A long time friend, “QD”, emailed me because she strongly suspect she has a moderate ongoing (treatment resistant?) case of fungal meningitis which she describes as ” but the brain damage continues – constant head pressure, severe damage to my balance, temporary nystagmus, 3 am anxiety attacks – all of this new since the onset of ????” I do not know if she has this condition, but I will assume that she has and see where PubMed leads for possible solutions:

According to the CDC, this condition may be caused by one (or more) of the following:

• Candida albicans
• Cryptococcus neoformans
• Histoplasma
• Blastomyces
• Coccidioides

A recent articles states “Diagnostic certainty remains difficult with these infections[fungal meningitis] due to the poor sensitivity of available diagnostic tests. “ [2012]

General speculation

Many of these are known to form biofilms, which suggests rinsing the mouth out with a solution of both EDTA and NAC and then spitting it out. Add in capsules of EDTA and NAC with your usual supplements.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23954841

Candida albicans

Looking at the following recent PubMed articles we find some herbs that are found effective:

• Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activities of ethanol extracts of selected traditional Chinese medicinalherbs. (2013)
  • Eucommia ulmoides, Polygonum cuspidatum, Poria cocos and Uncaria rhyncophylla
• [Inhibitory activity of hydrosols prepared from 18 Japanese herbs of weak aromatic flavor against filamentous formation and growth of Candida albicans]. (2012)
  •  dried Houttuynia cordata and fresh Prunus pendula
• .Potent anti-microbial activity of traditional Chinese medicine herbs against Candida species. (2008)
  •  Rhizoma Coptidis and Cortex phellodendri Chinesis
• Comparative in vitro antimicrobial activity of Chinese medicinal herbs. (1986)
  •  Huangqin (Scutellaria sp.) and Huanglian (Coptis sp.)

And for probiotics, research suggests that it is very species specific:

• In vitro evaluation of Bifidobacterium strains of human origin for potential use in probiotic functional foods. 2013
  • Bifidobacterium longum 51A (far better than other Bifidobacterium strains tested)
• Probiotic interference of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 with the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. (2012)
  •  Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14
• Treatment with probiotics in experimental oral colonization by Candida albicans in murine model (DBA/2).
  • “In the group treated with L. rhamnosus, the reduction in yeast colonization was significantly higher compared with that of the group receiving nystatin.”

Cryptococcus neoformans

For herbs, just two articles (both available in full text for free):

• [Efficiency of ethanol of Thonningia sanguinea against Cryptococcus neoformans]. (2007)
  • Horseweed
• Antifungal activity and composition of essential oils of Conyza canadensis herbs and roots. (2012)
  • Thonningia sanguinea

Nothing found for probiotics. However recent studies found that a combination theraphy is more effective[2013]

Histoplasma

Nothing found for herbs or probiotics

Blastomyces

Nothing found for herbs or probiotics

Coccidioides

Nothing found for herbs or probiotics

Bottom Line

These infections appear to be both difficult to accurately diagnosis and treat. There appears to be some potential benefit with some probiotics (if you can find the species available) and with some specific herbs (which may be more difficult to obtain).