Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria (11 page)

An additional concern is that influenza viruses are highly synergistic with
Haemophilus
. Dual infection is considerably more dangerous than with either alone. There is some evidence that the 1918 influenza epidemic involved a highly activated synergy with
Haemophilus
; even immunocompetent individuals become highly susceptible to the bacteria when the two activate together. This synergistic capacity seems inherent in
Haemophilus;
other studies have found the same kind of synergy between it and other respiratory pathogens such as
Moraxella catarrhalis
, respiratory syncytial virus, human parainfluenza virus 3, and rhinovirus.

Importantly,
Haemophilus
are what are called fastidious bacteria, meaning they need an iron source to grow, and unlike most other bacteria, they usually get it from the hemoglobin in our blood to which iron is bonded (giving blood its red color). Protecting the blood cells through the use of something like sida is crucial in treating this kind of infection.

The herbs that have been found active against
Haemophilus
are ginger, licorice, isatis, lomatium, honey, eucalyptus essential oil, eucalyptus leaf, and basil essential oil. Unfortunately, cryptolepis, sida, and alchornea have not been tested against this organism. However, I believe that, due to their activity against similar Gram-negative bacteria, they are usable for
Haemophilus
infections, especially sida, given its strong protective effects on red blood cells. I would use them myself without hesitation.

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Sida tincture: 1 tsp, 3–6x daily

Formulation 2
Isatis, ginger, licorice, and red root (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 3
Fresh ginger juice tea (see
page 228
): 4–6x daily

For
Haemophilus
pneumonia:
Formulations 1, 2, and 3

For
Haemophilus
epiglottitis and facial cellulitis:
Formulations 1, 2, and 3

For
Haemophilus
chancroid:
Formulations 1, 2, and 3. Add a topical wash of an infusion of eucalyptus and lomatium and honey 4x daily. If ulcers are severe, apply honey dressings after using the topical wash.

For
Haemophilus
meningitis:
Formulations 1 and 2, along with piperine, 20 mg, 2x daily, with the first dose in the morning 30 minutes before taking the other formulations, and the second dose at 4
P.M
. Also add isatis leaf (or root) and either Japanese knotweed or stephania (equal parts) tincture, 1 tsp, 3–6x daily. Echinacea will also be of benefit, as for bacteremia.

For
Haemophilus
bacteremia and osteomyelitis:
Formulations 1, 2, and 3, along with
Echinacea angustifolia
tincture, ½ tsp–1 tbl, every half hour to hour

For
Haemophilus
septic arthritis:
Formulations 1, 2, and 3, along with
E. angustifolia
and teasel root (equal parts) tincture, ½ tsp, 3x daily

For
Haemophilus
otitis media:
Use Formulations 2 and 3 plus oil ear drops as follows: Make an oil infusion with lomatium. When done as per recipe, add 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil and 10 drops basil essential oil. Place 2–3 drops in ear 2x daily.

For
Haemophilus
purulent conjunctivitis:
Use isatis or isatis-honey eyedrops.

The main species that causes human infection is
K. pneumoniae
, but
K. oxytoca
and
K. rhinoscleromatis
occasionally do, too. Most infections occur in the lungs, but they also can occur in the urinary tract, the biliary tract, the lower respiratory tract, and surgical wounds. The organism can cause pneumonia, bacteremia, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, cholecystitis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, thrombophlebitis, and respiratory infections. Generally, infections are caused by hospital staff from bacteria on their hands or bacterial colonization of invasive apparatus, and sometimes patients' GI tracts are contaminated.

When
Klebsiella
infect the lung tissue, necrosis, inflammation, and hemorrhage often occur, giving rise to a thick, bloody mucus; it looks something like currant jelly (so they say).

Klebsiella
organisms are often multidrug resistant, producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL). These strains are highly virulent and spread promiscuously. The mortality rate is around 50 percent, irrespective of antibiotic use. They are one of the fastest-growing resistant infections in U.S. hospitals and are common throughout the world. The newest resistant form is referred to as CRKP (carbapenem-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
). Very dangerous.

The herbs useful for
Klebsiella
are cryptolepis, alchornea, bidens, black pepper, juniper, the berberine plants,
Acacia
,
Artemisia annua
, reishi, licorice, and honey.

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Cryptolepis and alchornea (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp–1 tbl, 6x daily

Formulation 2 (to thin mucus)
Ginger juice tea (page 228): 4–6x daily

Formulation 3 (immune support)
Reishi, red root, licorice, and
Echinacea angustifolia
(equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 4
Juniper essential oil inhalation as aromatherapy: 4–6x daily

For
Klebsiella
pneumonia and respiratory infections:
Formulations 1, 2, 3, and 4

For
Klebsiella
osteomyelitis:
Formulations 1, 2, and 4, plus
Echinacea angustifolia
tincture, ½ tsp–1 tbl, every half hour to hour

For
Klebsiella
meningitis:
Treat as you would enterococcal meningitis (see
page 50
).

