QUESTION

Are there any home remedies for symptoms of malaria?

ANSWER

Quinine is a natural chemical which has anti-malarial properties, and  tonic water is a good example of an everyday foodstuff which contains quinine.  For this reason, over the last hundred-odd years,  expatriates living in malarial countries have enjoyed drinking gin and tonic!  There are also reports that grapefruit contains a quinine-like substance, and so might help prevent malaria or indeed increase recovery from malarial episodes, but I am not sure if this has been scientifically established as fact. There are a number of other plants, herbs and fruits which advocates of traditional, home remedies suggest may help prevent or treat malaria, but I can’t find ANY solid scientific basis for these claims, nor any reports of trials where these remedies have been shown to be effective.

Overall, the best thing to do if you think you have malaria is to get diagnosed (either at the doctor, a hospital or using a self-diagnosis kit) and then seek medical treatment. Local clinics will be able to tell you what kind of malaria you have, and therefore what treatment is recommended.