Artemisia Annua (Wormwood)
Recent experiments have shown that artemisinin is effective against the malaria parasite because it reacts with the high levels of iron in the parasite to produce free radicals. The free radicals then destroy the cell walls of the malaria parasite.
Wormwood is used to eliminate intestinal worms, including pinworms, roundworms and tapeworms. Pinworms are the most common worm infection with the eggs spreading directly from person to person. Roundworms, or nematodes, are parasites that also infect human intestines, and tapeworms are long, flat worms that infect animal and human intestines.
Not only can wormwood kill bacteria, but it’s also been shown to kill fungi. Research shows that essential oil distilled from the aerial parts of Artemisia absinthium inhibited the growth of a very broad spectrum of tested fungi (11 to be exact). The wormwood essential oil also showed antioxidant properties during testing.
Artichoke
Artichokes are one of the top vegetables in terms of total antioxidant content — not to mention artichoke nutrition is high in vitamin C, A, K and more.
Artichoke extract — which provide a concentrated dose of the veggie’s protective compounds, including chlorogenic acid, cynarin, luteolin and cymaroside — have been shown to have cholesterol-lowering and disease-fighting effects.
They contain a powerful antioxidant flavonoid called silymarin, which is an effective liver protectant and may be able to help liver cells regenerate. A 2018 study found that artichoke extract supplementation increases antioxidant status in the liver, including levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione and glutathione peroxidase.
Black walnut
The black walnut tree has historically been used to get rid of a fever and treat kidney ailments, gastrointestinal concerns, ulcers, toothache, snake bites and syphilis.
Black walnut is used to treat parasitic worm infections and certain other infections including diphtheria and syphilis.
One of the key active components of the black walnut hull is juglone. Juglone exerts its effect by inhibiting certain enzymes needed for metabolic function. It’s highly toxic to many insect herbivores — it’s often used by organic gardeners as a natural pesticide — and researchers have observed that black walnut can expel parasitic worms from the body.
Black Walnut Leaf tea has astringent properties and is insecticidal against bedbugs. Also has astringent and anti-fungal properties. Recent studies suggest Black Walnut leaf extracts have antiviral activity and are effective against certain types of tumors.
Clove
In addition to eliminating candida, clove is effective at killing intestinal parasites.
Second only to raw sumac bran, ground clove has the astounding ORAC value of 290,283 units! This means that per gram cloves contain 30 times more antioxidants than blueberries which have a value of 9,621.
Clove has been shown to inhibit gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as yeast. This is huge, especially since gram-negative bacteria are often resistant to antibiotics and other antibacterial interventions.
A study Published in the journal Oral Microbiology & Immunology was conducted to see how clove fared against other anti-fungal treatments and observed that it was as effective as nystatin, a drug commonly prescribed to manage yeast infections of the mouth (thrush), which has a slew of ugly side effects.
To evaluate its effectiveness as an antibacterial agent, researchers from the University of Buenos Aires set out to determine which bacteria are most sensitive to clove’s potency. According to their study, clove has the greatest antimicrobial ability over E. coli and also exerted considerable control over Staph aureus, which causes acne, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes pneumonia.
Although it has been used for centuries to treat inflammatory conditions, the Journal of Immunotoxicology just recently published the first-ever study proving that the eugenol in oil of cloves is indeed a powerful anti-inflammatory.
This study demonstrates that low doses of eugenol can protect the liver against disease. It was also observed that eugenol reverses inflammation and cellular oxidation (which speeds the ageing process).
Diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural product made up of fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Composed of the cell walls/shells of single cell diatoms, it easily crumbles to a fine powder.
In fact, the composition of the diatom cell walls are biogenic silica.
Diatomaceous earth — also known as diatomite — works like a natural detoxifying agent within the body, killing parasites and viruses that can contribute to illnesses while also helping to clean the blood.
