Can you drink purslane water to treat genital warts?

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.), also known as Ma slag Hien or Long Tho Thai, is a succulent herbaceous plant, often growing close to the ground, with green leaves with purple edges and yellow flowers. The plant is used both as a vegetable and as a medicine.

According to Oriental medicine, purslane has cold properties, sour taste, helps stop bleeding, clear heat, detoxify, reduce fever, treat dysentery, diarrhea, and helminths. Modern medicine recognizes that purslane is rich in vitamins, minerals, omega-3 and contains flavonoids that have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Purslane is also used to support the treatment of genital warts thanks to its heat-clearing and anti-inflammatory properties, but it is only supportive, not a complete treatment. Patients need to follow the doctor’s instructions. Note, pregnant women, people with diarrhea or kidney disease should be cautious when using to avoid side effects.

Genital warts are caused by the HPV virus, mainly types 6 and 11. There is no specific medicine for the disease. When suspected of having the disease, people need to go to a medical facility for examination.

There are more than 200 types of HPV, the virus is transmitted from person to person through direct contact with infected skin and mucous membranes of the patient, from mother to child during childbirth, sexual intercourse or sharing personal items. The average infection rate in men is 91.3%, in women 84.6%.

Some strains of HPV can be prevented with vaccines. In particular, Gardasil vaccine prevents 4 types of genital warts and cervical cancer for women 9-26 years old. Females from 9 to under 14 years old receive two injections, 6-12 months apart, while females aged 14-26 receive three injections.

New generation Gardasil 9 vaccine prevents 9 types of genital warts, cervical, vaginal, vulvar, oropharyngeal and anal cancers. Vaccine for both men and women aged 9-45 years old. Children from 9 years old to under 15 years old get two injections, 6-12 months apart, and people from 15-45 years old get three injections within 6 months.

Besides, everyone should keep clean, not share personal items, and be faithful to their partner.