LD-Support, The Treatment of Lyme

“If the (LD) infection has become chronic, my preference would be treatment with modern Chinese medicine”-- Dr Andrew Weil

1. Antibiotics, 1 month

2. LD Support, (2 to 4 capsules, 3 times daily) 6 months

3. Multi-Probiotics, (one capsule, three times daily) 1 month

 

 

1. Antibiotics

Use of antibiotics, for a minimum of 4 weeks, is suggested. Work with your Veterinarian to determine the antibiotics that are right for you. Antibiotics have to be the primary treatment for LD especially when you consider the high stakes involved in a possible progression into chronic LD. It’s best to work with your Lyme–literate M.D. to consider your best approach. Antibiotics are recommended, even knowing that long-term antibiotic use can create some problems by depleting good bacteria and damage the ecology of the stomach and intestines, thereby impacting immunity and absorption of vitamins in the gut. Supplementation with Multi-Probiotics is highly recommended to help correct this whilst taking antibiotics and after.

 

2. LD-Support: Herbal Formula

This formula incorporates herbs known to either directly kill Bb and/or aid our bodies in eliminating the organism, or improving the function of systems of our bodies. I suggest a formula of three ‘anti-lyme-spirochette’ herbs at strong concentrations.

Andrographis paniculata

(Standardized 10% andrographolides)

Japanese Knotwood, Polygonum cuspidatum,

(5:1 concentrate)

Cats Claw, Uncaria tomentosa

1

 

Andrographis, Andrographis Paniculata. Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Auyurvedic Medicine for over two thousand years, Andrographis is one of my favorite herbs, from the extensive infectious disease category of TCM. This category of herbs is called qing jie du zao shi – meaning “heat clearing, toxin-relieving, and damp resolving.” Andrographis is a powerful anti-toxin, “heat-and-damp clearing,” and alleviates pain and swelling. It is used for “fire-toxin” rashes, with thousands of years of experience treating infectious disease of all kinds. Many modern studies have demonstrated its use as a remarkable anti-bacterial, anti-spirochetal and anti-viral herb. These studies have proven its use as an anti-parasite herb with a wide range of use against infection in the body, particularly against the following at the following sites:

 

1. Leptospira spirochetes, (infects a wide range of tissues) causing leptospirosis. Andrographis is a proven anti-spirochetal herb used against the Leptospira spirochete; leptospira spirochetes have surprising similarities to LD, and recently found by practitioners to be effective against LD. It is especially important because of its similarities with LD, andrographis was found to be 80% effective against leptospirosis spirochetes.

 

2. Malaria, (blood), great for co-infection of Babesia, similar to malaria parasite.

 

3. Leishmaniasis, (skin and internal organs) such as human roundworm.

 

4. Dipetlonema (connective tissue) as in canine parasitic worm.

 

Chronic inflammatory conditions with nerve pain also respond well to treatment with andrographis. I have used it effectively for many years in my practice against Hepatitis B and C. It also has had a lot of research against influenza virus; research in Sweden has shown relief of flu symptoms by 50%. Studies show great results in reducing HIV viral loads because it enhances AZT activity. Studies also show significant activity against a wide range of cancers. Research in Chile has shown effectiveness against Multiple Sclerosis.

 

What’s Andrographis’s application to LD?

 

1) It is anti-spirochetal;

 

2) It is protective and healing for neurological aspects of LD, and has shown significant protective effects on inflammation-mediated neuro-degeneration of the brain;

 

3) Anti-inflammatory: Andrographolide, the major active component from Andrographis, has shown to possess major anti-inflammatory activity. It is used for the central nervous system, reduces swelling and fights Bb in the collagen at joints (another favorite of Bb);

 

4) Counteracts periodic/intermittent parasitic diseases (Bb and babesia);

 

5) Immune enhancement: increases white cell (scavengers of bacteria and other foreign matter) phagocytes, inhibits HIV-1, hepatitis B and C, influenza virus replication, and improves CD4+ and T lymphocyte counts;

 

6) Cardio-protective: it protects heart muscles, dissolves clots, and decreases heart muscle damage after heart attacks, normalized EEG readings; (Bb like heart tissue)

 

7) Supports liver and detoxification of Bb’s neuro-toxins and alters the properties and flow of bile;

 

8) A mild relaxing herb;

 

9) Has a broad protective activity throughout the body protecting and killing Bb spirochetes where they may lodge. Studies show extracts have the ability to enhance DNA repair;

 

10) Due to its ability to treat rashes and other skin disorders, by aiding in the reduction of heat and elimination of toxins from the body, it can be very useful early on in an infection of Bb; specifically when one has a Lyme rash or bulls-eye.

