Chinese Herbal Treatment for Babesiosis - Dr. Zhang

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Qingcai Zhang, Lic. Ac.,(M.D. China)

Chinese Herbal Treatment for Babesiosis

Babesiosis is a cosmopolitan domestic and wild animal infection caused by

protozoa, Babesia. It can also infect human being. Human Babesiosis is

commonly as a co-infection of Borrelia (Lyme spirochete.) Babesia is

transmitted by ticks, and multiply in red blood cells. It can cause febrile

hemolytic anemia and hemoglobinuria. Its pathology closely resembled

falciparum malaria. Clinically, the patients experienced a prolonged

illness characterized by the insidious onset of fever, chills, sweating,

myalgia, and mild to moderate hemolytic anemia. These symptoms mixed with

the symptoms of Lyme Disease. Co-infection of tick-borne pathogens are so

common, that these pathogens changed their individual clinical symptom

patterns, decreased the reliability of diagnostic test and created chronic,

persistent infections. As Dr. ph J. Burrascano Jr., suggested, when

this protozoa is discovered to be a co-infection of LD, treat this first, so

that subsequent therapy for LD will be more effective. My clinical

experience also confirmed his opinion. Herbal treatment for Babesiosis is a

simple therapy and takes much shorter therapeutic course and better efficacy

than LD.

Conventional treatments for this parasite are similar to that of malaria.

Chloroquine and Quinine have been used for symptomatic improvement. It is

not sure whether they can eradicate the pathogen. Recently, Clindamycin and

Quinine combination was used but found the combination was difficult to

tolerate because severe side effects (hearing loss, rash, fever, and

headache). Mepron (atavoquone) and azithromycin combination has also been

used for treating this infection and was considered the most effective

therapy. It needs a four months or longer treatment course. This is an

expensive treatment; four months medication with Mepron alone will cost more

than $2,400. The side effects are quite severe, including diarrhea, mild

nausea, and sometimes, yellowish discoloration of the vision. And during

the treatment, liver function and blood counts have to be monitored

regularly. Whether this expensive treatment can really eradicate the

pathogen is not sure. In order to treat this infection effectively and

safely, to find an alternative treatment is really in urgent need.

I have searched herbal remedies to match the anti-malaria effects and found

that Qinghaosu, the essence of Artemisia annua is an effective remedy for

this infection. Pharmacological studies found Qinghaosu, or arteannuin has

strong anti-malaria action. Arteannuin was lethal to the endoerythrocytic

plasmodium. Symptomaic control and negative plasmodium examination were

achieved rapidly by using arteauunin compared with chloroquine. Resistance

of plasmodia to arteannuin developed at a much slower rate than to

chloroquine. Arteannuin has good effects in infection of

chloroquine-resistant strains. The draw back was its high relapse rate.

The new improvement in this herbal remedy has reduced the relapse rate.

Especially when it was used together with Astragalus membranaceus and

Codonopsis pilosula.

Pharmacological studies found that paraaminobezoic acid or folic acid did

not antagonize its anti-malarial action. There was no synergistic action

between this agent and sulfamethozine. Therefore, its anti-malarial action

was probably unrelated to folic acid metabolism. It was shown that when

arteannuin was used with trimethoprim in rat malaria, its anti-malarial

action was enhanced and the relapse rate following discontinuation of the

agent was also decreased. In vitro culture indicated that arteannuin has a

direct lethal effect on the plasmodium. Under the electron microscope, it

was found that the site of its action was on the membranous structures of

the endoerythrocytic asexual plasmodium, primarily on the food vacuole

membrane, surface membrane, and mitochondrial membrane, and secondarily on

the nuclear membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. It also affected the

intra-nuclear chromosomes. The alteration of the food vacuole membrane

interrupted the nutrition intake of the plasmodium. Following the

deprivation of amino acids, auto-phagocytic vacuoles were found which were

continually excreted out of the body, resulting in the loss of large amounts

of cytoplasm, destruction of the internal structure, and death of the

parasites.

Pharmakinetic studies found that it can be rapid absorbed, widely

distributed, rapidly metabolized, and excreted. There was no accumulation

after a long term taking this substance. Its therapeutic index was 36.80 in

comparison chloroquine was 28.8, so it is safer than chloroquine. The herb,

Qinghao and its essence, arteannuin are low in toxicity.

