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Health Remedies - Jaundice

Jaundice is a condition characterized by yellowing of the skin, conjunctiva (a clear covering over the sclera, or whites of the eyes) and mucous membranes. It occurs due to increased levels of bilirubin in blood (>2–3 mg/dL). Jaundice can be caused by too many red blood cells retiring, by the liver being overloaded or damaged, or by the inability to move processed bilirubin from the liver through the biliary tract to the gut.

Jaundice may be caused by a number of factors such as an obstruction of the bile duct, often due to a tumor or gallstone, hepatitis, biliary stricture, cirrhosis, pancreatic cancer, inadequate blood flow to the liver, congenital disorders involving bilirubin and malaria. The condition may be accompanied by a number of other symptoms such as dark urine, nausea, itching, light-colored stool and abdominal pain or swelling. Jaundice does not usually produce complications, but may cause life-threatening liver failure.

Useful herbs

Bixa orellana	As a topical antiseptic for ear, eye, and skin infections, for digestive problems, prostate and urinary infections, hypertension and high cholesterol levels (leaves); to tone, balance, and strengthen liver function and for hepatitis and liver inflammation/pain, high cholesterol, skin care and skin anti-aging, sinusitis, constipation, relieves stomachaches and asthma (seeds); in healing of minor wounds and burns, prevents scaring and blisters (pulp and oil); treatment of jaundice, diabetes, influenza, dysentry, venereal diseases (root).
Pinellia ternata	Strengthens the spleen, very effective in controlling nausea and vomiting, for coughs with thin watery phlegm and gastritis (root); To treat cancer, depression, dermatosis, diarrhea, dyspepsia, gonorrhea, headache, hiccup, insomnia, jaundice , leukemia, leukorrhea, nausea, nephrosis, pharyngosis, psoriasis, rheumatism, snakebite.
Solanum dulcamara	In the treatment of skin diseases, warts, tumours, felons, arthritis, rheumatism, bronchial congestion, heart ailments, ulcerative colitis, jaundice, skin eruptions, ulcers and cellulite, syphilitic diseases, cachectic affections, scrofula, indurations from milk, leucorrhoea, jaundice, and obstructed menstruation (herb); to cancerous sores and other swellings (fruit); for cancer and swellings (root)