The active constituents in Quassia are a group of alkaloids known as quassinoids. Quassinoids have been shown to be rapid and potent inhibitors of protozoal protein synthesis, disrupting both replication and essential metabolic processes.6-7
Historically Quassia has been used as a stomach bitter for indigestion, amoebic dysentery, giardiasis, malaria, pinworms, ascarides and gallbladder pain.6,8,9
ARTEMISIA ANNUA(Chinese Wormwood)
Artemesia annua, also known as sweet wormwood and Chinese wormwood, is found in many parts of the world and has been used traditionally for treatment of fever in China for over two thousand years.
It was not until the early 1970s that the potential for treating malaria was recognised and the active constituent artemesinin isolated by Chinese scientists.10
Since that time Artemesia has become a popular alternative to conventional anti-malarial treatments, being effective but without the associated side effects of anti-malarial drugs.
Malaria is the world's number one parasitic killer affecting 2 million people every year and in areas of rural Africa, one in twenty children under the age of five are killed by this parasitic infection.
Travellers abroad to malaria hot spots may prefer to take Artemesia as opposed to pharmaceutical anti-malaria treatments.
HYDRASTIS CANADENSIS (GOLDENSEAL) AND BERBERINE HYDRASTIS
have been shown to have potent anti-protozoal and broad-spectrum anti-bacterial effects.11
The active constituents in Hydrastis are the isoquinoline alkaloids berberine and hydrastine.
Much of the scientific research has been carried out on berberine, which has been shown to be an effective anti-microbial agent against many intestinal pathogens such as Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica.
JUGLANS NIGRA (Black Walnut)
The primary active constituent in Juglans nigra is a naphthoquinone known as juglone. Found in the unripe hulls of Black Walnut, juglone exerts anti-fungal, anti-helminthic, anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects.
ALLIUM SATIVA (Garlic)
Garlic has long been used traditionally to treat bacterial, viral and protozoal diseases. Research has identified the active constituents in garlic and substantiated the anti-bacterial, anti-protozoal, anti-viral and anti-fungal effects.
The most important anti-microbial constituent in garlic is diallyl thiosulphinate, or allicin.12 Allicin is responsible for the characteristic odour of garlic and is not present in appreciable amounts in deodorised preparations.
Research suggests allicin exerts its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity primarily by inhibiting microbial RNA synthesis.
GENTIANA LUTEA (Gentian)
The active ingredients of Gentiana lutea include gentiopicrin, gentiopicroside and gentisic acid.13
Gentiana species have been employed for chronic indigestion and both hypo- and hyper-chlorhydria.13,14 Gentian is reported to have a choleretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial action.14,15
1. Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory, Parasitology Application Guide 1997. 2. Lee, et al., Trends in Intestinal Parasitology Part II - Commonly Reported Parasites and Therapeutics. Practical Gastroenterology Vol XV1 No 10. 3. Lee, et al., Annals of Rheumatic Disease. March 1990. 4. Galland L, Journal of Nutritional Medicine 1990. 5. Leitch GJ, et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1989;41(5):512-20 6. Kirby GC, O'Neill MJ, et al., In Vitro studies on the mode of action of Quassinoids with activity against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. Biochem. Pharm., 389(24):4367-4374, 1989. 7. Cabral JA, McChesney JD, Milhous WK, A new anti-malarial quassinoid from Simaba guianensis. J. Nat. Prod., 56(11): 1954-61, 1993. 8. Moore M, Los Remedios: Traditional Herbal Remedies of the Southwest :39-40, Red Crane Books, Santa Fe NM. 1992. 9. Felter HW, Lloyd JU, King's American Dispensatory Vol 11: 1614-1615. Eclectic Medical Publications, Portland OR, 1983. 10. Trevett A, Lalloo D, A new look at an old drug: artemesinin and qinghaosu. Papua New Guinea Med. J., 35(4):264-9, 1992. 11. Johnson CC, Johnson G, Poe CF, Toxicity of alkaloids to certain bacteria, Acta. Pharmacon. Toxicol., 8:71-8, 1952. 12. Hughs BG, Lawson LD, Anti-microbial effects of Allium sativum L. (garlic), Allium ampeloprasm L. (elephant garlic), and Allium cepa (onion), garlic compounds and commercial garlic supplement products. Phytother. Res.,5:154-158, 1991. 13. Kondo Y, Takano F, Hojo H, Suppression of chemically and immunologically induced hepatic injuries by gentiopicroside in mice. Planta Medica, 60(5): 414-6, 1994. 14. el-Sedawy AI, Hattori M, et al., Metabolism of gentiopicroside (gentiopicrin) by human intestinal bacteria. Chem. Pharm. Bull, 37(9):2435-7, 1989. 15. Moore M, Medicinal Plants of The Mountain West, pp 79-80 Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe NM, 1979. Further reading: Guess What Came to Dinner Anne Louise Gittleman - Avery Publishing 1993. Uninvited Guests Keats Good Health Guide - Hermann Bueno, MD 1996. Nutri News No 53. Parasites - The Enemy Within. Helen Kimber, BSc (Hons) PGCE & Amber Ackerson, N.D. National Geographic Vol 192, No 4 Parasites - Looking for a Free Lunch, Jennifer Ackerman p79-91.
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5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
Thank you Hardynaka for posting this information.
Are you going to try any of these for your babs?
Hope you are breathing better Take care dana
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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hardynaka
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8099
posted
Hi Dana,
I don't know yet. I feel not so well these last days, problem with very low iron, extreme fatigue that comes and goes, I start to develop "high fever" (I mean, not too high, but high enough for me, to knock me down), and I herx even with other not too antiprotozoan stuff like andrographis (that is supposed to kill more lyme but have some antiprotozoan activity).
I had bough Amargo - Quassia a few weeks ago, tried to do a tea with it, it's IMPOSSIBLE to drink it.
I don't know if you know Andrographis' taste. Andrographis is just a little bitter when compared to Quassia!
I finally received my capsule machine, and had put into capsules. But I'm terribly afraid of taking anything that kills babesia for the moment. I am giving a break and will try to see with ART, what the woman will propose me.
I also heard of people that have used berberine with some success. If I try, I'll keep you posted. And I'm also looking for someone to prescribe me 'normal' anti malaria abx.
How are you doing?
Selma
Posts: 1086 | From Switzerland | Registered: Oct 2005
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