Natural Antiviral, Antibacterial, Antifungal and Anti-inflammatory Foods:

Herbal Overview by Linda White, MD

Target search words for look up and study on the web.

Because there are just a few antiviral prescription medicines available, a web search was performed to locate antiviral aspects of common and ethnic foods.

The list below is your starting point in locating foods that may help to reduce or control chronic viral infections.

The method of search was: Google [FoodName, antiviral, antimicrobial, inflammation]

· Anti-virus oils: Formulation might include small quantities of: black pepper, celery seed, clove, ginger, lemongrass, oregano, marjoram, mustard, nasturtium, rosemary.

· Plants: Aloe vera, bitter melon, Capsaicin (hot red pepper), Grape skins, Echinacea, nopal (paddle) cactus, olive leaves/extract, paprika, St John’s wort, watercress herb,

· Mint Family: Hyssop, lemon balm = melissa, peppermint, spearmint, oregano

· Herbs/Leaves/Roots: Boswellia, curry (circumin/turmeric), EGCG (green tea extract), mustard, nasturtium, oregano/oil, herbs de Provence, rosemary, thyme, sage, cumin, Chinese five spice

· Flowers: Capers, geranium, lavender, chamomile, yarrow flowers, juniper berries (gin), hops, nasturtium, cloves.

· Food Acids: Cider, balsamic or wine vinegar, ascorbic acid, tannic acid.

· Fruits: Olives, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Elderberry, Cherry, Strawberry extract (poliovirus)

· From Bees: Honey, Propolis, Royal Jelly ; chewing honeycomb (beeswax) soothes asthma and COPD inflammation.

· Mushrooms: Morel, Shiitake, Porcini (Boletus edulis), Portabella,

· Edible Oils: Sesame seed, extra-virgin olive, coconut (lauric acid), grape seed, cocoa, geranium, basil, oregano, BHT (anti-oxidant), palm oil, palm kernel oil, emu oil, butter (Palmitic acid); goat butter (Capric, Caprylic and Caproic acids are anti fungal).

· Toxic Oils (topical use only): Castor, clove, eucalyptus (Vic’s Vaporub), lemon, lime, orange, peppermint, spearmint, tea-tree = melaleuca, eucalyptis, oil of wintergreen (Methyl salicylate), turpentine from evergreen sap/leaves (taxol is anti cancer drug), juniper-leaf decoction.

· Roots/bark/sap: Boswellia, Devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), Echinacea angustifolia root, garlic, onion, Ginger, Guggul (Commiphora mukul), Golden seal root, Licorice root, Lomatium dissectum root, onion, Osha root (Ligusticum porteri), turmeric (circumin), Wild indigo root, horseradish.

· Seaweed: Kelp (Xanthan gum), Spirulena chlorella è carrageenan (HSV binds), Polysaccharides, fucoidan (seaweed extract)

· Teas: green tea, hyssop, lavender flower, yerba mate,

Combinations: chamomile flower, + clove, + cinnamon + ginger + Echinacea + green tea extract…

· Vitamins: C = ascorbic acid, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, B6 and B12, CoQ10, Vitamin D…

Essential Oils Vs Enveloped-viruses and Vs ‘Naked’-viruses:

http://www.anandaapothecary.com/articles/antiviral-essential-oils.html

http://www.aromabar.com/articles/baud55.htm

Enveloped-viruses (e.g. Flu), are most sensitive to monoterpene alcohols

· Linalool, present in Lavender, Coriander, Petitgrain and Thyme c.t. Linalool

· Citronellol present in Geranium and Rose Otto;

· EGCG (green tea extract, from Camellia sinensis)

· Geraniol present in Palmarosa;

· Alpha-terpinol found in Eucalyptus Radiata, Niaouli and Ravensara;

· Terpinol-4 present in Tea Tree, Hyssop and Marjoram;

· Menthol, found in Peppermint and Spearmint);

· Monoterpene phenols (e.g. Carvacrol in Oregano oil;

· Thymol in Thyme and Oregano and their oils.

Non-enveloped viruses are sensitive to oils with a high content of terpenoid ketones (eg.

· Pinocamphone in Hyssop;

· Verbenone in Rosemary c.t. verbenone,

· Pinocarvone in Eucalyptus Globulus, and

· Thuja in Sage.

Breakthroughs in Nutritional Therapies:

1. In August 2011, an anti-viral breakthrough was announced.

DRACO Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Therapeutics MIT: T.H. Rider et Al

“Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) Activated Caspase Oligomerizer (DRACO) that selectively induces apoptosis in cells containing viral dsRNA, rapidly killing infected cells without harming uninfected cells. We have created DRACOs and shown that they are nontoxic in 11 mammalian cell types and effective against 15 different viruses, including dengue flavivirus, Amapari and Tacaribe arenaviruses, Guama bunyavirus, and H1N1 influenza. We have also demonstrated that DRACOs can rescue mice challenged with H1N1 influenza. DRACOs have the potential to be effective therapeutics or prophylactics for numerous clinical and priority viruses, due to the broad-spectrum sensitivity of the dsRNA detection domain, the potent activity of the apoptosis induction domain, and the novel direct linkage between the two which viruses have never encountered.

2. See Liposomal-AA (Lecithin nano-encapsulated Vitamin C), which can produce blood AA concentrations that are as effective as IV sodium ascorbate. This formulation is strongly antiviral, antibacterial, antitoxin(s) and anti-cancer.

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