For
Klebsiella
surgical wound infections:
Formulations 1, 2, and 4, plus daily topical honey dressings (see monograph,
page 188
)

For
Klebsiella
bacteremia:
Instead of the formulations above, use
Echinacea angustifolia tincture
, ½ tsp–1 tbl, every half hour to hour; cryptolepis tincture, 1 tbl, 6x daily; and piperine, 20 mg, 2x daily (the first dose in the morning 30 minutes before taking the other formulations and the second dose at 4
P.M
.).

For
Klebsiella
UTIs:
Instead of the formulations above, use juniper berry–bidens tincture (1 part juniper, 2 parts bidens), 30 drops, 3–6x daily; and cryptolepis–berberine plant tincture (equal parts), 1 tsp, 3x daily.

For
Klebsiella
diarrhea:
Instead of the formulations above, use a berberine plant tincture, 1 tsp, 3–6x daily.

This organism causes gonorrhea, which is sexually transmitted. The main herbs effective for it are cryptolepis and sida.

Formulation
Cryptolepis and sida (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 3x daily for 14 days

The two most troublesome
Proteus
species are
P. vulgaris
and
P. mirabilis.
Both are resistant.
P. mirabilis
generates 90 percent of
Proteus
infections in people.
Proteus
infections can cause alkaline kidney stones, but more seriously, when contracted in hospitals they can
cause wound infections, urinary tract infections, septicemia, and pneumonia.

The herbs that are effective for proteus are cryptolepis, sida, alchornea,
Artemisia annua
, juniper, usnea,
Acacia aroma
, lomatium, ginger, and honey.

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Juniper berry and bidens tincture (1 part juniper, 2 parts bidens): 30 drops, 3–6x daily

Formulation 2
Cryptolepis, sida, or alchornea tincture: 1 tsp, 3–6x daily

Formulation 3
Ginger, rhodiola, and red root (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 3x daily

Formulation 4
Piperine: 20 mg, 2x daily (the first dose in the morning 30 minutes before taking the other formulations and the second dose at 4
P.M
.)

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Cryptolepis, sida, or alchornea tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 2 (to prevent septic shock)
Isatis tincture: 1 tbl, 3–6x daily

Formulation 3
Echinacea angustifolia
tincture: ½ tsp–1 tbl, every half hour to hour

Formulation 4
Lomatium, rhodiola, and red root (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 3x daily

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Cryptolepis, alchornea, and sida (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 2
Lomatium, rhodiola, and red root (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 3–6x daily

Formulation 3
Daily topical honey dressings (see monograph,
page 188
)

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Cryptolepis, alchornea, and sida (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 2
Ginger juice tea (page 228)

Formulation 3 (immune support)
Lomatium, licorice, red root, and
Echinacea angustifolia
(equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 4
Juniper essential oil inhalation as aromatherapy: 3x daily

This species is another opportunistic pathogen that takes advantage of hospital settings. It can live, even thrive, on most surfaces and is common on most medical equipment, including catheters, on which it often enters the human body. It can grow in diesel and jet fuel and survive temperatures up to 108°F, so fevers don't affect it much. It can live in oxygen, partial oxygen, or no oxygen. It can even live in distilled water in which virtually no nutrients exist. It's tough and very, very resistant to antibiotics.

Pseudomonas
can infect nearly any part of the body; all it needs is an opening (which hospitals often give it). It causes pneumonia, septic shock, urinary tract infections, otitis media, gastrointestinal infections, and skin and soft tissue infections. The most common infections are from burns, surgical wounds, urinary tract infections, and otitis media. Low phosphate levels in the human body are highly stimulatory of its growth.

The primary herbs useful for treating
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
are isatis, alchornea, bidens, cryptolepis, sida, black pepper,
Artemisia annua
, the berberines, juniper, ginger,
Acacia aroma
, honey, lomatium, ashwagandha, echinacea, and reishi.

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Cryptolepis and alchornea (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp–1 tbl, up to 6x daily

Formulation 2
Ginger juice tea (page 228)

Formulation 3 (immune support)
Ginger, isatis, red root, and
Echinacea angustifolia
(equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 4
Juniper essential oil inhalation as aromatherapy: 3x daily

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Cryptolepis and alchornea (equal parts) tincture: 1 tbl, 6x daily

Formulation 2 (immune support)
Ginger, isatis, and red root (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 3
Echinacea angustifolia
tincture: ½ tsp–1 tbl, every half hour to hour

Note:
To reduce septic shock from endotoxin release, isatis tincture can be used in much larger doses: 1 tbl, up to 6x daily.

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Cryptolepis and a berberine plant (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp–1 tbl, 3–6x daily depending on severity

Formulation 2
Ginger, red root, and
Echinacea angustifolia
(equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Juniper berry and bidens (1 part juniper, 2 parts bidens) tincture: 30 drops, 3x daily

Formulation 2
Berberine plant tincture: 1 tsp, 3x daily

Formulation 3
Ginger, licorice, and red root (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 3x daily

Formulation 1 (antibacterial)
Piperine: 20 mg, 2x daily, with the first dose in the morning 30 minutes before taking the other formulations, and the second dose at 4
P.M
.

Formulation 2
Cryptolepis and alchornea (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 3 (immune support)
Ginger, licorice, and red root (equal parts) tincture: 1 tsp, 6x daily

Formulation 4
Daily topical honey dressings (see monograph,
page 188
)