Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
ahttp://www.dadamo.com/txt/index.pl?1025
Herbal medicine and biofilms
I've been using this herbal combination in my practice for chronic, stubborn or otherwise long-lasting infectious states. Its components address many of the issues that I've discussed above.
Seaweeds
Seaweeds are well-known to possess an amazing ability to resist biofilm formation. This is probably an evolutionary adaptation to the harsh demands of having to eek out a living at the interface of land and sea, a bioterrain full of life and threats.
Marine scientists and surgeons from Newcastle University are currently developing a nasal spray that uses the enzyme NucB found in seaweed to help clear chronic sinusitis.
When tested on biofilms from 24 different strains of sinusitis bacteria, NucB broke through and dispersed 58 percent of them.
Once these biofilms are dispersed, the released bacteria are helpless against the very antibiotics they once repelled as a group. (20,21)
Andrographis paniculata
Since ancient times, Andrographis has been used in traditional Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine as well as in tribal medicine in India and some other countries.
The plant extract exhibits antityphoid and antifungal activities. (9)
Andrographis is also reported to possess hepato-protective, antibiotic, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties. (10)
Andrographolide, the main active component of the herb Andrographis paniculata was recently reported to act by inhibiting the bacterial quorum sensing system. (11)
A recent study using variations (analogues) of andrographolide verified this observation. (12)
Andrographis has unquestioned activity in chronic respiratory problems.
I think the next few years will witness this plant assuming precedence in infectious disease management that few herbs (with perhaps the exception of Artemesia annua for malaria) ever achieve.
Scutellaria baicalensis
Chinese Skullcap flavonoid is a member of the mint family and has long been used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, as a digestive aid, and to normalize an over-active digestive system.
Scutellaria has been shown to decrease inflammatory cytokine production from human mast cells (immune system hormones which ramp up inflammation).
Scutellaria also has a cell-regulating effect; encouraging the body to more efficiently remove cells which have become dysfunctional, either though age or malformation. (13)
Baicalein, a flavone found in the leaves of Scutellaria, has been shown to affect the ability of bacteria to adapt to antibiotics.
Bacteria become resistant to medication such as antibiotics by maximizing their ability to flush them out of their cell bodies.
Scutellaria blocks this by inhibiting the removal (efflux) of the drug through what are called MDR (multiple drug resistance) pumps.
When used with antibiotics, Baicalein noticably increased the efficacy of several antibiotics. (14)
Chinese Skullcap has a variety of actions in the body but I've found that the real benefit of the herb in instances of infection is its remarkable ability to limit the ability of microbes to develop resistance to medication.
There is also some evidence that Chinese Skullcap is directly damaging to the bacteria outer membrane as well.
Schisandra chinensis
A renowned herb in Chinese medicine, Schisandra invigorates the RNA-DNA molecules to reconstruct cells and enhance the fitness of the adrenal glands.
Adaptogenic herbs, like schisandra, have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve the ability of the body to respond to stress. (15)
The major constituents in schisandra are lignans (schizandrin, deoxyschizandrin, gomisins, and pregomisin) found in the seeds of the fruit. Modern Chinese research suggests these lignans have a protective effect on the liver and an immunomodulating effect. (16)
Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Practitioners of Chinese medicine believe that Atractylodes affects the Spleen and Stomach meridians, or energy pathways in the body, serving as a "Spleen Qi tonic," meaning that it rebuilds metabolic function by increasing nutrition, increasing energy, and regulating fluids.
White Atractylodes is also thought to have restorative, normalizing effects on the digestive system and liver. (17)
Eleutherococcus senticosus
This herb is also known as Siberian ginseng. The applicable parts of Siberian ginseng are the root and leaf.
The lignin constituent sesamin, and the phenylpropanoid syringin seem to have immunostimulatory effects. (18)
Long known as an adaptogen, Siberian Ginseng is considered to possess stress-modulating effects, including optimization of the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal "fight or flight" stress axis.
Siberian ginseng and Schisandra chinensis stimulate the expression of chemicals (Hsp70, Hsp72) involved in the chemical defense against stress. (19)
I like using these herbs in an otherwise rather "allopathic" formula since it is important to remember that tissue repair and healing is critical to preventing recurrence.
