Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria (44 page)

Echinacea is antiviral; it's been found active against HIV and influenza H5N1, H7N7, and H1N1 (swine origin). However, in order to inactivate the influenza strains, it needs
direct contact
just prior to or right at the moment of infection. Echinacea inhibits receptor cell binding activity of the virus, interfering with its entry into the cells while at the same time strengthening the protective power of the mucous membranes through HYL inhibition.

Echinacea is antibacterial; it inactivates
Streptococcus pyogenes
,
Haemophilus influenzae
,
Propionbacterium acnes
, and
Legionella pneumophila.
It also completely reverses the inflammatory processes that are initiated by those organisms. Echinacea is less active against
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Mycobacterium smegmatis
but also completely reverses the inflamation that they cause. Again,
direct contact
is necessary.

Echinacea is also active against
Leishmania major
promastigotes and
Leishmania enrietti
.
E. angustifolia
is active against
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Echinacea is also active against numerous species of
Candida
. In vitro research found that a hexane extract of echinacea inhibited
Candida shehata
,
C. kefyr
,
C. albicans
,
C. steatulytica
, and
C. tropicalis.
In other studies echinacea increased the proliferation of phagocytes in spleen and bone marrow and the migration of granulocytes to peripheral blood. These studies found that echinacea was specifically active against systemic candida in the blood. In fact, mice were then protected from lethal injections of the yeast directly into the blood. In mice whose levels of leukocytes in the peripheral blood had been reduced through injection of cyclophosphamide, echinacea initiated an influx of neutrophil granulocytes that protected the mice from candida infection.

In a study of recurrent candida vaginal yeast infections, half the women were treated with econazole nitrate (EN) alone, the other half were treated with EN and echinacea. Those using EN alone had a 60 percent recurrence rate, while those using EN and echinacea had only a 17 percent recurrence rate.

The alcoholic extract of
E. pallida
reverses stress-delayed wound healing in mice.
E. purpurea
enhances wound healing in vocal fold wounds in pigs. Echinacea (type not stated but probably
purpurea
) enhances fibrin formation in skin grafts, increases wound healing time, stimulates the formation of new connective tissue, and reduces leukocytic infiltration.

Angustifolia
,
purpurea
, and
pallida
are all potent inhibitors of nitric oxide.
Pallida
is the strongest. Arginase activity is significantly increased by all three, but only
pallida
inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Most echinacea species strongly inhibit PGE production;
sanguinea
is strongest, followed by
angustifolia
and
pallida
.

Constituents of echinacea (echinacoside, etc.) protect collagen from free-radical-induced degradation.

Angustifolia
is 10 times more potent a pain reliever than capsaicin. It acts by desensitizing the TRPV1 channel.

Echinacea reversed the system effects of gamma-irradiated mice: Red blood cell parameters, white blood cell parameters, and bone marrow cell parameters were all ameliorated. Echinacea (type not stated) was found to significantly abate leukemia and extend the life span of leukemic mice.

Echinacea increases the expression of CD69 and CD25 immune cells in vitro.

In vitro studies on the effects of seven species of echinacea on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) found that tinctures from four (
angustifolia
,
pallida
,
paradoxa
, and
tennesseensis
) stimulated proliferation of PBMCs and increased interleukin-2 (IL-2). Two tinctures (
sanguinea
and
simulata
) stimulated proliferation only.
E. purpurea
stimulated IL-2 only. None of the extracts affected IL-4 or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). However, if volunteers were first immunized against influenza and
that
blood tested, tinctures from four (
pallida
,
paradoxa
,
sanguinea
, and
simulata
) diminished influenza-specific IL-2. None affected influenza-specific IL-10 or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). With blood drawn 6 months postvaccination, four tinctures (50 percent alcohol,
angustifolia
,
purpurea
,
simulata
, and
tennesseensis
) augmented IL-10 production and diminished IL-2, with no effect on IFN-gamma. Two (
paradoxa
and
sanguinea
) were similar though weaker.
E. pallida
suppressed all cytokines. The authors note that the various species have different immune-modulating actions.

Three echinacea species were tested for in vivo (mice) enhancement of innate and adaptive immune functions. All three (
angustifolia
,
purpurea
, and
pallida
) significantly increased antibody response, altered cytokine expression by splenic cells, significantly increased interferon-alpha production, and inhibited the release of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta. Only two (
angustifolia
and
pallida
) strongly enhanced T cell proliferation, significantly stimulated IL-4 production, and decreased IL-10.

Alkamides from echinacea (type not stated) were found to potently inhibit inflammation in human blood and to exert modulatory effects on various cytokine expression (up-regulating IL-6 and inhibiting TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-12p70).

A butanol fraction from
purpurea
stems and leaves significantly up-regulated specific genes for IL-8, IL-1 beta, IL-18, and the chemokines CXCL2, CCL5, and CCL2 within 4 hours after treatment of immature dendritic cells.

In vivo studies on mice vaccinated with killed
Salmonella typhimurium
vaccine or an inactivated pertussis vaccine consisting of diphtheria/tetanus toxoids and inactivated virulence factors of
Bordetella pertussis
found that
E. angustifolia
and
purpurea
significantly increased antibody production and proliferation as well as IL-12 levels.

