New studies on using Ghanaian quinine and Japanese Knotweed to treat Lyme's?

bcabrobin

I have chronic Lyme infection and am always looking for new treatments. I have been looking into herbs for the last year and these studies show promise.

This study provides the first convincing evidence that some of the herbs used by patients, such as Cryptolepis, black walnut, sweet wormwood, cat’s claw, and Japanese knotweed, have potent activity against Lyme disease bacteria, especially the dormant persister forms, which are not killed by the current Lyme antibiotics,” says study co-author Prof. Ying Zhang.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lyme-disease-treatment-2-herbal-compounds-may-beat-antibiotics

An other good article is https://rawlsmd.com/health-articles/understanding-bartonella.

Monek Marie

@bcabrobin Our ticks have been very bad around here the last few years and the doctors do not treat lymes properly around here so I did research and started using a knotweed tinture. At first I bought it now I make it, knotweed is very invasive around here.

Knotweed helps build the immune system up.

I cannot personally say it works but I was bit 5 times last year and did not get lymes, only used the knotweed tinture.

bcabrobin

@Denise Grant what parts of the Knotweed do you use? I will be doing this, I have had over 65 documented ticks, by a Dr. in the last 20 yrs. Before Lyme's was a thing. But I have removed many more than that!

20+ yrs ago working at a job site, we were standing in the woods and it sounded like it was raining, it was ticks falling from the trees. They were everywhere!

I can walk across the driveway in the middle of January and get ticks (and have). I'm a tick magnet!

We have free range chickens and they help but if I'm fixing fence or working with hay, I'm sure to get 4-5. It's nothing to remove 10+ a year. The Dr wont treat them anymore and I don't want it anyway, so I'm also looking for other ways for treatment. I will be checking this out! Thank you! I'm glad that someone else has tried this.

LaurieLovesLearning

@bcabrobin @Denise Grant As was mentioned, there are many herbs that can be used. Some are more effective if used right away. K. P. Khalsa mentioned one herb in the last series that I watched. I generally write things like that down...but this time, I missed doing that. :(

I have watched a few webinars, etc. that were focused on lyme disease.

Nick Polizzi did a series. They deal with lyme within their family, I believe. Host of Remedy: Ancient Medicine for Modern Illness is the series where they covered lyme. You can reach him through: [email protected]

I am sure that some of our knowledgable herbalists will be able to weigh in. @torey?

I will include my notes from one webinar below. The presenter focused on an "old TCM" approach (his words). I found it interesting. He said nobody seems to approach lyme that way.

I hope my notes make sense.

LaurieLovesLearning

Brendan Kelly

All stages are treatable, TCM & herbs

Heat/inflammation, need to reduce heat

Lyme disease is the symptom. The root cause lies before, seeks a differential diagnosis

Treat the 1. individual with the 2. condition

Yin = cold/coolant, eater/fluids, latency

Latency...lost coolant, lost relaxation

Yang = hot/heat, fire, expression/loss of latency

Bian Hua - to nourish & engender - disease progression theory - a classical Chinese medicine understanding - describes progression of disease & lyme

4 Stages:

1. Heat & Inflammation - medical system treats this - initial stage - occurs with initial tick bite

Signs & symptoms: red skin, fever, joint aches, headaches - if treated effectively here, will stop

Yang rises up into head & causes headaches

Try to clear heat with up & out (TCM:release exterior) - antibiotics can't do this, they are too cold - use acupuncture, eastern & western herbs - use dipheretics (cause sweat release through pores, antibiotics push down)

2. Dryness/yin deficiency; heat cooking off fluids

Signs & symptoms: increase of symptoms from stage 1, possible night sweats

3. Phlegm/Excess of Yin (fluids); Response to lack of fluids in stage 2

Signs & symptoms: Continuation of above symptoms, 'brain fog', cognitive issues, decrease in energy, beginning of digestive issues

Phlegm associated w/digestive system (TCM: stomach & spleen...cognition/thinking...getting heavy internally, energy can't make it up to the brain (slow, sticky fluids)=brain fog)

Absolutely treatable

4. Wind/attempt to remove phlegm

Signs & symptoms: Neurological symptoms, tremors, switches, dizziness, migraines

Symptoms move around, come & go

In TCM, may treat next stage before it develops (preventative)

