Herbal remedies offer hope as the new antibiotics

Because current cancer treatments also suppress the immune system, the patient is vulnerable to life-threatening secondary infections from bacteria and fungi, particularly now that some strains of bacteria are drug-resistant. Research published in the Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Microbiology, undertaken by scientists from Rohtak, India, shows the efficacy of several Indian wild plants against infections in the mouths of oral cancer patients.

Forty people were involved in the study, of which 35 had compromised immune systems. Several plants were used, of which eight, including wild asparagus, desert date, false daisy, curry tree, caster oil plant and fenugreek, significantly affected the growth of organisms collected by swab from the mouths of the patients.

Dr Jaya Parkash Yadav has emphasised that the extraction process had a great effect on the efficacy of the plant extracts against microbes. Although the plants have a lower potency that conventional antibiotics, they were broad spectrum antibiotics able to fight bacteria including E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and the fungi Candida and Aspergillus. Two of the plants, desert date and caster oil, were especially able to target bacteria known to be difficult to treat with ordinary antibiotics.

From their research, the scientists have concluded that oral cancer patients who are prone to secondary infections, can be effectively treated by plant extracts.

Source: Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials

June 2011. From Alisa Fleming of www.GoDairyFree.org

Just wanted to note, on your article for herbal remedies as the new antibiotics. My husband was undergoing extensive antibiotic treatment for what we believe was Lyme disease. His turning point toward beating it was when we added the herb teasel into his regimen. There are many Lyme-like bacteria out there, but whatever he had (caused joint pain, memory loss, etc.) it has departed or gone into remission with the antibiotics, but we think mostly due to the teasel. I hope that herb gets some research dedicated to it at one point.

More research on herbal medicine

First Publishd in May 2011

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