Clinically, while used for treating malaria, a 100% cure rate was achieved

in 485 cases of tertian malaria and 105 cases of subtertian malaria. These

two groups were all treated with the tablet made from the dilute alcohol

extract of the herb at a total dose of 72 or 86.4 grams of crude herb in

divided doses spread over 3 days. In comparison with chloroquine, the

herbal preparations and arteannuin had fast-acting antipyretic and

anti-plamodial actions. It can also be used for treating systematic lupus

erythematosus.

Based on these studies, I developed the Artemisiae Capsule for treating

Babesiosis. From more than 30 patients I have treated, I found that after a

20 to 40 days of treatment course, most patients will have dramatic

improvement and most symptoms will be alleviated. Repeat test will show the

Babesiosis markers turn to negative in majority of them. At first one week

or so, there will be a Herxheimer's reaction, which can temporally make the

symptoms worse. Usually, this reaction will be over in one to two weeks.

There was no report of adverse reaction from these patients. There may be

rare allergic reaction to this herb.

It is a safe, effective, and affordable treatment for Babesiosis.

Herbal Remedies Used for Treating Lyme Disease and Babesiosis

1. Allicin Capsule

A. Original Herb:

Allii Sativum Bulbus (garlic)

B. Chemical Composition:

Highly purified and concentrated garlic essence: allitridi.

C. Pharmacology:

Pharmacological studies have found that allitridi has a very wide spectrum

of anti-infectious capabilities. It is effective against bacteria (including

spirochetes), myco-bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and certain viruses. It is

potent enough to treat many common infections, such as bacillary dysentery,

amebic dysentery, deep fungal infections, whooping cough, endobronchial

tuberculosis, oxyuriasis, trichomonas vaginitis, etc., and has been

clinically used in China for more than twenty years. For most of these

conditions, the cure rate is above 80 percent. Recent studies done by the

AIDS Research Alliance in Los Angeles found that it can be used to treat

cryptosporidiosis and I have been using this substance successfully to treat

many infectious diseases in my practice. It also has benefits for the

cardiovascular system and is a strong anti-oxidant.

Toxicity: Allicin is a very safe herbal remedy and has almost no toxicity

except the odor. The LD50 of allitridi is 134.9 times its therapeutic dose.

In animal studies, long-term usage of allitridi has not produced any

pathological changes.

D. Clinical Applications:

Lyme Disease, bacterial, fungi and protozoa infections.

(The Allicin Capsule is in time-release form and is enterically coated,

which helps to keep the blood level of the Allicin stable as well as

reducing its stimulation to the stomach.)

2. HH Tablet

A. Original Herb:

Houttuyniae Herba is the leaf of Houttuynia cordata Thunb, (Saururaceae).

B. Chemical Composition:

It is the active ingredient of the herb is volatile oil, which consists of

decanoyl acetaldehyde, methyl-n-nonylketone, myrcene, lauric aldehyde,

alpha-pinene, camphene, d-limonene, linalool, and caryophyllene. In our HH

tablet, the main ingredient is decanoyl acetaldehyde.

C. Pharmacology:

The chief antibacterial principle of H. cordata, decanoyl acetaldehyde (HH),

is a labile compound, which promptly polymerizes upon purification. Its

adduct with sodium hydrogen sulfite is stable with intact antibacterial

activity.

HH has strong anti-spirochete effects and has been effectively used for

prevent and treat leptospirosis an infectious disease caused by spirochete.

HH has a significant activity against many bacteria (including acid fast

bacilli) and fungi. In vitro bacteriostatic tests showed that it could

markedly inhibit gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The most

sensitive organisms were Staphylococcus aureus and its penicillin-resistant

strains, Diplococcus penumoniae, alph Streptococcus, and Hemophilus

influenzae. Neisseria catarrhalis, and Salmonella typhi ranked second;

Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Shigella dysenteriae showed

marginal sensitivity. Its MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) against

Staphylococcus aureus and the penicillin-resistant strins was determined to

be 62.5-80mcg/ml, Hemophilus influenzae 1.25mg/ml, and Mycobacterium

tuberculosis H37 RV strain in Prodkauer-Beck medium 16mcg/ml. HH markedly

proloned the survival of tuberculous mice.

