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. : st john's
wort : .
Echinacea
Echinacea angustifolia, E. purpurea, and a few other
species
Echinacea stimulates the proliferation of the white
blood cells that roam through the body looking for
invaders to destroy. It also helps to clear up
stagnation on the lymphatic system (think swollen
glands), sore throats, and is one of the best herbs to
use for septic infections and eruptive diseases.
Echinacea is probably also the first herb to think about
for treating poisonous bites, stings or infected
scratches. It is commonly used to help stave off the
common cold, and can be quite effective for this is
taken at the very first sign of infection. Its efficacy
in this regard decreases the longer one waits to use it.
It is worth remembering that Echinacea does not have a
marked effect of the lungs or sinuses, and generally
doesn't, by itself, help with runny noses, sneezing,
coughing, or congestion.
While it is commonly stated that Echinacea, taken daily,
will "overstimulate" or "wear out" your immune system,
and you need to take breaks (three days on, two days
off, a week on, a week off), there is no truth to this
whatsoever. If Echinacea hasn't worked after a week’s
time, it's probably not the right herb to be using. It
is also not an herb for long term use to strengthen the
immune system, but suited to defending against acute
infection.
Best
forms to use...
Buy only organically grown Echinacea angustifolia.
Echinacea purpurea is usually cultivated, and easily
grown, though the plant should be at least three years
old before harvesting the root. Other parts of the plant
are also effective; from most to least: roots, flower
pith, seeds, leaves. All parts of echinacea are
sensitive to degradation, and should always be stored in
glass, away from light and heat, and ideal replaced
every year or so.
Infusion: Add about an ounce of recently dried
Echinacea to a quart mason jar, fill with boiling water,
and let steep covered for several hours. Strain and
drink this throughout the day. Weaker teas will also
work, though not nearly so well.
Tincture (liquid extract): Take 30 drops as soon
as any inkling of infection is suspected. Initially, you
can take it every half hour to hour, tapering down over
the course of a day or two to every couple of hours.
Taking it 2-3 times a day is very inefficient in many
acute situations.
Capsules: Dried, powdered Echinacea loses its
efficacy very quickly. Much of what is found in capsules
is near inert, beacuse its old old old and probably
shake anyway.
Topical: The tincture or strong tea can be used
along with Plantain (Plantago major, P. lanceolata)
leaves for infected or venomous bites or scratches.
Gangrenous limbs were also bathed in Echinacea infusions
with good results, though I would suggest a hospital for
such situations.
Indications for its use...
` Treating the common cold; Echinacea needs to be used
liberally and as soon as possible. Delay in using it
results in proportionally decreased efficacy.
` When colds manifest a sore throat or swollen glands.
Though some deem it uncomfortable to do so, squirting
the undiluted tincture right onto the back of the throat
will hasten its effects and also have a contact
antimicrobial effect and many viruses and bacteria.
` Septic fevers/eruptive diseases... mumps, chickenpox,
smallpox, measles, mono, cat scratch fever...
` Mastitis... use large frequent doses,
Ditto infections from retained tissue after birth or
miscarriage.
` Venomous bites/stings (taken liberally internally and
applied in some form externally)
` Chronic or deep cystic acne, tendency for boils or
carbuncles, or other septic skin eruptions. If these
conditions are present, long term use of Echinacea as
part of a formula is very appropriate.
Contraindications and considerations...
While will not weaken an immune system if taken long
term, it doesn't work to strengthen it either. To
strengthen a weak/depleted immune system, herbs such as
Astragalus and various medicinal mushrooms are more
appropriate.
Echinacea can, though does not always, aggravate
autoimmune conditions, and so should be tried with care
if this is an issue.
There is also a rare but possible chance of reaction in
those allergic to composite family plants.
Goldenseal
Hydrastic canadensis
Goldenseal is a mucous membrane restorative tonic and a
topical antimicrobial. Though it does kill
bacteria very effectively, it is very poorly absorbed
into the blood stream and does not act as an
"herbal antibiotic" as it is said to. It is also a
bitter tonic and can be used to stimulate sluggish
metabolism/liver function.
Best
forms to use...
Buy only organically grown goldenseal. The plant is
threatened in the wild do to commercial overharvest. The
root is used, but the leaves can also be substituted if
they are recently dried. You'll have to use more and
they lose their efficacy much more quickly than the
root.
Tincture (liquid extract): 5-15 drops, up to
three times a day or more frequently if specifically
indicated.
Tea: Effective, but tasting so bad as to be near
undrinkable.
Capsules: Not ideal, but useful for bacterial GI
infections. Probably best mixed with other herbs than
used on its own.
Topical: Use a tea as a compress for infected
ulcerations, or cuts. You can also apply the powdered
herb to shallow, clean wounds to speed healing. To
damp wounds with marshmallow or slippery elm powder.
Likewise, it can be used in salves.