Stress seems to really impact biofilm formation, so controlling (modulating) noradrenaline levels in the gut makes a lot of sense.
This herbal approach works well with whatever anti-lectin therapy (diet, anti-adhesion supplements) I'm using with the patient.
Two Product resources I commonly use for difficult or resistant problems associated with biofilms:
Genoma Security: For the Astragalus and Andrographis elements Fucus Plus: For the biofilm-inhibiting properties of seaweeds
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
Thanks Brussels-- excellent information. I'll integrate some of this additional material into my thread on Spirochaeticidal and AntiBiofilm compounds, plus add in plain old SEAWEED!!
I guess its never a bad idea to order a big seaweed salad!!! Perhaps one could also boil seaweed and use the water in a nasal rinse, too.
Posts: 696 | From New York | Registered: Aug 2006
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Say "NO" to Seaweed, though.
Many with lyme have high glutamate. More never a good idea.
". The excess glutamate at the neuron acts as a poison; at high enough levels, the nerves exposed to glutamate can be completely and permanently damaged, so that they are no longer capable of transmitting signals. . . ." [see ITM article, next post]
some really good suggestions there - I've used every one of those at various times, often in formulas. Done fine with all the herbs.
And I've eaten seaweed & even taken kelp supplements -- but it always clobber me in some severe ways. I finally found out why: high in glutamic acid and that can be so very wrong for those with lyme due to the damage to myelin sheath.
It's really important to know that seaweed can have terrible effects for those with lyme or other neurological conditions.
Anyone with any kind of seizure issues should avoid even a little bit. It lowers seizure threshold (and I know this from my own experiences over a long and rough road).
See post: Caution: Aspartate; Glutamine; and Phenylalanine (3 excitatory amino acids that can be wrong for us when added as supplements, beyond a normal dietary level)
Seaweed has its own natural MSG (monosodium glutamate) and can be very excitatory. Seaweed can damage our nerve cells and cause all sorts of other problems beyond even just anxiety, panic attacks, etc. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Pulling out one post from that set:
This information is especially for those with any degree of:
it is best to avoid these three particular amino acids (other than in normal doses from food or maybe in a balanced formula with other amino acids & other nutrients, but not above the average daily dose.
Even at that, some people need to avoid excess foods that contain one or both of those as they can be too stimulating for the brain when it's already overstimulated from neuro-toxicity issues.
with Reference to the Related Compound Glutamate by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D.
[Just beyond half-way down, see the section:]
Excerpts:
. . . GLUTAMATE IN NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES . . .
. . . In some neurological diseases, it is found that glutamate levels in the central nervous system become unusually high at sites of pathology.
This can occur, for example, if the rate of degradation of glutamate is slowed by an impairment of the enzymes that are involved.
Also, glutamate is excreted by immune cells that take part in inflammatory processes; the result is high local concentrations at the neurons in progressive neurological diseases such as MS and ALS. . . .
. . . The excess glutamate at the neuron acts as a poison; at high enough levels, the nerves exposed to glutamate can be completely and permanently damaged, so that they are no longer capable of transmitting signals.
Thus, while glutamate is a major component of the body, and an essential part of the nervous system, high levels localized in the nerve cells can be quite toxic . . . .
. . . Laboratory research has revealed that in the progressive, debilitating disease ALS, one of the many processes involved in disease progression appears to be damage of nerve cells by accumulation of glutamate.
In relation to multiple sclerosis, changes in control of glutamate homeostasis in the central nervous system might contribute to demyelination of the white matter of the brain (19).
[poster's interjection: lyme also causes demyelination, what that is:
Based on preliminary animal studies, it has been suggested that glutamate dumped by immune cells can exacerbate the nerve damage (20). . . .
. . . The role of glutamate in neurological disorders has raised the question as to whether persons with such neurological diseases might have to be careful
not to get high levels of either glutamine or glutamate via their diet and/or by taking glutamine supplements. . . .
Food reactions can trigger epileptic seizures. The main culprits are the following foods that are rich in glutamate and aspartate, two very excitatory amino acids:
------ See list at link above -------
. . . and the entire article as it may not seem like it by the title as not all lyme patients experience seizures.