TCM: acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, & lifestyle to treat different stages, all equally important

Foods can be dry & cooling, warm & moistening, subdue/increase wind

First stage diet: HEAT

Food creating the most heat (& damp) = coffee - Cut out coffee

No Spicy = onions, garlic, ginger, cayenne, nutmeg, turmeric, cinnamon

These all warm the body...good or bad for us depending on what is happening in the body

Alcohol

Take green tea (cool & dry)

Cool & moistening: leafy greens, water

Yarrow, boneset- it releases well (bitter, cold diapharetic) bitter implies descending - flushes (laxative or diuretic), burdock seed

Second stage diet: DAMP

White sugar (this version of the sweet) creates heat & dampness

Dairy

Third stage diet:

Gluten (sticky)

Fourth stage diet: WIND

Avoid land birds: Chicken (warming) & turkey (hot) Doctrine of signatures: look at something & understand the nature of it (birds wings are stimulating & move wind) Water birds are okay

Use heavier meats: beef & pork

Use non spicy root veg: carrots, turnips, esp. beets (cure for too much wind is moving the blood, beets look like blood)

Most pharm & natural/herbal treatments focus on stage 1 - most herbs being used are cold - cold treatments (to treat Heat) can create phlegm, which leads to progression - antibiotics cause cooling to digestive system, so it no longer works well

TCM treats multiple stages simultaneously

Clay can be good - drying, pulls things out (cool & dry, but not sweat, releasing exterior)

Andrographis - cold - clears fire toxins (Heat gone bad), goes down

Recommend topically yarrow (powdered/dry, chewed), + TCM yin quio (chow) san - can do tincture of yarrow, boneset, echinacea, mint (licorice for taste) - want to clear up & out - 2-3 ml 3×/day

One acupuncture treatment & yarrow on body stops at bullseye stage

No saunas, hot tubs, getting hot in general

Any neurological diagnoses is wind, treat gallbladder

MS/Lyme, both wind

*****

Foods that create Dampness in the body: fried foods, raw foods, fruits, juices, dairy, iced drinks, and sweets.

 https://agelessherbs.com/sinusitis/natural-alternative-herbs/ 

Monek Marie

Treating lymes disease with antiboitics like they do in my area, and only for ten days causes the symptoms to hide and return later. Lymes is treatable. Great information!~

Torey

I have never personally treated someone with Lyme's disease. But I have notes on the subject from other very experienced herbalists.

Japanese Knotweed does seem to be one of the major herbs recommended for Lyme.

This is a link to Susun Weed's use of teasel (combined with boneset) to treat LYme's Disease. http://www.wisewomanmentor.com/wise-woman-ezine/4221138

There is a book called "Healing Lyme Disease Naturally" by Wolf D. Storl. Teasel is a recommendation. https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Lyme-Disease-Naturally-Treatments-ebook/dp/B00523N2IW

7Song has a resource page on treating Lyme's, with a list of herbs to match to symptoms. https://7song.com/resources/ A Herbalist's View - Notes on Lyme Disease

Cat's Claw (Uncaria tomentosa)  is reported to be effective against Lyme's. This is a good article that mentions Cat's Claw as well as some other herbs.

I have seen arteminsin or Artemesia annua or other Artemisia species listed as possible remedies for Lyme's. Sweet Annie (A. annua) is being used as a treatment for drug resistant malaria (also has a spirochete as an initiating cause), so I would suggest that Sweet Annie might be a good choice for Lyme as well.

I know a bit about homeopathic remedies that may be given for symptoms of Lyme's (again from notes). Zinc metallicum is a strong remedy for Lyme's. Two homeopathic plant remedies that are recommended are Ledum and Kalmia. Ledum is probably the easiest to come by as it should be available at any health food store that carries homeopathic remedies. But homeopathic remedies are given based on a totality of symptoms so you have to match the remedy with the person. Because of the herbal use of Artemisias, it might be an idea to see if Abrotanum would match the symptomology of the patient. I would try to speak with a homeopath about this. They may have some other options available. I know there is a remedy made from the Borrelia spirochete but it will only be available from a homeopath that has access to one of the major homeopathic pharmacies.

Hope some of this is helpful and you are able to get some improvement in your symptoms..