Efficacy of Baptisia tinctoria in the treatment of typhoid: its possible role in inducing antibody formation.

Typhoid is one of the most serious infectious bacterial diseases in third world countries. It is usually treated by traditional antibiotics but due to the appearance of antibiotic resistant strains physicians opt for phyto products and other alternative medicines for the treatment of typhoid. Baptisia, an extract from indigo plant root, has been proved to be highly effective ultradilute medicine for the treatment of typhoid; however, the mode of action of the ultradilute extract is uncertain. Due to the antigenic variations of Salmonella it seems to induce immuno system by activating both T and B cells by the formation of antibodies. This principle seems to be highly effective for the development of typhoid vaccine. The present studies found that Baptisia administration possibly caused a salmonella-like reaction in the body as this extract produces an endogenous antibody similar to salmonella reaction. Thus, this study suggests that Baptisia tinctoria extract can be used for the prevention and treatment of typhoid.