Natural Antibiotic Alternative #2—Goldenseal
Goldenseal is a perennial herb, also called “orange root,” native to the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.
The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine lists goldenseal as “one of the most effective of the herbal antimicrobial agents” (475).
Vaginal and bladder infections are destroyed by goldenseal.
A common winter infection—sinus infections—are treatable with goldenseal.
Goldenseal contains “berberine,” which has “been shown to inhibit the adherence of bacteria to human cells, so they cannot infect the cells” (p 959).
It is also thought to be effective in treating strep throat, diarrhea, gum disease, and pneumonia.
Natural Antibiotic Alternative #3—Licorice
The licorice root is a super-powered natural antibiotic.
Steven Orr, in The New American Herbal,
says licorice root contains “glycyrrhizic acid,”
which has been shown “to treat and soothe
respiratory problems like bronchitis, usually
in the form of cough drops and syrup,
and also arthritis” (p 225).
It is even being studied to measure its ability to treat “
hepatitis, cirrhosis, herpes, and flu” (p 225).
But the most impressive attribute of licorice is that glycyrrhizic acid in licorice root is showing promise for treating the deadliest illnesses of our time: HIV-1 and SARS-related coronavirus.
It’s an antibiotic, an antiviral, and it’s delicious! 😉
It is even used to treat conditions like eczema, asthma, and Lyme Disease.
(See The Herbal Drugstore, The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (3rd Edition), and Herbal Antivirals for more about licorice root).