Non-Pharmaceutical antimicrobials, nature's antibiotics, superfoods

Nutmeg, bay, cinammon, clove, thyme found most potent in the study of

"Bacteriostatic concentration of 21 botanical oils"

Maximum antimicrobial activity was 0.075%, with the oils of bay, cinnamon, clove and thyme being the most potent.

source:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

The antimicrobial properties of 21 plant essential oils and two essences were investigated against five important food-borne pathogens, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. The oils of bay, cinnamon, clove and thyme were the most inhibitory, each having a bacteriostatic concentration of 0.075% or less against all five pathogens. In general, Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to inhibition by plant essential oils than the Gram-negative bacteria. Campylobacter jejuni was the most resistant of the bacteria investigated to plant essential oils, with only the oils of bay and thyme having a bacteriocidal concentration of less than 1%. At 35 degrees C, L. monocytogenes was extremely sensitive to the oil of nutmeg.

So, what about oregano..



and garlic?

pubs.acs.org...

As powerful antibiotics lose their punch against “superbugs” such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), scientists are searching for new antimicrobial agents from natural sources. Allicin, the major component of garlic, is one such agent, and it was recently shown to be potent against VRE and MRSA in two studies presented at the 41st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Chicago in December.

A study conducted by Jaya Prakash and colleagues at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, IL, found that allicin has potent activity against VRE in vitro. “The basic problem with VRE is that it colonizes the gut,” says Prakash. “Many antibiotics used to control or prevent colonization also affect the normal flora.” The ideal solution, she explains, would be to prevent colonization with a food substance, given the safety of such compounds over antibiotics.

One herbal agent I use I've never seen much about, pau d'arco (pronounced pow darko). It was suggested to me for my dog's reoccurring ear infections; the person at the herb shop said it was both anti-microbial and anti-viral. I got both the tincture and the pills. It didn't do much on my dog' ears, which was found out to be a yeast infection.
Because of the anti-viral claim, when I felt the first tingle of a cold sore, I dabbed some on. I did this a few times a day, keeping it by my coffee pot and reapplying while waiting for the cup to brew. I don't get cold sores anymore. All it seems to take is a few dabs, a few hours apart.
So, with testimonial only, I suggest pau d'arco. I'm not a strong believer in testimonials and don't believe in a placebo effect, considering I don't think herbs work for anything. But this works.

Funny how this makes me think about the fact that only a hundred years ago, our way of life was much more energy efficient, civilized and naturally healthy. We had spent thousands of years perfecting techniques and remedies that include some of the elements you mention in your post.

Then we threw it all away in order to build a comfortable life for our children, where they would not have to struggle the way we did. Now we are looking back at the 'old ways' and wondering if they could help us today.

SnF we need to share this kind of stuff as much as possible.

I'd like to add neem oil to this list. It is not meant to be ingested - topical applications only! But it has very strong antiviral and antibacterial properties. It's part of the allium family, so these properties echo those we find in garlic and onions. Although it's very expensive at stores like whole foods, it's very cheap if purchased at a pet supply store. Don't laugh - it's still pure oil. It's just that it's also applied to cats and dogs for just about every skin ailment they get, so they sell it cheap in larger bottles. I'd used it to treat acne years ago, but today I use it for sun-poisoning and sunburn, bug bites, athlete's foot, and partridges in pear trees.