HH also inhibits Candida, albicns, Cryptococcus neoformans, Sporotruichum,

Aspergillus, Chromomycosis fungus, Epidermophyton rubrum, Tinea imbricata,

Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum ferrugineum, and sharkskin fungus, MIC was

2mg/ml. HH has inhibitory action against Diplococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella

typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Sporotrichum in vitro. It

has also strong inhibitory action against Mycobacterium tuberculosis both in

vitro and in vivo with an MIC of 0.78-3.1 mcg/ml. Intraraperitoneal

injection of this agent to tuberculous mice at 1mg/mouse prolonged the

survival period of the animals by 62 days; the therapeutic effect was

enhanced when the agent was mixed with the animal feed.

Besides anti-infectious effects, HH has immune enhancing effects which

promotes phagocytic ability of peripheral leukocytes, increases the serum

properdin level, enhances lysozyme activity. Its strengthening the body

resistance is of great importance in the treatment of infectious diseases.

It also diuretic, anti-inflammatory effects are also important in treating

infectious diseases.

Pharmakinetic studies found that its half life is 3.5 hours in rat

gastrointestinal tract. It was quickly distributed and mostly in the lungs,

next in the heart, liver and kidney, and minimally in the serum. HH has very

low toxicity. The LD50 in mice was 1.6+-0.81 g/kg. Intravenous infusion of

38 or 47 mg/kg to dogs did not cause any abnormalities or histological

changes in the heart, lungs, liver, kidney, spleen, stomach and intestine.

Subacute toxicity tests showed that daily oral dosing of 80 or 160 mg/kg of

the agent to dogs for 30 days did not influence the appetite, blood picture

and liver function, but caused vomiting and salivation of different extents.

D. Clinical Applications:

1) Leptospirosis and Lyme Disease

2) Respiratory tract infections

3) Chronic cervicitis

4) Otorhinolaryngological infections

3. Circulation No. 1 Tablet.

A. Herbal Composition:

Carthami Flos, Persicae Semen, e Radix, Cnidii Rhizoma,

Rehmanniae Radix, Paeoniae Rubra Radix, Achyranthis Radix, Citri Aurantii

Fructus, Bupleuri Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Platycodi Radix.

B. Traditional Use:

It is a modified formula based on Persica & Achyranthes Combination

(Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang) and Persica & Cnidium Combination (Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang).

Traditionally, these two formulas were used for blood stagnancy, or stasis,

typically with symptoms such as, dark or purplish tongue, cold hands and

feet, dark rings around the eyes, liver palm, spider moles, dry and itchy

skin, rashes, lumps, and pain, upper abdominal discomfort, etc.

C. Pharmacology:

1. Improve microcirculation: This formula can noticeably ameliorates

acute micro-circulation disorder induced by macromolecular dextran in rats.

It dilates the micro-capillaries, accelerates the blood flow and opens more

micro-capillary networks. The result is to increase blood infusion to the

tissues and stop the pathology caused by the micro-circulation disorder. It

can promote the phagocytosis of the macrophages. It can clear the clotting

factors in DIC (diffused intravenous clotting) and stop the progress of DIC.

2. It will not prolong the P.T.T. and the Prothrombo time. It can

suppress the clustering of platelets. It can improve various blood

rehological (liquidity) parameters.

3. It can enhance the phagocytosis of macrophages. It can also regulate

the cellular and humeral immunity.

4. It can noticeably suppress granuloma (fibrosis activities) formation.

D. Clinical Use:

1. Used for inflammatory diseases to promoting the healing of the

inflamed tissue, such as for Lyme Disease, arthritis, and psoriasis.

2. Chronic hepatitis: While treating chronic hepatitis, it should be

used together with other liver protecting herbs. It can promote the

normalization of liver function, shrink an enlarged liver and spleen,

promote the absorption of the ascites and improve the overall blood

circulation.

3. Cirrhosis: The Tianjing Institute of Emergent Medicine in

Tianjing, China, used it to treat 18 cases of ascites caused by cirrhosis

and found its effectiveness to be 94%. It helps to improve the

microcirculation in the liver.

4. AI #3 Capsule.

A. Herbal Composition:

Mucunae Caulis, Sargentodoxae Caulis, and Paederiae Caulis

B. Clinical Pharmacology:

Mucunae Caulis: Its botanical name is Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. In TCM

it is considered to be bitter sweet and warm property. It is used for

promoting blood circulation, activating collateral flow, treating irregular

menstruation and lassitude in loin and legs.

