A new collaborative herbal study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the California Center for Functional Medicine and FOCUS Health Group, Naturopathic reveals promising results in the battle against Lyme disease.

This study tested the efficacy of 7 herbal medicines against the Lyme disease causing bacteria, B. burgdorferi vs the efficacy of 2 traditional antibiotic treatments, doxycycline and cefuroxime. They found that 2 of the 7 herbal medicines performed better than the traditional antibiotic treatments—a discovery that, while requiring more research and development, holds therapeutic promise for thousands suffering from Lyme disease.

The 7 herbs studies were:

• Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (also known as Ghanan quinine): This is a traditional African herbal medication that is useful in treating malaria.
• Juglans nigra (black walnut): Used to treat parasitic infections.
• Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed): Used in traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory among other uses.
• Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood): Also used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat malaria, for inflammation, headaches, and more.
• Uncaria tomentosa (Cat’s Claw): This has enjoyed recent success as a dietary supplement taken to aid in the treatment of a variety of health conditions including viral infections, Alzheimers, cancer, arthritis, and more.
• Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese skullcap): Used for respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, liver problems, and more.
• Cistus incanus (hairy rockrose): An ancient herbal medicine used to treat everything from colds to menstrual symptoms.

The 2 herbal medicines that proved to be the most successful against B. burgdorferi were Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (also known as Ghanan quinine). Both of these “showed strong activity against both growing B. burgdorferi (MIC = 0.03–0.06% and 0.25–0.5%, respectively) and non-growing stationary-phase B. burgdorferi.” (FrontiersIn, Evaluation of Natural and Botanical Medicines for Activity). 

The real standout was Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (also known as Ghanan quinine), which, when used against B. burgdorferi, caused complete eradication while the antibiotic treatments did not.

Linda Giampa, executive director, Bay Area Lyme Foundation was quoted as saying, “Our hope is that findings from this study could point to new therapeutic options for doctors and their patients, and pave the way for clinical research to help patients with persistent Lyme disease.” (LymeDisease.org, Seven Herbal Medicines Can Kill Lyme Disease In Test Tubes)

It is exciting that more resources, money, and time is being devoted to researching herbal remedies and functional healing alternatives for Lyme disease and tick borne diseases. Too long has the emphasis been on the same antibiotic treatments that have, unfortunately, failed so many patients suffering from Lyme disease. These new findings offer the hope of new therapeutic remedies, and this success will hopefully inspire more research and attention to be shone upon the very serious problem of Lyme disease.