In some countries, the Japanese Knotweed is considered as an invasive species but it does have its uses. Japanese Knotweed Root is a very strong inhibitor of cytokine cascades initiated by bacteria. They found that although extracts such as sweet wormwood and Mediterranean rockrose were helpful, by far the strongest performers were Ghanaian quinine and Japanese knotweed. Japanese Knotweed Root addresses the cytokine cascade relating to bartonella infection. The plant’s compounds easily move across the gastrointestinal mucosa and circulate in the bloodstream. Japanese Knotweed can be used in two forms, capsule and tincture. Into the Weeds: Tickborne Diseases in the U.S. Reusing Tincture Bottles: Sterilizing vs. Sanitizing. photo courtesy of the University of Basel, Switzerland. Japanese Knotweed Root tincture is available here at BeneficialBotanicals.com, Read More and BuyJapanese Knotweed Root TinctureBooks on Lyme Disease. Please review our, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. INFLAMMATION & THE CYTOKINE CASCADEThe most important thing in treating coinfections is to reduce the inflammatory process the bacteria initiate, basically by counteracting the cytokine cascade they initiate. Cytokine pathways are used by bartonella and mycoplasma for survival. Lyme disease treatment: Japanese knotweed could be used to treat Lyme disease infections (Image: GETTY) Lyme disease treatment: The responsible bacteria are carried by ticks (Image: GETTY) READ MORE This makes it especially useful in Lyme and its coinfections as it facilitates blood flow to the areas that are difficult to reach to kill the organisms. It is highly specific for bartonella infections and good, but of less importance, in mycoplasma infections. Japanese Knotweed contains a compound called Japanese Knotweed resveratrol (an antioxidant, also found in grapes). Antibiotic resistant bartonella are common and because the microbes are slow growing, occur in low concentrations in the body, and concentrate in areas where antibiotics do not penetrate, non-responders are common. I have known people who buy the powdered herb and put it in capsules or create a tincture by soaking it in alcohol. Common names for Japanese Knotweed (polygonum cuspidatum) include bushy, Chinese, or Japanese knotweed, mexican bamboo, Hu Zhang, kojo, itadori and hojang. Bartonella bacteria scavenge nutrients from red blood cells so the support and strengthening of the immune system to get the upper hand is critical. Japanese Knotweed Root enhances blood flow, especially to the eyes, heart, skin, and joints. This makes it especially useful in Lyme and its … This is the lining of the interior surface of the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. What makes this plant effective in dealing with Lyme disease is that it contains resveratrol which is a type of antioxidant that is also present in grapes. Find out more, An environmental officer examines Japanese knotweed in a public walkway in Swansea, Japanese knotweed has a strong root system and is virtually impossible to kill, November's Beaver Moon, and other full moon dates for 2020, Britain's newest variety of apple discovered by a walker, Animals have strops over virtually nothing – they're more like humans than we thought, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, breaks the taboo surrounding miscarriage, Banned Catholic pro-life midwifery student wins apology and payout, Astronomers discover extreme planet which rains rocks, has lava seas and 3,000 mph winds. This plant can be used in either tincture or capsule form and is quite useful in treating Lyme disease. It is a highly medicinal and edible plant that is mostly used for the treatment of Lyme disease. What’s the difference between an adaptogen, tonic, and alterative? Healing Lyme Disease Coinfections: Complementary and Holistic Treatments for Bartonella and Mycoplasma, The Role of Japanese Knotweed Root in Treating Bartonella Coinfection of Lyme Disease, Renowned Herbalists & Their Protocols for Lyme Disease, Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad, and The Winning Trifecta. Bartonella bacterium does not form biofilms, but can form vacuoles that are similar in the liver. “We are interested in further evaluating these potent herbal medicines through animal studies as well as clinical trials.”. Its constituents cross the blood-brain barrier where they exert actions on the central nervous system: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, as protectants against oxidative and microbial damage. Japanese knotweed was brought to Europe from Japan in the 19th century by botanist Phillipp von Siebold who found it growing on the sides of volcanoes. As for your original questions, I take Japanese knotweed tablets from Source Naturals which is one of the brands that Buhner recommends. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. “Many thousands of Lyme patients today, especially those with later-stage symptoms who have not been effectively treated, are in great need of efficacious, accessible treatment options,” said Dr Sunjya Schweig, CEO and co-Director of the California Center for Functional Medicine. Cordyceps mushroom is used as the cytokine cascade reducer for mycoplasma infection. Up to one in five people do not respond to antibiotics and new treatments are needed. This supplemental information includes excerpts from Stephen Buhner’s book “Healing Lyme Disease Coinfections: Complementary and Holistic Treatments for Bartonella and Mycoplasma” and citations from Bill Rawls, MD. It maintains the blood vessels themselves and as part of this action, has specific modulating and protectant actions on the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. It is also a powerful antiviral agent, effective in the treatment of herpes, ECHO viruses and various strains of influenza such as SARS and Asian flu (which … Japanese Knotweed Root enhances blood flow, especially to the eyes, heart, skin, and joints. While there are a number of herbs that can reduce autoinflammatory conditions stimulated by MMP-1 and MMP-3 (for example Curcumin), the only herb that specifically blocks MMP-1 and MMP-3 induction through three particular pathways is Japanese Knotweed Root. If the person’s immune system is healthy, the cells of the immune system quickly gain control. JAPANESE KNOTWEED ROOTJapanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) has a wide range of actions. Japanese knotweed (pictured above) is one of the two plants whose active compounds appear to be highly effective against the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. When is the best time to take herbal medicine? During Lyme infection, for instance, there is a spirochete-stimulated release of a number of matrix metalloptroteinases (MMPs) which occurs through a particular grouping of pathways. Ashwagandha and Rhodiola are two powerful plant tinctures used for boosting the immune system. These may be taken together. 3) The red blood cells must be protected. It is the scourge of gardeners, but the invasive plant Japanese knotweed could be an effective treatment for Lyme Disease, a new study suggests. This resveratrol is antimutagenic and is … What should I stock in my medicine cabinet? Typical organs that can be affected include the liver, spleen, bone marrow, eyes, skin, and the entire vascular system including the heart. Human vascular cells infected with Bartonella. The plant has proven itself to be very effective in treating Lyme and its symptoms. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications. The plant is used as a traditional medicine in India and China that contains the polyphenol resveratrol and in preclinical studies has been found to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects and protects the nervous system and heart. It is the scourge of gardeners, but the invasive plant Japanese knotweed could be an effective treatment for Lyme Disease, a new study suggests. Generally vacuoles are broken down by the body when healing occurs. Researchers tested plant extracts against the bacteria which causes Lyme disease and found just a one per cent solution of Japanese knotweed was enough to kill the bug. 2) The cytokine cascade must be interrupted. For further study on Lyme Disease coinfections, consider reading Stephen Buhner’s informative books.