Category Archives: Uncategorized

Unknown's avatar lassesen 12:00 am on April 10, 2014  

Crohn’s Disease – Herb Details: Part 4

WARNING: These herbs should NOT be used with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (unless you have Mutaflor!)

Rheum officinale: Rhubarb Root

This was the only herb of 178 herbs tested that had significant activity against bacteroides fragilis. There is only a single study. It can cause diarrhea or constipation — depending on dosage.

According to Wikipedia:

Rheum officinale is used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called yào yòng dà huáng, and is also a component in the North American herbal remedy called Essiac tea.

In modern medicine, R. officinale has been studied for the treatment of hepatitis B. However, a meta-analysis of published clinical trials concluded that the quality of existing studies was “poor”, but further study of R. officinale in combination with interferon is “justified”.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Chitosan

Chitosan is reported to inhibit Peptostreptococcus in a single study.

Wikipedia has a long article on its biomedical uses for a wide variety of conditions.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Zingiber officinale: Ginger Root (Inji root)

Ginger root is a member of the same family (Zingiberaceae) as turmeric, cardamom and galangal.

According to Wikipedia:

The traditional medical form of ginger historically was called Jamaica ginger; it was classified as a stimulant and carminative and used frequently for dyspepsia,gastroparesis, slow motility symptoms, constipation, and colic. It was also frequently employed to disguise the taste of medicines.

Some studies indicate ginger may provide short-term relief of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. Studies are inconclusive about effects for other forms of nausea or in treating pain from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or joint and muscle injury. Side effects, mostly associated with powdered ginger, are gas, bloating, heartburn, and nausea.

Tea brewed from ginger is a common folk remedy for colds. Ginger ale and ginger beer are also drunk as stomach settlers in countries where the beverages are made.

In Burma, ginger and a local sweetener made from palm tree juice (htan nyat) are boiled together and taken to prevent the flu.
In China, ginger is included in several traditional preparations. A drink made with sliced ginger cooked in water with brown sugar or a cola is used as a folk medicine for the common cold. “Ginger eggs” (scrambled eggs with finely diced ginger root) is a common home remedy for coughing. The Chinese also make a kind of dried ginger candy that is fermented in plum juice and sugared, which is also commonly consumed to suppress coughing. Ginger has also been historically used to treat inflammation, which several scientific studies support, though one arthritis trial showed ginger to be no better than a placebo or ibuprofen for treatment of osteoarthritis.
In Congo, ginger is crushed and mixed with mango tree sap to make tangawisi juice, which is considered a panacea.
In India, ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache, and consumed when suffering from the common cold. Ginger with lemon and black salt is also used for nausea.
In Indonesia, ginger (jahe in Indonesian) is used as a herbal preparation to reduce fatigue, reducing “winds” in the blood, prevent and cure rheumatism and control poor dietary habits.citation needed
In Nepal, ginger is called aduwaand is widely grown and used throughout the country as a spice for vegetables, used medically to treat cold and also sometimes used to flavor tea.
In the Philippines, ginger is known as luya and is used as a throat lozenge in traditional medicine to relieve sore throat. It is also brewed into a tea known as salabat
In the United States, ginger is used to prevent motion and morning sickness. It is recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration and is sold as an unregulated dietary supplement. Ginger water is also used to avoid heat cramps.
In Peru, ginger is sliced in hot water as an infusion for stomach aches as infusión de Kión.
In Japan it is purported to aid blood circulation. Scientific studies investigating these effects have been inconclusive.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Punica granatum: Pomegranate

This species has been repeatedly identified as effective against E.Coli. In one study of eight medicinal herbs, it was found to be the most effective. The seed cover and peel (and not the juice) appears to be part that is effective.

According to Wikipedia:

In the Indian subcontinent’s ancient Ayurveda system of medicine, the pomegranate has extensively been used as a source of traditional remedies for thousands of years.

The rind of the fruit and the bark of the pomegranate tree is used as a traditional remedy against diarrhea, dysentery and intestinal parasites. The seeds and juice are considered a tonic for the heart and throat, and classified as a bitter-astringent (pitta or fire) component under the Ayurvedic system, and considered a healthful counterbalance to a diet high in sweet-fatty (kapha or earth) components. The astringent qualities of the flower juice, rind and tree bark are considered valuable for a variety of purposes, such as stopping nose bleeds and gum bleeds, toning skin, (after blending with mustard oil) firming-up sagging breasts and treating hemorrhoids. Pomegranate juice (of specific fruit strains) is also used as eyedrops as it is believed to slow the development of cataracts.

