posted
Buhner states that smilax is anti spirochetal yet at the same time is also a toxin binder that decreases the herxheimer reaction. I'm trying to reconcile what exactly this would mean.
Being anti spirochetal, I gather one would herx. For those of us who seem to herx so badly and at the slightest increase of some drugs/herbs/supplements, would this mean our tipping point for herxing would just be higher than usual.
Anyone have experience with smilax? Anyone care to comment if this guess seems to make sense?
Thanks
Posts: 191 | From Ontario | Registered: Feb 2006
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nenet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13174
posted
Hi brf,
I don't believe it is necessarily a one to one ratio of toxin binder to anti-spirochetal properties. I use sarsaparilla in my detox tea twice a day to keep the herxing from my antibiotics down, and it certainly helps.
I just recently pulled together a bunch of information to post here about Sarsaparilla/Smilax - I reckon this is a good time to share it:
"Flavonoids in sarsaparilla have been documented to have immune modulation and liver protective activities. A U.S. patent was awarded in 2003 describing these flavonoids to be effective in treating autoimmune diseases and inflammatory reactions through their immunomodulating effects.
Sarsasapogenin and smilagenin were subjects of a 2001 U.S. patent which reported that these Smilax steroids had the ability to treat senile dementia, cognitive dysfunction, and Alzheimer's disease.
In the patent's animal studies references, smilagenin reversed the decline of brain receptors in aged mice and restored the receptor levels to those observed in young animals, reversed the decline in cognitive function, and enhanced memory and learning. These studies, however, have not been published in any peer-reviewed journals - only in the context of the patent, thus far.
Clinical research has validated the traditional use of sarsaparilla for skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, and leprosy. In 1942, it was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine to improve the condition of psoriasis dramatically.
There the results of a clinical study with 92 patients was detailed which reported that it improved psoriasis lesions in 62% of cases and completely cleared lesions in 18% of cases. One of the possible mechanisms of action in psoriasis is sarsaparilla's blood cleansing properties.
Individuals with psoriasis have been found to have high levels of endotoxins circulating in the bloodstream (endotoxins are cell wall fragments of normal gut bacteria). Sarsaponin, one of sarsaparilla's main steroids, was found to bind to these endotoxins and remove them, thus improving psoriasis.
This endotoxin-binding action is probably why the root has been used for centuries as a "blood purifier." Other health conditions associated with high endotoxin levels include eczema, arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Sarsaparilla's effective use in the treatment of leprosy has been documented in a 1959 human trial. The effectiveness of sarsaparilla in the treatment of adolescent acne caused by excessive androgens has received some experimental support as well.
European physicians considered sarsaparilla root a tonic, blood purifier, diuretic, and sweat promoter. A Smilax root from Mexico was introduced into European medicine in 1536, where it developed a strong following as a cure for syphilis and rheumatism. Since this time, Smilax roots have had a long history of use for syphilis and other sexually-transmitted diseases throughout the world.
With its reputation as a blood purifier, it was registered as an official herb in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as a syphilis treatment from 1820 to 1910.
Sarsaparilla has long been used in the treatment of syphilis. Clinical observations in China demonstrated that sarsaparilla was effective (according to blood tests) in about 90% of acute and 50% of chronic cases.
In the 1950s the antibiotic properties of sarsaparilla were documented; other studies documented its antifungal and antimycobacterial activities.
Its anti-inflammatory activity has been demonstrated in several in vitro and in vivo studies, using different laboratory-induced models of arthritis and inflammation. One of these studies attributes the beneficial effect for arthritis to sarsaparilla's immune modulatory [regulating - towards normal] action.
Sarsaparilla also has demonstrated liver protective effects in rats, with researchers concluding that it is able to prevent immune-mediated liver injury. Improvement of appetite and digestion has been noted with sarsaparilla, as well as its diuretic actions in humans. The root has been reported to have stimulatory activity on the kidneys in humans and, in chronic nephritis, it was shown to increase the urinary excretion of uric acid."
Also, if you recall the old stereotype of cowboys ordering a "Sasparilly" when sidling up to a bar in the saloon, that was a commonly imbibed beverage at the time as it was learned early on from the local Native populations that sarsparilla would help treat the symptoms (and cause?) of syphilis.
posted
I think I'm going to try this supplement. Any advice on how many hours after my abx cocktail I should wait? Is once a day standard?
Posts: 33 | From VA | Registered: Feb 2009
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