Pharmacological studies found that it can noticeably suppress the arthritis

caused by formaldehyde in rat model. It has sedative and sleeping inducing

effects. Clinically, it has been used for amenorrhea and leukemia caused by

radiation.

Sargentodoxae Caulis: Its botanical name is Sargentodoxa cuncata (Oliv.)

Rehd et Wils. In TCM it is considered to be bitter and mild and to have

following actions: antiphlogistic (detoxification) and detumescemce

(subsidence of swelling), promoting blood circulation, activating collateral

flow. Clinically, it is used for treating acute and chronic appendicitis,

irregular menstruation, and rheumatism. Pharmacological studies found it

can suppress various bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus,

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc. In modern clinical applications, it has been

used to treat leprosy, rheumatic arthritis and appendicitis.

Paederiae Caulis: Its botanical name is Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr. In

TCM is considered to be sweet with a slightly bitter aftertaste, and a

" mild " property. It is antirheumatic, digestant, antitussive, mucolytic and

analgestic. It is used to treat rheumatic pains, injuries due to impact,

fractures, contusions and strains, eczema, and pyogenic infections or ulcers

of the skin.

Pharmacological studies found that it has analgesic and sedative actions.

It can elevate the pain threshold and inhibited the spontaneous activity in

mice experiments, and prolong the pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep. The

total alkaloids of this herb inhibited the contraction of the isolated

intestine and antagonized spasm due to acetylcholine and histamine. It has

expectorant, antibacterial, hypotensive, and local anesthetic actions. It

has a high LD50 and has virtually no toxicity. Clinically, it has been used

for many skin diseases, such as eczema, neurodermatitis, lepromatous

leprosy, and respiratory tract diseases, such as bronchitis, and whooping

cough. It has corticoid-cortisone like effects.

Together, these three herbs have anti-inflammatory,

anti-autoimmune effects.

C. Clinical Applications:

Autoimmune disorders, allergies, arthritis, etc.

5. Cordyceps Capsule

A. Original Herb and Traditional Use:

Cordyceps sinensis is also known as Dong chong xia cao in Chinese. It is the

stroma of Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. (Ascomycetes) together with the

host larva of Hepialus armoricanus Oberthur (Hepialidae). Originally, it was

found only in a small area of Qinghai province of China. Since it is very

rare and expensive, Chinese scientists have found a way to cultivate it and

make it more accessible through about 20 years of intensive studies. The

cultivated version of this product is made from the dried mycelia powder of

Cephalosporium sinensis Chen. sp. nov isolated from fresh Cordyceps Sinensis

(Berk) Sacc through submerged fermentation in a liquid medium. Now, it is

available in a homogenous, high quality and reliably effective form. Its

capsule version is easy to administer.

Traditionally, it is considered to have a sweet and acrid taste with a warm

property. The various actions ascribed to it are lung-nourishing, kidney-,

vital-essence- and vital-energy-tonifying, homeostatic, and phlegm-resolving

(or mucolytic). It is used in general debility after sickness, and also for

persons of old age.

B. Chemical Composition:

It contains 17 amino acids, 10 trace elements, D-mannitol and ergosterol,

etc.

C. Pharmacology:

The Beijing Institute of Material Medica of the Chinese Medical Academy made

extensive pharmacological studies and found that the cultivated version has

the same chemical components and the same physiological effects as the

natural products. Its superior therapeutic effects have been confirmed in

many controlled and well designed studies carried out by medical schools in

Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and other provinces of China. Its therapeutic

effects to enhance the immunity have been extensively studied in China. Its

toxicity is very low and in therapeutic doses, there is virtually no

toxicity. Besides its therapeutic effects on the immunity, it has the

following pharmacological actions: anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic,

raising levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), reducing blood

cholesterol, reducing the aggregation of platelets, increasing the blood

supply to the heart and brain, anti-neoplastic (anti-tumor), and enhancing

the phagocytosis of macrophages

D. Clinical Applications:

It has been used in the following clinical conditions:

1. In treating chronic viral hepatitis, the effective rate was

reportedly above 80% in a 256 case clinical study. It can lower ALT,

improve liver function, relieve symptoms, and increase albumin. It has also

been used for cirrhosis caused by viral hepatitis. In 22 cases, after three

months use, 17 had albumin increased, and among 17 patient with ascites, 12

cases' ascites disappeared, while five cases reduced their ascites. It can

reduce the enlarged spleen and reduce pressure in the portal vein. It can

also dramatically improve the patients' stamina.

