduruthala to prevent dengue spreading in the Colombo city.

Sitting in his office, next to Mariyakade market in Maradana one of the most dengue affected areas in the Colombo city, Dr. Palathiratne said not a single mosquito was found in his room after he started fuming maduruthala into his room. "Earlier I used to find few mosquitoes inside my air conditioned room", he added.

Explaining the use of maduruthala as a mosquito preventive method Dr. Palithiratne said that it was not possible to control the mosquito menace using modern technology.

"For the last 10 to 15 months we have been battling with this problem. It's a difficult task. You have to destroy the mosquito breeding grounds. That is the most important thing in dengue prevention", he added.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he started the campaign with the help of the Presidential Task Force he appealed to traditional physicians to come out with their traditional methodologies.

"Therefore, we initiated this project inspired by our Commissioner Badrani Jayawardena who is from Anuradhapura", he added.

Badrani Jayawardena hailing from Anuradhapura gave him inspiration to think about the plant called maduruthala which is grown in rural areas to prevent mosquito entering their houses.

Using maduruthala was one of the methodologies used by rural people. Burning cashew nut peels and citric oil are other methods. According to Dr. Palathiratne the ancient people used to fume their houses using herbal leaves when there was an infectious disease spreading in their areas. "If there is some kind of an epidemic they made use of smoke from herbs. But in cities they don't do that", he added.

"Maduruthala is a triple purpose plant as it can be used to avoid mosquitos coming to the house, as an ornamental plant and also as herbal medicine for cough and cold", Dr. Palathiratne added.

He said public can obtain Maduruthala and kohomba leaves powder and maduruthala seeds free from the CMC Indigenous Medicine Department, Maradana. So far the Colombo Municipal Council Indigenous Medicine Department has conducted five clinics in Maradana, Dematagoda, Kotahena and Slave Island.

The Department launched an awareness program to educate the people on the importance of this maduruthala plant. "We also distributed the seeds of this maduruthala plants to the people to grow them in their gardens. It can also be used as an ornamental plant in a small pot or in a plastic can", he added.

Explaining further, Dr. Palathiratne said the plant maduruthala is also called 'Vishnu Priya' in Sanskrit. The Hindus believe that they can get the blessings of God Vishnu out of this maduruthala plant'.Anyone can find garlands made out of maduruthala flowers in kovils. In sanskrit 'Vishnu Priya' means you will get the blessing of God Vishnu. Therefore, they grew maduruthala in their villages and others in their home gardens.

They plant maduruthala in front of the house because the smell that emenates from the plant avoids mosquitoes coming into the house. "That is what we have been explaining to the people. That is a plant that could prevent dengue mosquitoes entering the house", Dr. Palathiratne added.

Explaining a scientific point behind using maduruthala, Dr. Palathiratne said when you avoid the contact of mosquito and avoid the blood meal for mosquitoes, the mosquitoes will exist by taking juices of the plants. But the blood is essential for the maturation of their eggs."Once the maturation of the eggs is not there they can't pass their breed. That is the scientific fact on controlling mosquitoes by using maduruthala ", he added. The use of maduruthala is also an environmental friendly methodology in controlling the mosquitoes. Using modern toxic vapours to control mosquitoes will destroy all the butterfly and other flora too.

"I tried this method at my office. And it worked well. I prepared the powder and we used to fumigate with this powder like using Kattakumanjal. After three days not a single mosquiteo was found in the room. Once you fumigate the smell retains and mosquitos do not enter" he said. "The dengue and mosquito menace cannot be eradicated in one month or in two months. It will take another few years. That is why we thought of distributing Maduruthala seeds freely to the public", Dr. Palathiratne said. There is huge demand for this and also this is a tripple purpose plant.

Asked whether any Ayurvedic treatment is available for dengue, Dr. Palathiratne said since it's a deadly disease it needs thorough research. "We are able to treat for common dengue. But not for the haemorrhagic fever", he added.Some people say that papaw leaves are being used for dengue. But that trial had been done only for very few numbers. "Therefore, the best way is to avoid contacting mosquitoes by destroying the mosquito breeding grounds to control the disease and use whatever the methodology to control it", he said.