Antibiotic herbs by Innanna

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

The information I present is from "Herbal Antibiotics" by Stephen Harrod Buhner.

15 Top Antibiotic Herbs

This is not a complete list of herbs with antibiotic properties but the ones listed have been used for a long time in folk medicine, good results from lab. studies and in human trials.

Acacia

Aloe

Cryptolepsis

Echinacea

Eucalyptus

Garlic (I call garlic, honey and chamomile Mother Natures' magical many use herbs)

Ginger

Goldenseal (Please do not harvest from the wild, the plant is endangered due to over harvesting)

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Honey

Juniper

Licorice (Not the candy)

Sage

Usnea

Wormwood

Acacia Acacia spp.

Family: Mimosaceae (Leguminosae)

Part Used: All parts of the herb are used: flowers, resin, bark, leaf, pods, stems, fruit, spines, root and root bark.

Collection: The various parts of the plant can be harvested at any suitable time of the year; when the pods are green, the flowers in bloom. The roots should be chopped into small sections before drying. The gum (resin), may be gathered by breaking off several of the lower limbs and returning in a few days . Traditionally, a line is cut into the lower part of the bark with a sharp hatchet and the resin collected after formation. The collected parts will last a long time if well dried, double plastic bagged and stored in a dark place off the floor.

Actions: Antimalarial, astringent, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anticatarrhal, hemostatic, anthelmintic, antifungal, mucilaginous (roots and resin), anti-inflammatory, sedative (flowers and leaves).

Active Against: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., malaria, Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli (E-coli), Proteus mirabilis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Preparations and Dosage

Acacia is generally used as tea, wash, or powder

Tea: For a strong tea, use 1 oz (28g) of plant material in 16 oz (475 ml) water. Boil for 15-30 mins. let stand overnight and strain.

Use leaves, stems, pods, all powdered. Drink 3-12 cups/day for shigella, malaria, dysentery, diarrhea. The tea is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory.

Use flowers and leaves as tea for gastrointestinal tract inflammation. Flower tea is a sedative.

Use roots to make a mucilaginous tea that is antibacterial and anti inflammatory. Good for soothing gastrointestinal tract infections (including mouth and throat) as it coats the inflamed area, it reduces inflammation and attacks any microbial infection.

Wash: Use tea of leaves, stems and pods to wash recent or infected wounds.

Use pods to make wash to treat eyes for conjunctivitis. Add 5 or 6 cleaned pods, slightly crushed, to 1 pint (475 ml) water, boil, remove from heat, let steep until it reaches body temperature.

Powder: Leaves, stem, pods, bark, thorns powdered may be used against fungal infections and infected wounds and to stop bleeding from wounds and prevent subsequent infection.

Gum preparation: Combine 1 part by weight of acacia gum with 3 parts by volume of distilled water. Place in well sealed bottle, shake now and again, let dissolve, keep cool. It will become a slimy goo.

Dosage: 1-2 Tbs (15-30 ml) as often as needed for sore mouth (ulcerations), inflamed GI tract. Very useful during acute throat infections, ulceration of the mouth, painful GI tract from dysentery. The mucilage will coat and soothe as well as provide antimicrobial action.

Side Effects/Contraindications: None

Alternatives to acacia: Mesquite (Prosopis julifera, P. pubescens). Used the same way.

Granted, in the US acacia would not be readily available and thankfully, we don't have to worry too much about malaria.