Ayurveda differentiates between pomegranate varieties and employs them for different remedies.

Pomegranate has been used as a contraceptive and abortifacient by means of consuming the seeds, or rind, as well as by using the rind as a vaginal suppository. This practice is recorded in ancient Indian literature, in Medieval sources, and in modern folk medicine.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Terminalia chebula: Haritaki

Several studies have found this is effective against E.Coli. This herb was found to be as potent as ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, kanamycin, ofloxacin and cephalexin against E.Coli. The same study found it more effective than punica granatum above. This superior performance was reported in another study of 66 herbs. It has no adverse effects on the growth of the lactic acid-producing bacteria.

According to Wikipedia:

Haritaki is a rejuvenative, laxative (unripe), astringent (ripe), anthelmintic, nervine, expectorant, tonic, carminative, and appetite stimulant. It is used in people who have leprosy (including skin disorders), anemia, narcosis, piles, chronic, intermittent fever,heart disease, diarrhea, anorexia, cough and excessive secretion of mucus, and a range of other complaints and symptoms. According to the Bhavaprakasha, Haritaki was derived from a drop of nectar from Indra’s cup. Haritaki is used to mitigate Vata and eliminate ama (toxins), indicated by constipation, a thick greyish tongue coating, abdominal pain and distension, foul feces and breath, flatulence, weakness, and a slow pulse. The fresh fruit is dipana and the powdered dried fruit made into a paste and taken with jaggery is malashodhana, removing impurities and wastes from the body. Haritaki is an effective purgative when taken as a powder, but when the whole dried fruit is boiled the resulting decoction is grahi, useful in the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery. The fresh or reconstituted fruit taken before meals stimulates digestion, whereas if taken with meals it increases intelligence, nourishes the senses and purifies the digestive and genitourinary tract. Taken after meals Haritaki treats diseases caused by the aggravation of Vayu, Pitta and Kapha as a result of unwholesome food and drinks. Haritaki is a rasayana to Vata, increasing awareness, and has a nourishing, restorative effect on the central nervous system. Haritaki improves digestion, promotes the absorption of nutrients, and regulates colon function.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Withania somnifera: Ashwagandha

Several studies have confirmed its effectiveness against E.Coli. It contains sterol glycosyltransferases that interfere with the function of E.Coli under stress conditions. [2013]

According to Wikipedia:

The main active constituents are alkaloids and steroidal lactones. These include tropine and cuscohygrine. The leaves contain the steroidal lactones, withanolides, notably withaferin A, which was the first withanolide to be isolated from W. somnifera.

In Ayurveda, the berries and leaves of W. somnifera are locally applied to tumors, tubercular glands, carbuncles, and ulcers. The roots of W. somnifera are used to prepare the herbal remedy ashwagandha, which has been traditionally used to treat various symptoms and conditions.

In two published clinical trials of W. somnifera, the side effects were not significantly different from those experienced by placebo-treated individuals. A case report implicated ashwaganda as the cause of thyrotoxicosis in a 32-year old female who had taken ashwaganada extract capsules for symptoms of chronic fatigue.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Epilobium angustifolium: Fireweed or Willow Herb

Several studies have confirmed its effectiveness against E.Coli, including increasing the effectiveness of ciprofloxacin significantly.

Antimicrobial activity of Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium L.) leaves and flowers.[2013]

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

Salvia Plebeia

There has been one study finding that it is effective against E. Coli.

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

Rosmarinus officinalis: Rosemary

There have been several studies of its use in the food industry to reduce E.Coli. It is not effective against drug resistant E.Coli73. It inhibits quorum sensing of gut bacteria. It also contains essential oils which can cause secondary issues with Crohn’s disease (like Clove Oil which also impacts E.Coli). It is not an ideal herb for CD. A combination of galangal (Alpinia galanga), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lemon iron bark (Eucalyptus staigerana) appears effective and uses multiple mechanisms.

According to Wikipedia:

Hungary water was first prepared for the Queen of Hungary Elisabeth of Poland to ” … renovate vitality of paralyzed limbs … ” and to treat gout. It was used externally and prepared by mixing fresh rosemary tops into spirits of wine. Don Quixote (Part One, Chapter XVII) mixes it in his recipe of the miraculous balm of Fierabras.