 

Cats Claw, Uncaria tomentosa. Known to the Indians of the Amazon basin for millennia, Cats Claw, (Una de Gato in Spanish,) helps the larger white blood cells, known as natural killer cells (more specifically the CD-57 subset) that can gobble up & destroy the Lyme spirochetes. The problem is finding them, because the spirochetes don’t like hanging out in the blood (too dangerous for them) and prefer to hide out and find their way to certain nerve & tissue cells. Cats Claw is believed to boost our CD57 subset and (that has been proven to be low especially when fighting LD). Cats Claw helps boost our specific immune response, to-get-out-there and fight the stealth bacterium Bb. A study showing Cat Claw, Uncaria tomentosa, to be remarkably effective in treating chronic LD (Cowen et al.) found 100% of patients experienced marked clinical improvement; and 85% were sero-negative for LD at the end of study. Unfortunately, this study is not definitive and has some flaws (Buhner). Several other studies show Cats Claw’s immune stimulating qualities and major anti-inflammatory abilities; (22 of 100 studies and papers on Pub Med database).

 

The relevance of Cats Claw for LD:

 

Proven effective for modulating immune response, raising where necessary, and calming over-active reactions. It is especially effective against arthritis inflammation, helps with memory problems, (prevalent in chronic LD,) relaxes the central nervous system, protects the heart and is a general tonic.

 

Japanese Knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum. This is an extremely invasive plant species that moves aggressively into new eco-regions. The new eco-regions have new emerging diseases and, as a species, it has had to develop the abilities to protect itself against all the new and rapidly evolving viral and bacterial pathogens, in these new environments. The ‘energetic’ and skills of this herb are; its ability to adapt quickly, to evolve “push-back” qualities against new evolving viruses, funguses and bacteria. LD is also an extremely aggressive bacterium, also a master at adapting into new environments, (i.e., rapid deer over-population, new contact with humans pushing into the woods, longer tick life-cycles adaptation to human antibiotic compounds, and global warming.)

 

TCM records show this herb has been used medicinally for centuries against different infections. Modern studies demonstrate its activity against a number of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. It is especially relevant to LD in its activity against Leptospira and Treponema denticola spirochetes. It also effective against viral infection and has proven to “clear toxins” from skin infections, snake bites and rashes. Again, this is another herbal star from the TCM category of qing jie du zao shi – “heat clearing, toxin-relieving, and damp resolving”.

 

The frenzy of modern study on Japanese Knotweed however was instigated by research into the “French paradox.” The French eat more cheese and fats in their diet, yet, paradoxically have less heart disease than the US. A compound identified in red wine, resveratrol, was believed to be partly responsible for this paradox. Japanese Knotweed has a high resveratrol content. This neat compound moves easily across the gastrointestinal mucosa and circulates free in the bloodstream, as well as crossing the blood brain barrier, with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and neuro-protective qualities (especially important for LD). And, there are more amazing compounds identified in this herb, Emodin, polydatin and trans-resveratrol have been found to be wonder drugs in their own right. This herb, as a whole, is more synergistically effective than these isolated active compounds. (Buhner)

 

In TCM, building herbal formulas follows a pattern that involves putting the herbs in appropriate roles: Emperor, Minister, Assistant, and Messenger. Thousands of years of practice have shown that formulas are more effective by placing herbs in these four roles. The Emperor, the main herb, in this case, Andrographis, is supported by the Minister, Cats Claw, and the Assistant, Japanese Knotweed, and also Messenger, Japanese Knotweed.

 

The “Messenger” delivers the compounds of the formula to the areas of the body for which it has an affinity. For example, in the LD Support Formula, the Messenger herb is Japanese Knotweed, that not only has an affinity to cross the blood-brain barrier to help with LD’s neuro-psychiatic and neurological symptoms, but also helps to deliver detoxifying help to the liver, protecting against the neuro-toxins given off by Bb’s chronic on-going activities and growth; and, also because of Knotweed’s micro-circulation abilities to other LD targeted tissues.

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Japanese Knotweed’s relevance to LD (Buhner):

Stimulates microcirculation, esp. to the eyes, knees, heart and skin which helps deliver active constituents to these locations;

Reduces inflammation;

Protects and correcting the heart function;

Provides wide-spectrum antibiotic/antiviral action;

Reduces auto-immune responses to LD;

Immune enhancement;

Protects endothelial integrity form LD’s spirochetes and co-infections;

Reduces reactive oxygen species production in the CNS and brain.

 

Caution. Do not take this formula your annimal is pregnant or nursing, or if they are on any blood thinning medications. Andrographis has been shown to suppress male and female fertility somewhat.

 

The herbs of this formula are covered in detail in Stephen Buhner’s book, Healing Lyme. The Cat’s Claw is not TOA*-free and shouldn’t be. The research on the TOA-free Cat’s Claw appears flawed, as a marketing twist for a company promoting TAO-free. (*Tetracyclic Oxindole Alkaloids)