By Kathleen Mendola
Herbs versus bacteria: The natural winners are echinacea, garlic, Oregon grape root and grapefruit seed extract.
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Ask herbalists about herbal antibiotics and they may hesitate. Why? Because the word antibiotic means "antilife." "Herbs don't work that way," explains Cascade Anderson Geller, a Portland, Ore., herbalist. "Herbs aren't indiscriminate cell killers. They're supportive of life—they support cell function and inhibit growth of bacteria." Instead, she refers to bacteria-fighting herbs as antiinfectives or antiseptics; that is, they help rid cells of bugs. Daniel Gagnon, a medical herbalist in Santa Fe, N.M., classifies natural antibiotics as bacteriostatic: substances that prevent bacterial growth.
Pharmaceutical antibiotics have saved countless lives since their inception in 1941, when penicillin was first discovered as a cure for staphylococcic infections. However, years of misuse and overuse have led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. The biggest misuse occurs when antibiotics are prescribed for nonbacterial illnesses—a virus for example. If a virus makes you sick an antibiotic won't help. Plus, if you take antibiotics for a virus, you're exposing bacteria essential for health to the antibiotic, as antibiotics kill bacteria only. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics can lead to the following:
• Overgrowth of candida (yeast). This can manifest as vaginal yeast infections in women and as digestive disorders in both women and men as the yeast overtakes the good flora within the gastrointestinal system.
• Compromised immune function. "The immune system doesn't know what to do because an outside substance is doing its work," Gagnon says. The lesson: Encourage the immune system to work on its own while supporting it with lifestyle choices. In return, your immune system will function for life.
• Growth of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics and not taking them for the full course of treatment actually selects for drug-resistant bacteria. Of course, there's a time and place for pharmaceutical antibiotics, says Gagnon. "If you have a full-fledged, raging infection with high fever, and your body is losing speed rapidly to the bacteria, you'd want to use a pharmaceutical antibiotic." Geller concurs: "If you have an organ-threatening infection in the kidney or liver, you wouldn't want to use herbs. These are life-threatening situations that demand emergency medicine."
Bacteria-Fighting Botanicals
Herbs commonly used as natural antibiotics include goldenseal and echinacea. The major action of goldenseal is believed to be the result of the alkaloid berberine, which is effective against some bacteria, yeast, fungi and protozoa and is used clinically in some countries to treat diarrheal diseases. Fresh extracts of echinacea show fungicidal, bacteriostatic and virostatic activity including activity against herpes and influenza. Echinacea does this by stimulating the immune system to release disease-fighting white blood cells.
Though these two herbs are well-known for helping the body fight infection, each has a caveat attached to its use. Goldenseal has become endangered in the wild and is difficult to cultivate. Echinacea, though it possesses powerful immune-stimulating abilities, is not one of the strongest substances for actually destroying microorganisms, according to Rob McCaleb of Herb Research Foundation. Several herbs can be used as alternatives to goldenseal and echinacea. They include:
Oregon grape root: Like goldenseal, this herb contains the active ingredient berberine (also found in barberry). Berberine is an alkaloid derived from the rhizome (underground stem) of the Oregon grape. In addition to its antiseptic properties, berberine limits the ability of bacteria cells to divide.
Its antiseptic properties also make Oregon grape root a great skin wash, according to Gagnon. "Berberine provides a two-pronged approach to bacteria. It slows their progression, while stimulating immune function both internally and externally," he says.
Grapefruit seed extract: A highly antiseptic, antibacterial substance, grapefruit seed extract (GSE) is derived from grapefruit pulp and seeds. Also used internally and externally, GSE is available in suppository, tablet and liquid form. "GSE has a strong impact on fungus and bacteria," says Steven Bailey, N.D., who practices in Portland, Ore. "I use it in combination with other antifungals such as thyme oil, rosemary oil and black walnut extract."
Garlic: Gagnon illustrates just how powerful garlic, a member of the lily family, is: "Rub one fresh clove along the bottom of your bare foot. You can taste the garlic in your mouth within minutes because it travels rapidly through the bloodstream," he says. "There are so many properties in garlic that bugs don't know how to combat it. Bacteria are attacked on so many fronts with garlic."
Allicin, a sulfur-containing amino acid, is one of the many compounds identified in garlic and has been singled out for its antibiotic properties. Studies using garlic juice, fresh garlic and powdered garlic show the compound inhibited Staphylococcus aureus, Brucella abortus, Streptococcus viridans and E. coli in lab tests (Medical Hypothesis, 1983, vol. 120). For supplemental use, Gagnon recommends using fresh garlic mashed or chopped to release the powerful compounds such as allicin. Garlic is also available in deodorized tablets or capsules.
The Colloidal Silver Controversy
Colloidal silver is actually a mineral that's been used as a natural antibiotic since the 1800s. A colloid is an even dispersion of tiny particles in water. It's believed these microscopic particles of silver are easily absorbed in the bloodstream where they destroy bacteria. Proponents point to colloidal silver's historical use as a treatment for venereal diseases and a host of other ailments such as tonsillitis and cancer. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) looks askance at supplements that rely on century-old claims that colloidal silver is safe and effective. Manufacturers were subsequently warned of their mislabeling and misbranding practices in the FDA's Health Fraud Bulletin #19 (September 1996). This was followed by a notice of proposed rule-making in October 1996 that declared colloidal silver products "not generally recommended as safe or effective (GRAS)." |
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"It's true that enough of a concentration of silver or gold can kill bacteria," says Bailey. "However, the scientific evidence against colloidal silver products is damning. Manufacturers' claims aren't replicated by independent research." Bailey also points to the misrepresentation of mineral content in colloidal silver products. "Some manufacturers have listed as many as 70 different minerals in their colloidal silver products, and lab studies show 15 or less," he adds. "Plus, colloidal products aren't easily absorbed in the digestive tract and can impair digestion."
Other problems with colloidal silver include a condition called argyria, where after prolonged use, the skin permanently turns ashen gray. Studies have also found high levels of aluminum (a neurotoxin) and sodium in some of the products on the market.
Proponents of colloidal silver claim there's no problem with other minerals contained in their products as they don't stay in the body long enough to do any harm.
Keep Infections at Bay
If you succumb to bacterial infection, take your herbal preparations right away and continue to do so for the duration of your illness. Common bacterial infections include strep, staph and enterococcus, an intestinal bacterium that's usually nonpathogenic. These may manifest as inflammation, boils, sores, sore throats, coughs, fever, fatigue and lethargy.
Candida lives in the intestines, staph lives on the skin, and strep lives in our throats. However, that doesn't mean we're sick all the time. When we do get sick, the barriers to bacteria—mucus, white blood cells and skin - are broken, and the bacteria multiply, according to Geller. Your immune system, if healthy, should keep those barriers strong.
Be sure to rest, says Geller. "If you take herbs and continue with an overworked schedule, the bug will linger and the herbs won't have the same effect," she adds. To hasten a swift recuperation, she recommends you take the following steps:
 | Drink water or herbal tea—no juice or soft drinks, as sugar decreases your immune function. |
| Eat lightly so your body's energy goes toward healing rather than digestion. |
| As you feel better, gradually add time between herb doses. |
Gagnon encourages people to ask themselves: Why did I get sick in the first place? "You get sick because you've compromised your immune system," he says. Keep healthy by getting a lot of rest, exercise and by eating well, he recommends.
Barberry
Kathleen Mendola is a freelance health writer living in Portland, Ore.
Reprinted with permission from the December 1997 issue of Delicious! Magazine, a publication of New Hope Communications, Boulder, CO.
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