However, the content relates very much so to the neuro-excitatory problems seen so very often in lyme disease & heavy metal toxicity. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
Thanks for the info on glutamate, Kleeber.
I have a Japanese diet since a kid, and I never really stopped consuming seaweeds all my life. You can guess, all types of seaweeds!!
So has my daughter, since small, and husband for the last 20 years.
I lived in Japan and South Korea, and avoiding sea weed for them is just impossible. It's a basic item in their diet. A
lso in China, there are literally billions of people consuming sea weeds daily for life.
I am not particularly sensitive to glutamate though, as I can still eat in some Chinese restaurants and feel still normal!!
Good to know that sensitive people can have problems!!
Another word of precaution: ANDROGRAPHIS. If you use it, go SLOW, as it is one of the MOST POTENT killers for lyme and other bacteria, and a difficult herb to take.
Some people from lymenet reported things like never having herxed with any abx whatsoever, but almost dying after andrographis.
Buhner even took it out of the main lyme protocol in recent years. I took it, it helped me, but I could only stand it for a few days, then needed a break.
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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Again, thanks Brussels for this great list.
Glutamate is naturally occurring in fairly high amounts in many, many healthy foods other than just seaweed, including:
parmesan cheese, broccoli, tomatoes and tomato sauce, corn, spinach, mushrooms and a host of other foods.
I have never had an effect from a humble, mineral packed seaweed salad-- despite some natural glutamate in seaweed-- so Im not sure whether "dire" warnings about glutamate in seaweed killing my nerve cells applies to me personally-- plus seaweed is packed with nutrition, is low in calories and has fiber, and may block biofilm formation.
There are only so many foods I can eliminate without going insane. (sugar, diet soda, wheat, alcohol, dairy etc etc etc...)
Aspartame has a similar neurotoxic effect as monosodium glutamate, and this has proven to be a poison for me-- so Aspartame is GONE from my diet, as is added monosodium glutamate. Just my personal observation.
I do react to large amounts of added MSG (it causes me insomnia)... so I avoid all ADDED MSG, but I don’t worry about natural whole foods with some glutamate ---like broccoli or seaweed.. I do have some Lyme related neurological/memory issues that come and go, but I don't believe natural foodstuffs containing NATURAL glutamate have ever affected me.
Personally I would only consider eliminating glutamate rich foods like tomatoes, seaweed and broccoli if I were wheel chair bound or I had seizures--- which I do not-- and even then I don't know if that would help, but I would try it as I am open to any solution that may have worked for others--- and am not dogmatic about diet..
The Sulfurofane in Broccoli is extremely healthy and beneficial to our detoxification pathways and the iodine and micro minerals, and the possible anti biofilm effects of occasional seaweed are well worth it for me --- since low amounts of natural glutamate in foods do not seem to cause me a problem.
I also have had nothing but positive reactions to L-Glutamine supplements — it has a very calming effect for me.
As in everything with Lyme-- I don't think we can or should generalize, or fear monger too radically about foods, but we should be aware of possible reactions based on educated guesses, and try to eliminate foods that might be problematic to us---- to then see if we improve..
Posts: 696 | From New York | Registered: Aug 2006
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Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
Wakeup, thank you for your input in both natural glutamate and aspartame.
I feel really sick with aspartame too. I avoid it for ages. A clear feeling of being poisoned.
Broccoli, chlorella, MSM, all contain then sulphur and I love this stuff. I do very well with sulphur containing 'natural' foods.
I guess it's like lettuce: some people simply cannot digest lettuce anymore.
I am almost sure the problem IS NOT the lettuce, but things like gut disbiosis, or stuff alike.
Look at coffee: you hear all sorts of stuff about it. A devil, a healing drink. It excites, it relaxes even!
Like good salt: it increases blood pressure to some, and decreases to others.
I couldn't stand coffee before, until my liver got cleaned with high frequencies. Now I take coffee for almost a year, and I go to bed after it, as it can relax sometimes! Not always but it usually does!
diet to me is like infections: when you think you understood how to treat it, it changes and reacts no longer to what you thought was good!!! Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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