2. Immune deficiency caused by viral infection, chemotherapy,

radiotherapy, or conditions after major sicknesses and operations.

3. Chronic respiratory track infections, asthma, bronchitis,

tuberculosis, etc. and preventing frequent flu and cold.

4. Impotence, premature ejaculation, low libido, low sperm

counts and activity, irregular menstruation, and leucorrhoea.

5. Constitutional asthenia (weakness) caused by cancer, AIDS,

TB, convalescence, and wasting syndrome.

6. High blood lipoproteins and hypertension.

7. To treat arrhythmia resulting from various causes, especially the

slow-type arrhythmia. It can accelerate atrioventricular conduction, enhance

or regulate sinus rhythm, inhibit ectopic rhythm and improve heart

functions.

6. Artemisiae Capsule

A. Original Herb:

Artemisiae Ching Hao Herba.

B. Chemical Composition:

C. Pharmacology:

Its active ingredient, Qinghaosu (the essence of Artemisia annua) is an

effective remedy for Babesiosis. Pharmacological studies found Qinghaosu,

or arteannuin has strong anti-malaria action. Arteannuin was lethal to the

endoerythrocytic plasmodium. Symptomaic control and negative plasmodium

examination were achieved rapidly by using arteauunin compared with

chloroquine. Resistance of plasmodia to arteannuin developed at a much

slower rate than to chloroquine. Arteannuin has good effects in infection

of chloroquine-resistant strains. The draw back was its high relapse rate.

The new improvement in this herbal remedy has reduced the relapse rate.

Especially when it was used together with Astragalus membranaceus and

Codonopsis pilosula. Pharmacological studies also found that

paraaminobezoic acid or folic acid did not antagonize its anti-malarial

action. There was no synergistic action between this agent and

sulfamethozine. Therefore, its anti-malarial action was probably unrelated

to folic acid metabolism. It was shown that when arteannuin was used with

trimethoprim in rat malaria, its anti-malarial action was enhanced and the

relapse rate following discontinuation of the agent was also decreased. In

vitro culture indicated that arteannuin has a direct lethal effect on the

plasmodium. Under the electron microscope, it was found that the site of

its action was on the membranous structures of the endoerythrocytic asexual

plasmodium, primarily on the food vacuole membrane, surface membrane, and

mitochondrial membrane, and secondarily on the nuclear membrane and

endoplasmic reticulum. It also affected the intra-nuclear chromosomes.

The alteration of the food vacuole membrane interrupted the nutrition intake

of the plasmodium. Following the deprivation of amino acids,

auto-phagocytic vacuoles were found which were continually excreted out of

the body, resulting in the loss of large amounts of cytoplasm, destruction

of the internal structure, and death of the parasites.

Pharmakinetic studies found that it can be rapid absorbed, widely

distributed, rapidly metabolized, and excreted. There was no accumulation

after a long term taking this substance. Its therapeutic index was 36.80 in

comparison chloroquine was 28.8, so it is safer than chloroquine. The herb,

Qinghao and its essence, arteannuin are low in toxicity.

D. Clinical Applications:

Clinically, while used for treating malaria, a 100% cure rate was achieved

in 485 cases of tertian malaria and 105 cases of subtertian malaria. These

two groups were all treated with the tablet made from the dilute alcohol

extract of the herb at a total dose of 72 or 86.4 grams of crude herb in

divided doses spread over 3 days. In comparison with chloroquine, the

herbal preparations and arteannuin had fast-acting antipyretic and

anti-plamodial actions. It can also be used for treating systematic lupus

erythematosus. It has been used for:

1) Malaria

2) Babesiosis

3) SLE (systematic lupus erythematosus)

Treatment generally do not use all of the mentioned herbs. Protocols for

each individual is usually composed of 2 to 3 main herbal formulas.

If you are interested in starting treatment for Lyme Disease, Please contact

our office for an appointment.