Natural Antibiotics
Antibiotics are one of the few things proponents of pharmaceutical medicine "can always get us" with. Their question: But if you have a serious infectious condition, surely you'll accept an antibiotic. Sometimes we have to concede - antibiotics seem the answer.
But does it have to be the pharmaceutical kind, the ones that kill not only a pathogen but also all the beneficial bacteria which we live in perfect symbiosis with? We actually need those little bugs to properly digest our food. And yes, there are alternatives.
Here is an article in the UK Health Sciences Institute Alert, forwarded through Jennie Gorman, which summarizes the information on four natural antibiotic alternatives, just to give ourselves a choice - and so we can be more specific next time about what kind of antibiotic we might prefer to use.
From: Health Sciences Institute e-Alert
Rachel Linkie, UK
10 October 2003
Lately, HSI members have shown a great deal of interest in the subject of antibiotics and the natural alternatives to pharmaceutical antibiotics. So in yesterday's e-Alert, I asked US HSI Panellist, Dr Allan Spreen, to give us his insights into the antibiotic question. Today, Dr. Spreen concludes his comments with some very useful advice for anyone seeking natural supplements that support the body's defence systems.Finishing off the comments he made yesterday, Dr. Spreen noted that while bacteria contain the genetic material to resist synthetic drugs, this does not seem to be the case with natural agents that have antibacterial properties.
And, as Dr. Spreen pointed out, "We hear little about them because of the fact that they are not patentable and therefore have no profit potential, at least nowhere near the level drug companies desire."
But we're going to hear all about them now - compliments of Dr. Spreen.
**********************
The big 4
**********************There are four natural anti-bacterial (and anti-viral) agents that have a lot of what many would call "anecdotal evidence" behind them. They actually have more than that, but getting them legitimately studied may have to wait until the fears over bacterial resistance put our backs hard against a wall with no place else to go.
VITAMIN C
Dr Fred Klenner, in Reidsville, North Carolina in the US, was using intravenous ascorbic acid (vitamin C) against viruses, serious bacteria and even toxins such as snakebites as early as the 1930's. His patient records showed amazing successes, witnessed by hospital personnel, while most outsiders (who refused to review his data) labelled him a quack.
Those who did [review the data], such as Drs. Jungeblut and Zwerner, Otani, Ormerod, and others, all came away impressed that his work was both accurate and therapeutic. He treated diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus, and in the middle of a polio epidemic in North Carolina he was considered to have "cured" 60 out of 60 cases of infantile polio. He even published his findings, but since polio was 'incurable' nobody picked up on it enough to even challenge it with a study.
Dr Robert Cathcart, probably the most experienced therapist currently using very high doses of ascorbic acid, has been using the nutrient for decades to get AIDS patients back on their feet from his clinic in Los Altos, California.
************************
Seeds & leaves
************************GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT
"Citricidal," a natural antibiotic made from an extract of grapefruit seed, was developed from the observation that something in grapefruit (though not in other citrus fruits) keeps bacteria at bay for extended periods of time.
Bio/chem Research, of Lakeport, California, has done extensive research on the antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic properties of this amazing substance.
Paying for approval through the FDA is out of the question, but the extract has been tested against a huge list of pathologic organisms. It is a popular agent for campers to add to water of questionable quality (everyone should carry some for emergencies), and has been used by nutritional therapists for years against yeast. Resistance has not occurred against the substance, and it's even biodegradable.
It's just too cheap for the big time - though it's generally available in many health food stores.
OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT
This amazing substance, member of a group of plant compounds called flavonoids, comes from the plant Olea europaea. The extract is called Oleuropein, and has long been known for its anti-microbial properties, which are assumed to offer protection to the tree against predatory organisms.
Also called calcium elenolate, the substance has been officially tested as an anti-microbial agent, with sufficient power to achieve a published status in peer-review journals.
Olive leaf is even well known as an antioxidant. I strongly recommend keeping some to hand.
***************************
The good silver
***************************COLLOIDAL SILVER
This is by far the most controversial agent in the armamentarium of 'natural' antibacterial agents. That may be because there is no known use for the silver ion in human biochemistry, which may in fact be the reason for its benefits. Dr. Jonathan V. Wright's research has found that bacteria have an enzyme system that is disrupted by the presence of silver ions, causing the organism to die.
The effect is hardly a secret: water filters today are impregnated with silver to take advantage of the anti-bacterial effects. It was also commonly used as about the only hope against severe infections prior to the advent of antibiotics in the 1940's.
