Herbal Treatment of Infections

Basic strategies for treating a variety of infections include:

• Persistence is critical –

  • In acute phase get right on an infection before it becomes serious, chronic

  • Chronic infections require regular, long term treatment

  • Dose, frequency of remedies

• Chronic, low grade infections can compromise tissue integrity or lead to other, often more serious problems such as auto-immune disease, cancer.

• Always consider the physical health of the tissue that’s affected.

• Consider risk factors in habits, stress, access to care and resources, lifestyle, diet.

• Treat the infection both systemically (orally or internally) and locally (topically)

  • Wash, bath, poultice, steam, salve, etc.

• Use herbs most active against the infection present, and rotate different effective anti-microbial herbs to prevent resistance.

Formula should address all factors involved with infection:

Terrain

• Injury

• Immunity

• Inflammation

• Deficiency

Immune remedies

            Qi tonics – astragalus, reishi, shiitake, maitake

            System tonics – burdock, turmeric, yarrow, nettle, hyssop, raspberry leaf, dandelion

            Immune stimulants – garlic, thyme, Echinacea, thuja, calendula

Vulneraries

            Mucus membrane tonics – chamomile, witch hazel, elderflower, goldenrod

            Wound healing – plantain, calendula, comfrey, self heal

Anti-inflammatories

            Systemic – ginger, turmeric, meadowsweet, licorice, willow

            Demulcent – comfrey, marshmallow, slippery elm

Anti-microbial herbs

            Anti-bacterial – garlic, Echinacea, barberry, uva-ursi, rosemary, yarrow, propolis

            Anti-fungal – garlic, cardamom, barberry, tea tree, thuja, thyme

            Anti-parasitic – sweet annie, wormwood, elecampane, tansy

            Anti-viral – sage, thyme, boneset, lemon balm, licorice, thuja

Examples:

Respiratory infection –

• Oral remedies Echinacea, thyme (immune stimulant), elecampane, garlic (anti-microbial), mullein leaf, hyssop (lung tonic)

• Local remedies in steam peppermint, thyme, pine (antimicrobial essential oils or strong teas)

• Carotenoid rich foods carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes

Gastro-intestinal infection (bacterial) –

• Use herbs in tea or tincture – turmeric, chamomile, licorice, meadowsweet (anti-inflammatory), dandelion root (system tonic), garlic, barberry root  (anti-microbial)

• Local anti-inflammatory, bulk psyllium, marshmallow root, slippery elm bark

• Twice daily use of cultured foods and/or probiotic supplement

• Assess diet and eating habits, stress

Vaginal infection (yeast) –

• Oral herbs in tea or tincture Echinacea, garlic (immune stimulant)

• Local remedies in douche calendula (anti-inflammatory), barberry (anti-fungal)

• Twice daily use of cultured foods and/or probiotic supplement

• Use bitter tonics to improve digestion and assimilation in gut

Urinary infection (bacterial) –

• Use herbs orally in room temperature or cool tea form marshmallow (demulcent), corn silk, nettles (system/tissue tonic), uva ursi, yarrow (anti-microbial)

• Blueberry or cranberry juice (unsweetened ideally) help prevent adherence of bacteria to bladder wall

• Be careful of perineal hygiene

• Minimize sugar in diet

Athlete’s foot (fungal) –

• Oral herbs Echinacea, garlic (stimulate immunity, anti-microbial), ginger, ginkgo (circulatory stimulants)

• Topical remedies – tea tree, thuja oils or barberry powder (anti-fungal)

• Consider foot cleanliness, change socks often, expose feet to fresh air, keep dry as possible