Rosemary has a very old reputation for improving memory and has been used as a symbol for remembrance during weddings, war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia. Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, iv. 5.) A modern study lends some credence to this reputation. When the smell of rosemary was pumped into cubicles where people were working, they showed improved memory, though with slower recall.

Rosemary contains a number of potentially biologically active compounds, including antioxidants carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. Other bioactive compounds include camphor (up to 20% in dry rosemary leaves), caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol and rosmanol. Rosemary antioxidants levels are closely related to soil moisture content.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Scutellaria baicalensis: Chinese/Baikal Skullcap

Several studies indicate that it is effective against E.Coli.

According to Wikipedia:

It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has the name huáng qín. As a Chinese traditional medicine, Huang Qin usually refers to the dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, S. viscidula Bge., S. amoena C.H. Wright, and S. ikoninkovii Ju.

  • Drug interactions are known.

Trianthema decandra: Gadabani

A single study reports its effectiveness against E.Coli.

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

Quercus infectoria: Oak Gall Tree

A single study reports its effectiveness against E.Coli.

Wikipedia does not describe any medicinal uses.

  • Drug interactions are unknown.

[New] Hibiscus sabdariffa L: Roselle or Sorrel

Wikipedia states:

Although Roselle has well documented hypotensive effects,[8] Hibiscus has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any widely available food; antioxidants have been shown in several studies to enhance nitric oxide production in the body, reducing blood pressure and oxidized lipidsHibiscus sabdariffa has shown in vitro antimicrobial activity against E. coli.[13] A recent review stated that specific extracts of H. sabdariffa exhibit activities against atherosclerosis, liver disease, cancer, diabetes and other metabolic syndromes.[14]

[New] Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium: Daisy

The multi-targeted effects of Chrysanthemum herb extract against Escherichia coli O157:H7.[2013]

[New] Cuminum cyminum: cumin

Wikipedia states:

In Sanskrit, Cumin is known as Jiraka. Jira means “that which helps digestion”. In Ayurvedic system of medicine, dried Cumin seeds are used for medicinal purposes. The dried cumin seeds are powdered and used in different forms like kashaya (decoction), arishta (fermented decoction), vati(tablet/pills), and processed with ghee (a semi-fluid clarified butter). It is used internally and sometimes for external application also. It is known for its actions like enhancing appetite, taste perception, digestion, vision, strength, and lactation. It is used to treat diseases like fever, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting,  abdominal distension, edema and puerperal disorders.[15]

A popular drink in southern India such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu is calld jira water, made by boiling cumin seeds in water.[16] It is understood that cumin is beneficial for heart disease, swellings, tastelessness, vomiting, poor digestion and chronic fever.[17]

Ahmad Reza Gohari and Soodabeh Saeidnia have reviewed the Phytochemistry of Cuminum cyminum seeds and its standards. They have reported many pharmacological effects such as anti-diabetic, Immunologic, anti-epileptic, anti-tumor and antimicrobial activities.’[18] A study by researchers at Mysore University in India reports the potential anti-diabetic properties of cumin.[19]

Efraim Lev and Zohar Amar have reported several medicinal properties and health benefits of cumin seeds.[20] According to the authors, cumin seeds and warm jeera water is believed to improve saliva secretion, provide relief in digestive disorders.

[New] Allium hirtifolium Boiss: Persian shallot

Chemical composition and antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of Allium hirtifolium Boiss.[2013]

Wikipedia states:

Allium stipitatum is used as a medicinal plant in Central Asia. Extracts of the bulbs of the plant, which showed activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, were found to contain severalpyridine-N-oxide derivatives. Analysis of the cut plant using a mass spectrometer equipped with a DART ion source showed the presence of N-hydroxypyridine-2-thione, also known aspyrithione, a compound which is moderately cytotoxic toward human tumour cell lines, and highly active against fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. Pyrithione-containing plant extracts are used in herbal medicine for treatment of malaria

Unknown's avatar lassesen 2:29 am on March 31, 2014  

Psoriasis,CFS and the microbiome

One of the interesting side effects of addressing a dysfunctional microbiome was the major reduction (almost disappearance) of my prior psoriasis. This makes sense because the level of inflammatory chemicals in the body would drop which would affect all aspects of the body.

Of course the question arises — is there any PubMed studies that could back this observation?