Nasal Rinse: for sinus infections, you can make a
weak tea of goldenseal, strain through a coffee filter,
and add 1/4 heaping teaspoon of salt per cup of tea and
use this in a nasal spray bottle or neti pot. You can
also add 10-20 drops of the tincture to a saline
solution (same proportions as the previously mentioned,
but using water instead of tea).
Indications for its use...
` Sub acute or chronic inflammation of mucous membranes
(not for acute inflammation... think about it as being
good on day 2 or 3 of a cold or sinus infection, not on
day 1)
` Congestion of mucous membranes with "heat signs":
mucous thick, stuck and yellow/green, not thin and
drippy (Goldenrod/Solidago might be good here), not
cloudy white (Yerba Mansa/Anemopsis californica is
excellent for this)
` Mucous membranes lacking tone (chronic oversecretion
of nonproductive mucous)
` Ulceration in mucous membranes, especially H. pylori
colonization, as in gastric ulcers.
` Bacterial and/or fungal infection of mucous membranes,
especially in sinuses (specific for chronic sinusitis,
which is almost always a concurrent bacterial and fungal
infection). To be used as a nasal spray or rinse.
These conditions being present, Goldenseal will not only
act as a tonic to the weakened, congested tissues, but
restoratively in favor of their proper, healthy
function. If these conditions are not present in the
mucous membranes, I don't see any reason to use it for
other organs/systems/uses. As a topical, on the skin or
the nasal mucous membranes, I think there's more leeway.
For reasons I understand little, applying Goldenseal
tincture topically over an injured spinal disc seems to
help strengthen it. Very small doses of the tincture
taken internally appear to work as well.
Contraindications and considerations...
If Goldenseal is used as soon as a person feels a cold
coming on, it will suppress the healthy production of
mucous. This effectively suppresses the immune system,
since healthy mucous is a very important part of the
bodies immune response. For example, taking Goldenseal
at the first sign or a runny nose may make the runny
nose go away, but it stops the body's vital response to
an infection, and can result in a chronic, low grade
infection instead of a more vigorous acute infection.
So, although it seems like the Goldenseal stopped the
cold in its tracks, it actually stopped the immune
response, and may potentially allow the infection to get
a more tenacious foothold in the mucous membranes.
This is why it makes no sense at all to use Echinacea
and Goldenseal together - Echinacea needs to be taken at
the first sign of infection, while Goldenseal should not
be.
Large doses of Goldenseal (frequent or long term 30 drop
doses of tincture or liberal use of goldenseal capsules)
can overtonify tissues, drying them out and inhibiting
proper function.
Elder
Sambucus nigra, S. canadense
Both the flowers and berries are used, to help with
colds, flus and fevers, though they do so differently.
The berries are rich in antioxidant bioflavinoids, and
are antiviral. The flowers aid the body's natural
defenses and responses to infection by improving
peripheral circulation and lessening resistance (often
manifested as chills or tension) in the periphery of the
body.
Best
forms to use...
Flowers...
Tea: a simple tea of a tablespoonish of dried
elderflowers to a mug of water, drunk while hot.
Berries...
Au Natural: eat the dried berries as is.
Fresh berries may cuase GI upset, and in some, large
quantities of dried berries may do the same.
Tea: a tea of a tablespoonish of dried
elderberries to a mug of water
Tincture: a tincture of the berries can be
helpful. Take 10-30 drops 3-5x daily during a cold or
flu
Syrup: A syrup of the berries is divine and very
effective. Take a tablespoonish every hour or so during
a cold/flu/fever. This is my preferred method of using
Elderberry.
Indications for its use...
Flowers...
` for pretty much any cold/flu/fever with runny nose,
congestion, and a sense of tension, constriction and/or
chills in the periphery of the body. Suitable (ideal,
really) for small children and frail elders alike. Be
sure to drink the tea hot.
Berries...
` Specific to viral infections and influenza. Elderberry
inhibits the ability of a virus to break into out cells
and make copies or itself. Though viruses mutate year
after year, the mechanism that they use to break into
our cells often remains the same, and so Elderberry does
not lose its efficacy due to viral mutation.
` Stimulates white blood cell production, similar to
Echinacea
` Rich in bioflavinoids & provides excellent antioxidant
activity, helping to reduce tissue inflammation
Contraindications and considerations...
Infants can be given Elderflower and Elderberry, but
avoid honey based Elderberry Syrup in children under 1
year.
The leaves, bark and roots or Elderberry are
purgative/cathartic, and can cause rather dramatic
evacuation from one end of the body or the other. Avoid
them.
St.
John’s Wort
Hypericum perforatum
While St. John’s Wort is widely marketed as an herbal
antidepressant, this is really an incorrect means of
understanding its action on mood. Most antidepressants
work by inhibiting body processes such as monoamine
oxidase (MAOIs) or the re-uptake of serotonin (SSRIs).
