Herbs (Draft)

First, the herb we all think of when we think of immune function:

Echinacea:

Echinacea purpurea supplementation has indeed been shown to induce immune system activity. CD4 activity. It activates CD4 cells. That’s good, right?

What happens when we unnecessarily activate CD4 cells? Oh, yes. They’re now vulnerable to infection by HIV, even though they weren’t while they were in their unactivated state. That’s bad.

For people without HIV, Echinacea is a valuable herb. For poz people, Echinacea is poison.

Ginseng: Studies of Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng) back in the 90s indicated that relatively high doses of ginseng (5.6 grams per day) in conjunction with AZT helped subjects maintain CD4 counts at a significantly higher level than the control group (AZT without ginseng). Also, mutations in response to AZT were significantly lower than in the control group. (see http://www.thebody.com/catie/ginseng.html )

What this means to you: Red ginseng will boost energy levels; this in itself is a good thing as long as you don’t take it before bedtime! As an added bonus, ginseng does act as a reverse transcriptase inhibitor. It’s not as powerful as AZT or other drugs, and is not a substitute; however, as part of a balanced program of health maintenance and HIV management, it can either enhance the function of a HAART regimen or help to manage HIV outside of HAART.

Red vs. White and Korean vs. Chinese vs. Siberian vs. American Ginseng: Red vs. White ginseng refers to the preparation method. Active compounds are dramatically increased in red ginseng, so don’t buy white. Korean vs. Chinese refers simply to country of origin; they’re the same species (Panax ginseng). Chinese is cheaper. Siberian Ginseng is Eleuthero, a different genus entirely, and American ginseng is a different species of Panax.

Siberian Ginseng/Eleuthero: CM4 (Google it) is an extract of Eleuthero root, standardized. They have some good numbers on it; I used it for a time, but the delivery method (brown liquid in a dropper bottle) is troublesome when working in an open cubicle! There are plenty of other forms of Eleuthero root extract on the market; have a look. Again, don’t take this at bedtime.

American Ginseng: I’ve yet to see any research indicating any HIV-related value in taking American ginseng.

Licorice Root: Licorice root has established anti-inflammatory effects. It also has been shown to help control cholesterol and blood pressure. These are sufficient reason to incorporate it in substantial doses. However, some research on licorice (all preliminary) suggests that it can slow HIV replication as well as offer other benefits. (see http://medherb.com/Materia_Medica/Glycyrrhiza_Licorica_and_AIDS.htm and remember that the author is being a bit overly-enthusiastic in his interpretation of some very small studies.)

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is the most commonly available at your health food store. That’s not what you want. If the label says DGL or Deglycyrrhizinated, don’t buy it, as this form has not been tested in conjunction with HIV. (Extracted glycyrrhizin HAS been tested and appears to be the primary active compound.)

Stinging Nettle: Stinging nettle (Note: FREEZE DRIED ONLY) has been shown to help suppress inflammatory cytokine production, and is commonly recommended to help manage allergies.

Turmeric: Another anti-inflammatory! As an added bonus, turmeric has long been a folk remedy for flatulence. (Ginseng Abuse Syndrome didn’t get that acronym by accident . . .)