” recent research has identified a group of conditions probably resulting from dysbiosis, or alternatively referred to as originating from a misrecognition or aberrant response to the normal microbiota, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), psoriasis (PS), bacterial vaginosis (BV) and periodontal diseases (PD) (23–26). These four diseases seem to cluster together from an epidemiological, pathogenic, genetic and microbial standpoint, with similarities between them being recently reported (27–36).” [2014]

This article goes on with:

Over 50 years ago, it was noted that two thirds of patients with the variant guttate psoriasis (GP) had a preceding sore throat and serological evidence of a streptococcal infection (59). This was then confirmed by the isolation of beta haemolytic streptococci [BHS] from the throats of patients with GP (60). Furthermore, guttate flares in chronic plaque PS are associated with streptococcal pharyngitis (61). Microbiological analysis of psoriatic skin report conflicting evidence on types of bacteria associated with the lesions: 16S rRNA gene analysis using swabbing of the skin to recover bacteria, has revealed differences in bacterial colonisation compared to healthy skin, with an increase in Firmicutes and a decrease in Actinobacteria.”

Another article [2014] states “we hypothesize that common immune-mediated inflammatory pathways seen in the “skin-joint-gut axis” in psoriatic arthritis are induced or at least mediated by the microbiome“

Now for actual on human studies with patients with psoriasis [2013]:
“In conclusion, oral administration of a single microbial agent, B. infantis 35624, was sufficient to reduce systemic inflammatory biomarkers in both gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal inflammatory disorders. ” This study included 26 patients with psoriasis.  This probiotic (commonly sold as Align) happens to be one of those that I took.

2019 Study

A reader forwarded me this new study:

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following psoriasis: a nationwide population-based cohort study [2019]

The relationship between psoriasis and the subsequent risk of CFS was estimated through Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, with the incidence density rates being 2.27 and 3.58 per 1000 person-years among the non-psoriasis and psoriasis populations, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.48, with 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–2.06). In the stratified analysis, the psoriasis group were consistently associated with a higher risk of CFS in male sex (HR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.31–3.20) and age group of ≥ 60 years old (HR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.33–4.06). In addition, we discovered that the significantly increased risk of CFS among psoriasis patients is attenuated after they receive phototherapy and/or immunomodulatory drugs.

Conclusion: my improvement is psoriasis was indeed due to the probiotics!

Unknown's avatar lassesen 4:54 am on March 29, 2014  

A mouth full – for better or worst

This post deals with the role of Oral Probiotics. My model of CFS is that it is a microbiome (gut bacteria) dysfunction that has become stable. The first question is a real simple one: How did the bad bacteria get to your gut? The answer is real simple — through your mouth? A kiss from a friend, a lick from a pet, air bacteria landing on food, bacteria on dust. The bad bacteria while you were sick found your gut much more friendly than usual and they survived and prosper. Your illness, stress level, immune response to vaccine allow the bacteria to take up residence.

The CFS gut has low biodiversity — how do you correct that! Again thru the mouth, either thru probiotics or food. At this point, my wife would say… oh no, here comes the “A spoon full of dirt make the autoimmune go down” jingle is about to happen. In other words, the hygiene hypothesis.

In the land of CFSers, there is often talk about reserves of infections. If we are talking about gut bacteria dysfunction, we have to consider the bacteria in the mouth as being a reserve for potentially dysfunctional bacteria.  Bacteria that will tag among on your next swallow and attempt to reinfect your gut. Yes, you could brush your teeth and use a mouth wash — but would it not be better to then repopulate with non-harmful bacteria then trust random bacteria? Today there are several oral probiotics available, including:

  • Now Foods OralBiotic on Amazon (60 capsule for $14) – Streptococcus salivarius BLIS K12
  • Oragenics Evora Plus Probiotic on Amazon (30 mints for $16) – Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus uberis, and Streptococcus rattus
  • Swanson Oral Probiotic: Blis K12® S. salivarius, L. rhamnosus, L. plantarum, L. reuteri, L. paracasei, L. salivarius
    • This one was a delight to find because it contains L.Reuteri which is hard to find in a probiotic. This one looks the most promising of all of the Oral Probiotics.

Recently, the question of “soil bacteria” came up in a comment. It seems that while they are often found in the soil they are also found in healthy human guts BUT many of them do a disappearing act in the gut of a CFS person. So, the pointed question is how do you restore biodiversity of gut bacteria to become healthy– that is the question that must really be answered. Eating yogurt will never do that.

To me, Prescript Assist is a start, having an organic garden and not washing every strawberry or blueberry before eating them is also a risk that I am willing to do.