Though several modes of action of St. John’s Wort have
been investigated, no one really understands how it
works. What it will not do, though, is end depression
without the inclusion of appropriate changes in
lifestyle. St. John’s Wort isn’t like a drug, which
forces the body to do or not do something; rather, it
acts to uplift the spirit and mood, giving a person an
impetus to get to implementing the changes in their life
they need to make to get back on track. We can therefore
see it as an herb that is indicated when life throws a
person a curve ball, which leaves them off balance and
seemingly unable to get back to themselves. While it may
be helpful in more severe cases of depression, you can’t
just take it and feel better.
St. John’s Wort is rarely lauded enough for its highly
impressive action of nervous system tissues and
injuries. When injuries to the nerves are involved, it
is often among the most beneficial and broadly acting
herbs available. It is appropriate for conditions
ranging from sciatica to atrophy of nervous tissue, and
also often relieves the pain of sore muscles.
St. John’s Wort is antimicrobial, and effective
topically against some strains of bacteria, including
staph. It has been used to address burns.
Best
forms to use...
St. John’s Wort is most effective for internal use when
taken as a tincture of the fresh flowers and uppermost
leaves of the plant, or as tea if the herb was recently
dried, then stored immediately in glass away from light
and heat. Most commercial products contain absolutely
dreadful quality St. John’s Wort. Though it is often
claimed that “standardization ensures quality”, I feel
that standardized St. John’s Wort is far less
effective than simple fresh plant tinctures, and also
that they markedly increase the risk of herb-drug
interactions. The notion that there is one “active
ingredient” (usually Hypericin) that should be
standardized is a flawed assumption.
Infusion: Very recently dried St. John’s
Wort can be drunk as a tea by covering the herb with
water just off the boil. The ratio of herb to water is
highly individualized among people who use it. Some use
a tablespoon or two in a mug of water, other use an
ounce of the dried herb per quart of boiling water, as
described under Echinacea.
Tincture (liquid extract): Take between 5
and 15 drops 3-5x daily. It is best to start at the
smaller doe and frequency, then increase as need
indicates.
Capsules: I would never use or recommend
St. John’s Wort capsules.
Topical: Fresh St. John’s Wort infused in
oil is appropriate for sore muscles, nerve pain and/or
joint injuries; it makes an excellent massage oil or
balm for overexerted muscles. It can also be used for
damp, septic infections (cat scratches/infected
piercings) and burns. St. John’s Wort is specific for
addressing sunburn, and can even be used as sunscreen.
It has been used for radiation burns related to cancer
treatment.
Indications for its use...
` Situational depression. A person lost a job, a
relationship failed, or some other life situation has
thrown them into a funk they just can’t seem to shake.
` Nerve pain, characterized by
numbness/tingling/shooting and/or searing pain.
Sciatica.
` Inflammation of nerve tissue.
` Sore/tender/injured/overexerted muscles/joints.
` Some skin infections, such as cat scratched, infected
piercings.
` Burns, including sunburn and radiation burns.
` "St. John's Wort is very specific for
viral infections of the nerves such as herpes. It can
both prevent herpes outbreaks, stop herpes outbreaks
(when taken aggressively at the beginning) and shorten
the duration of a herpes outbreak." ~ sayeth Rosalee de
la Forêt
Contraindications and considerations...
St. John’s Wort has been shown to interact with certain
medications; specifically those metabolized by the
cytochrome P450 pathway in the liver. The nature of the
interaction is that St. John’s Wort hastens the
detoxification of drugs processed via this pathway, and
clears them more rapidly from the body. If, for example,
a person is using immunosuppressive drugs because of an
organ transplant or the “drug cocktails” used to treat
HIV/AIDS, clearance of these medicines before the next
dose is taken can be very dangerous.
While most of the research done on this interaction has
used standardized products and there is room for debate
over whether small doses of tincture are likely to pose
hazards, it is best to be very cautious, and to avoid
the potential for interactions when the drugs the person
is using are vital to their health/life. That said, some
people say that St. John’s Wort should not be used with
any medications, and this is just incorrect. Specific
information on this topic can be researched by visiting
my
article index and scrolling all the way down
to the “cautions/contraindications/drug interactions”
heading.
Also, many people want to use St. John’s Wort to replace
prescription antidepressants. While this may be an
effective strategy or worthwhile consideration, it must
be noted that it can be very dangerous to abruptly
discontinue prescription antidepressants. SSRIs in
particular have serious withdrawal symptoms that can
cause severe depression and potentially suicidal
inclinations. The discontinuation of any prescription
medication merits the oversight of a qualified medical
practitioner. Because of the drug clearance issues
mentioned above, St. John’s Wort should only be used
with prescription antidepressants if this potential is
looked into.
Though it is claimed that increased sensitivity to
sunlight is a side effect to beware of, this assertion
is founded in its effects on cattle who graze upon the
plant in large quantities. Problems actually affecting
people are rare, and have been difficult to objectively
quantify.
Again, I would avoid all standardized products.
© jim
mcdonald
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