Gentian
Gentian herb has traditionally used as “gastric stimulant” due to the effects that it has on saliva, bile and enzyme excretion. There’s some evidence that it can stimulate the secretion of enzymes in the small intestines and increase gastric secretion, which makes breaking down foods and absorbing nutrients easier. Some of the benefits of gentian for digestion include:
Reducing loss of appetite
Decreasing nausea, heartburn, diarrhoea and general stomaches
Improving saliva production by stimulating the membranes of the mouth and taste buds
Helping with production of gastric juices and bile secretion
Supporting liver and gallbladder functions.
Like other nutrient-dense herbs, gentian has antioxidant properties that help to protect cells from free radical damage (also called oxidative stress). Its active compounds (more on these below) are also beneficial for protecting against infections and reducing damage to the arteries and smaller blood vessels.
Compounds in Gentian can also help inhibit bacteria that may cause other infections, such as leptospira, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, proteusbacillus vulgaris and Salmonella typhi. In addition to fighting bacteria, gentian has also been shown to help decrease fungal and yeast infections, such as those caused by Candida albicans.
Milk Thistle
As a liver support and liver aid, milk thistle acts as a powerful liver cleanser by rebuilding liver cells, reducing liver damage and removing toxins from the body that are processed through the liver.
Milk thistle is effective at naturally reversing toxicity in the body, including the harmful effects of alcohol consumption, pesticides in our food supply, heavy metals in our water supply and pollution in the air that we breathe.
Milk thistle seed is a great source of the antioxidant flavonoid called silymarin, which is actually composed of several other active compounds known as flavolignans.
Olive leaf
Olive leaf contains many potentially bioactive compounds that have antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic properties — similar to the well-known olive oil benefits.
Oleuropein, one of the primary compounds in olive leaf, has attracted attention since the early 1900s because of its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Studies have found that oleuropein, which is a polyphenol, is a potent antioxidant that helps to lower blood pressure naturally and prevent cardiovascular disease.
An important olive leaf benefit is its ability to fight off infections, including candida infections, meningitis, pneumonia, chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, malaria, gonorrhoea, shingles and tuberculosis. It also naturally treats ear, dental and urinary tract infections.
Pau d’arco
Scientists have identified two active chemicals in pau d’arco called naphthoquinones; they are lapachol and beta-lapachone. These chemicals have the power to kill bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. They have also shown anti-inflammatory properties, which are important in treating health conditions such as osteoarthritis.
Pau d’arco several other contains several compounds, including quinoids, benzenoids and flavonoids. These compounds have shown biological activity against harmful organisms.
Pau d’arco helps the body fight candida. Candida, also known as candidiasis, is a common yeast infection that can lead to many health problems, from a sore throat to serious stomach problems.
The body normally produces yeast in the mouth, vagina, rectum and digestive tracts, and in normal amounts it remains harmless; however, if the body’s natural pH balance is upset, candida symptoms can quickly grow out of control.
For thousands of years, Pau d’arco has been used as an antiviral herb. The range of viruses stunted by pau d’arco tea extends from those that cause the common cold to those that are responsible for the life-threatening AIDS virus. It has been shown to actively inhibit, kill or stunt the growth of several dangerous viruses, including herpes, polio, vesicular stomatitis, avian myeloblastosis, leukemia and rous sarcoma virus.
The beta-lapochone present in pau d’arco actually inhibits the enzymes in virus cells, which directly affects the synthesis of DNA and RNA. The virus is then no longer able to take control over the reproductive processes of the cell, so it can neither replicate itself nor infect other cells.
Slippery Elm
Like other high-antioxidant foods, studies suggest it may also help relieve inflammatory bowel conditions like ulcerative colitis, which is why it’s recommended for anyone following an IBS diet.
Because it contains compounds called phenolics, Slippery Elm may act as a natural free radical scavenger and fighter of oxidative stress.
Phenolics are antioxidants that have been shown to elicit cellular responses that counter oxidant stress, which contributes to ageing and many chronic diseases. Plant phenolics also seem to help protect against pathogens due to their natural anti-fungal effects.
Warning:
Clove is known to slow down blood clotting due to its eugenol content. Clove is known to interact with blood thinning medications such as anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs and for this reason should not to combined with such drugs.
DO NOT USE DURING PREGNANCY