What is your answers to this question? “Somehow” is not an answer — it is an evasion.

 

Unknown's avatar lassesen 2:41 pm on March 26, 2014  

Histamines, Allergies and Gut Bacteria

A recent article Altered Fecal Microbiota Composition Associated with Food Allergy in Infants found levels of 20 predominant genera were significantly different between the Food Allergy  and healthy control groups.   Allergies produces histamines [WebMD]. Thus Histamine Intolerance may be due to overgrowth of bacteria — and we now have some suspects!  At the highest level

  • Reduced
    • Bacteroidetes,
    • Proteobacteria,
    • Actinobacteria
  • Increased:
    •  Clostridiaceae 1 /  Clostridium

And ended with “The specific microbiota signature could distinguish infants with IgE-mediated FA from non-IgE-mediated ones.” which is keeping with my belief that one day the exact variation of CFS/FM/IBS that a patient has may be determined by a stool test and need no other labs.

As a FYI, the only probiotic that I know which contains some of the reduced bacteria is Prescript Assist, I have added family information to my summary to make it easy to navigate the biological naming complexities.

Unknown's avatar lassesen 3:36 pm on March 16, 2014  

Gut Bacteria Testing: Part 2 – what CFSer have gotten back from the labs

This page is an attempt to merge citizen science with professional science to paint a better perspective on how the gut bacteria is altered in CFS. This is a technical page which may cause information overload (even without CFS!)

My model is that 70-90% of the CFS symptoms are directly related to the dysfunction bacteria in the gut. Different symptoms, different bacteria. Same symptoms, likely similar bacteria. Since CFSer have different symptoms, I expect some common dysfunction and some dysfunction which will only occur for some people.

I attach my detail tables as here. Below are what I have identified as common across the data. As data grows, more patterns may appear. There are likely data errors in my transcriptions which I will correct over time.

I would suggest opening http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bacteria_genera to help understand where each item belongs. If you look up a specific item in Wikipedia, the hierarchy is usually shown on the right side, as shown below:

Akker

I will not attempt to interpret the meaning of the dysfunction in this post — strictly present the raw data!

Common Results from Ubiome

Although there are only two results share at the moment (and a few folks are waiting to receive their), there appear to be some commons shifts.

The following are limited to where BOTH results have a factor of 10x shift in the same direction from normal readings. All of the shifts were negative (i.e. much much less of these bacteria)

Red Labs

Above we see a recurring pattern of major decrease of families and genus of bacteria. Going over to the single report from Red Labs, I see almost all of the references is almost a steady stream of “<  N”, in other words  it is focused on detecting OVERGROWTH and not undergrowth (with just 4 with > N ),.   In my analysis of the results (in the spread sheet attached), I assumed that a report of “0” in this scernario indicated undergrowth (Low). I am not completely happy with having to make that assumption and would prefer to see Red Labs amend their labs with ranges.

Of the four testing explicitly for undergrowth ( > N), we had three positives:

  • Bifidobacterium (Bifidobacteriaceae) – seen in all Ubiome results that I had for this (1), Reported in 1998 Study
  • Asaccharobacter (Coriobacterineae) – one slight up, one slight down with Ubiome
  • Ruminococcus (Ruminacoccaceae) – seen in 1 /2 of Ubiome results

BioScreen

Just one sample reports from one person.

  • Coliforms (E.Coli) Low
  • Aerobe High
  • Streptococcus High
  • Clostridium High

Genova

  • Both sample reports reported low Beneficial E.Coli
  • Other results in disagreement between reports

Older Studies [1998]

These personal results appear to be in agreement.

  • Enterococcus reported low for CFS (Enterococcus/Enterococcaceae/Lactobacillales) – Only Ubiome report on this  had -67 x decrease. Red Labs had Zero reported
  • Lactobacillus reported low for CFS – One Ubiome reported -26 x Decrease, and Red Lab reported Zero
  • E.Coli reported low for CFS – Red Labs reported Escherochia only and found Zero. Genova low (or none). BioScreen low.

Bottom Line

With our very small sample, we have replicated the 1998 results as well as identify other families of bacteria that also show the very low characteristics.

We need more reports – with uBiome being the clear winner for usefulness. If you have not order uBiome or AmericanGut kits, and wish to contribute $100 to CFS research — seriously consider doing so and forwarding your results to me. I am hoping that both uBiome and AmericanGut will enable a complete download of the data so that sharing and analysis will become much easier with less chance of typographical mistakes.