Herbal compounds may beat antibiotics in treating Lyme disease
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi).
The disease spreads to humans through the bite of a tick that carries the bacterium, and it affects an estimated 300,000 people each year in the U.S. alone.
Currently, healthcare professionals choose between three antibiotics in the treatment of Lyme disease. These are doxycycline, cefuroxime, and amoxicillin.Magazines for Health, Mind & Body
Sometimes, however, antibiotics are not effective in eradicating all traces of B. burgdorferi from the system, which means that the disease can persist.
When this happens, bacterial cells that have developed antibiotic resistance can continue to proliferate. These are known as persister cells.
Because of this, researchers have been looking into alternative modes of fighting the bacterium, and their first line of inquiry has focused on natural remedies. and then Quinine and knotweed show promise
The active ingredient in Ghanaian quinine is an alkaloid called cryptolepine, which people have traditionally used against malaria, hepatitis, septicemia, and tuberculosis.
Japanese knotweed features an antioxidant called resveratrol. Some studies have suggested that resveratrol may have anticancer properties, and may protect heart and brain health.
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