The word 'colloid' is significant, representing very tiny amounts of the substance, as very tiny particles, suspended in a liquid. This answers a common argument about colloidal silver possibly causing a known side effect of silver overuse called argyria, which can cause a greying colouration of the skin. Amounts needed for antibacterial effect tend to be far below doses that cause argyria. Dr. Wright suggests adult doses of "1 tablespoon of colloidal silver at a 40 ppm (parts per million) concentration at the first signs of any infection and 1-2 teaspoons three to four times daily until the infection is gone. Then stop!"
We'll probably never see such low-profit ideas reach the level of accepted conventional medical therapy. However, it might be worth everyone's while to get more informed about each of them in case the day actually arrives that the conventional armamentarium runs dry.
Good Health,
See also:
Oil Of Oregano Rivals Modern Antibiotic Drugs
(older article, but interesting nevertheless)
Oil pressed from oregano leaves that contain the active ingredient carvacrol may be an effective treatment against sometimes drug-resistant bacterial infection. Georgetown University researchers have found that oil of oregano appears to reduce infection "as effectively as traditional antibiotics." Oil of oregano at relatively low doses was found to be efficacious against Staphylococcus bacteria and was comparable in its germ-killing properties to antibiotic drugs such as streptomycin, pencillin and vancomycin.
Scientists Identify a Secret Ingredient in Honey That Kills Bacteria
A new research published in the July 2010 print edition of the FASEB Journal explains for the first time how honey kills bacteria. Specifically, the research shows that bees make a protein that they add to the honey, called defensin-1, which could one day be used to treat burns and skin infections and to develop new drugs that could combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Tuesday October 14 2003
updated on Thursday December 2 2010URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/10/14/natural_antibiotics.htm
Related ArticlesHoney Heals Your Wounds
Honey is more effective in treating difficult-to-heal wounds than antibiotics, says Jennifer Eddy, a professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Even methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, the so-called flesh eating bacterium is no match for the antibiotic compounds the bees manufacture for us - for free. Image credit: Graham Soult Meanwhile, antibiotics are losing much of their appeal as many common bacteria develop resistance. Chickens are... [read more]
October 15, 2006 - Sepp HasslbergerNano Silver kills microbes - EPA up in Arms
More than a year ago, a little noticed article reported a study that found silver nano particles as found in silver colloids were able to kill HIV, in addition to a broad spectrum of viral bugs. Now, the US health authorities seem to have found a way to prevent this breakthrough from making it into broad public use. According to an article on NewsTarget.com, the Environmental Protection Agency is now... [read more]
December 07, 2006 - Sepp HasslbergerHeliobacter pylori and Enderlein
Jenny Thompson describes, in her one of her most recent newsletters, how vitamin C as well as beneficial gut bacteria may be able to kill heliobacter pylori, the bug believed to cause stomach ulcers. She admits that there are doubts about causation, and states: "Questions about cause and effect, however, produce less certain answers. For instance: Does vitamin C reduce the chance of h. pylori infection, or does h. pylori... [read more]
September 01, 2003 - Sepp HasslbergerBetter Than A Flu Shot - Vitamin C Does The Trick
The flu season is upon us another time with a vengeance. This year, we have a special propaganda bonus - the bird flu - although it has very little to do with the flu that gives us the sniffles in any normal year. There is no vaccine for the bird flu because it is a bird virus that "has not yet mutated to be transmitted between humans" but we are... [read more]
November 14, 2005 - Sepp HasslbergerResearchers: Vitamin C Deficiency Widespread - Link to Heart Disease, Infections, Cancer
In their book "Ascorbate - The Science of Vitamin C", Steve Hickey PhD and Hilary Roberts PhD point out that deficiency of vitamin C is far more widespread than is generally acknowledged by medical doctors and dieticians today. The two scientists, specialized in medical biophysics and nutrition, have challenged the scientific basis of the recommended daily amounts for this vitamin with medical authorities including the NIH - the National Institutes... [read more]
July 09, 2004 - Sepp HasslbergerVitamin C could be effective against SARS
The Toronto Star reported on 30 May 2003 that Vitamin C administered intravenously in large doses could hold the key to saving the lives of people who are hospitalized for SARS infection. Toronto physician Fred Hui believes that administering vitamin C intravenously is a treatment worth trying. The advantages: It's cheap, available and relatively free of side effects. The disadvantages: Nobody knows if it works. Nevertheless, Hui would like to... [read more]
June 06, 2003 - Sepp Hasslberger
