Published on 13th May 2008 by Corwin Brown in Diseases and Conditions

Jaundice is not a disease but rather a sign that can occur in many different diseases. Jaundice is the yellowish staining of the skin and sclerae (the whites of the eyes) that is caused by high levels in blood of the chemical bilirubin. The color of the skin and sclerae vary depending on the level of bilirubin. When the bilirubin level is mildly elevated, they are yellowish. When the bilirubin level is high, they tend to be brown. Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and the white part (the sclera) of the eyes. It results from having too much of a substance called bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is formed when the body breaks down old red blood cells. The liver usually processes and removes the bilirubin from the blood. Jaundice in babies usually occurs because their immature livers are not efficient at removing bilirubin from the bloodstream. Exchange blood transfusion. Rarely, when severe jaundice doesn't respond to other treatments, a baby may need an exchange transfusion of blood. This involves repeatedly withdrawing small amounts of blood, "diluting out" the bilirubin and maternal antibodies, and then transferring blood back into the baby — a procedure that's performed in a newborn intensive care unit. The patient should be put on a juice fast for a week. The juices of oranges, lemons, grapes, pears, carrots, beets and sugarcane can be taken. A hot water enema should be taken daily during this period to ensure regular bowel elimination, thereby preventing the absorption of decomposed, poisonous material into the blood stream. I h" juice fast may be continued till the acute symptoms subside. Feed babies frequently and don't let them become dehydrated. With jaundice, the important thing to prevent is kernicterus -- toxic levels of bilirubin accumulating in the brain. Early identification and treatment of jaundice will usually prevent kernicterus, whatever the cause. Beyond this, jaundice is a symptom of other problems that have their own prevention strategies. The patient should be put on a juice fast for a week. The juices of oranges, lemons, grapes, pears, carrots, beets and sugarcane can be taken. A hot water enema should be taken daily during this period to ensure regular bowel elimination, thereby preventing the absorption of decomposed, poisonous material into the blood stream. I h" juice fast may be continued till the acute symptoms subside. The leaves of snake gourd have also been found useful in jaundice. An infusion of the leaves should be prepared by mixing 15 gm of dry leaves in 250 ml of boiling water. Next, a decoction of coriander seeds in 500 ml of water till it is reduced by one-third. The infusion should be given in doses of 30 to 60 ml, mixed with the decoction of coriander seeds, thrice daily. Take a few fresh papaya leaves and make a paste. Take about 1/2 tsp of this paste and mix with 1 tsp honey and consume it everyday. Soak 8 kernels of almonds, 2 dried dates, and 5 small cardamoms overnight in water. The outer coating of the almond kernels and the inner seeds of dried dates should be removed the next morning and the whole material should be rubbed into a fine paste. Then, 50 grams of sugar and an equal amount of butter should be mixed in it and the patient should lick this mixture.

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