A rather large number of studies found that echinacea activates cellular immunity and stimulates phagocytosis of neutrophils in vitro, in vivo, and, in one case, after rinsing of the mouth cavity. In numerous studies echinacea increases interferon-gamma production, stimulates T helper cell production and proliferation, and strongly enhances CD4 and CD8 subsets.

Echinacea has a wide range of actions on the immune system and is both highly stimulatory and modulatory. It is an effective modulator of macrophage immune responses. It enhances antibody responses to infection. It is 30 percent more effective, for example, than sodium alginate in the stimulation of antivenom (snake) antibodies. It stimulates the production of neutrophils, macrophages, and T and B cells.

Family:
Araliaceae

Common Names:
(English) eleuthero • Siberian ginseng • touch-me-not • devil's shrub

Species Used:
There are 25 or maybe 38 species (thanks, guys) in the genus, and while the primary one used is
Eleutherococcus senticosus,
there is emerging evidence that a number of the species are also medicinally active in similar ways.
Eleutherococcus sessiflorus
is used in Korea, identically to eleuthero.
Eleutherococcus cissifolius
is used in Tibet, fresh juice for eczema.

Eleutherococcus spinosus
(a.k.a.
E. pentaphyllus
, fiveleaf aralia) is an invasive in the United States in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Utah, and West Virginia, and, as well, Ontario, Canada. It is used similarly to eleuthero as a tonic adaptogen for general debility, rheumatic pains, and weakness. Its use should be explored as a now locally established, important immune plant and adaptogen.

Note:
Acanthopanax senticosus
is sometimes given as a synonym for
E. senticosus.

The root is the most commonly used part of the plant, but the bark from the woody stems is actually higher in what is considered to be the most active constituent of the plant (eleutheroside B). The fruits are also usable and the leaves have some activity as well. The Chinese use every part of the plant in various ways for this and that.

There are, in general, three primary forms of eleuthero that are used:

1) the Russian high-concentration formulations, generally 2:1, 1:1, or 1:2;

2) lower-strength 1:5 tincture formulations; and, finally,

3) capsules, usually standardized in some way or another (though I prefer the powdered herb myself).

If you are growing the plant and making your own extracts, the eleutheroside B content in the bark of woody stems is about four times that of the roots, so use that rather than kill the plant to get the roots.

Actions

Adaptogen (a substance that increases nonspecific resistance to adverse influences)

Adrenal tonic

Antidepressant

Antifatigue

Antistressor

Helps restore task endurance

Immune potentiator

Immune tonic

Immunoadjuvant

MAO inhibitor

Mental clarity stimulant

Most of the Russian studies were conducted using a 1:1 tincture in 30 percent to 33 percent alcohol. The dosage ranged from 2 to 20 ml per day (the smaller dose is a smidgeon under ½ teaspoon). This means people were taking from 1/16 to
⅔
ounce (and in some instances up to 1½ ounces) of tincture per day. At an average cost of $7 to $12 per ounce of tincture (in the United States) this can be prohibitively expensive at the upper dosage ranges.

The Russians generally dosed 2 to 16 ml, one to three times daily for 60 days with a 2- to 3-week rest period in between. Russian researchers, at these kinds of dosages, saw responses within a few days or even hours of administration.

In this concentration, and at those doses, eleuthero is an immune
stimulant
, not a tonic. Using it at those doses in this concentrated a form is, in my opinion, specific for debilitating diseases accompanied by severe fatigue, brain fog, depression, muscle weakness, tendency to start getting better with inevitable relapse, and chronically depressed immune function.

You can, of course, take lower doses of the concentrated extracts, which would indeed make the tincture more tonic in nature.

Dosage of the Russian formulation in treating chronic, debilitating disease:
Please read carefully.
In chronic, highly debilitated conditions, the stronger Russian formulation is the only type of tincture that should be used—at least initially. I suggest the product sold by Herb Pharm, which is the only company I know of that actually exceeds the Russian specifications. Their formula is a 2:1 rather than a 1:1 (i.e., 2 parts herb to 1 part liquid rather than 1 and 1).

For the first 30–60 days:
1 tsp, 3x daily, the last dose occurring no later than 4
P.M
. This dose can be increased if necessary.

After 60 days:
Discontinue the herb for 2 weeks.

Then:
Repeat if necessary.

If symptoms decrease after using the Russian formulation for a while and immune function seems better, you can change to either an
encapsulated form or a 1:5 alcohol/water tincture (see below). Both of these are weaker, but more tonic, in their actions.

If symptoms and overall health are better on the stronger extract but worsen once you stop it, or if the presenting symptoms are severe, then the extract may be a better choice for continual use instead. Continue the dosage of the stronger extract: 30–60 days on, 2–3 weeks off, 30–60 days on, and so on.

I have generally used, and prefer in conditions other than persistent chronic disease (e.g., Lyme disease) or severe chronic fatigue, a weaker tincture, as do many American herbalists and herbal companies: 1:5, 60 percent alcohol, 1 dropperful (
¹
/
₃
tsp) of the tincture, 1–3x daily for up to a year.

In my experience this dosage and pattern of use is less stimulating to the system and the long-term effects are better. The body gradually uses the herb to build itself up over time, the herb acting more as a long-term tonic and rejuvenative than an active stimulant. With this type of tincture it is not necessary to stop every 1 to 2 months, nor have I seen any of the side effects that can occur with the stronger Russian formula. The Chinese, much less given to tincturing anyway, use 4.5–27 grams, often as a decoction or powder.