Herbal antibiotics

In article <[email hidden]>,

Toby Joe said:

From: "David Wright" <[email hidden]>
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 7:46 AM

Quoted message said:

<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>> For example garlic, certain honeys, olive leaf extract, lemon (I
>> think), and some others - herbs such as oregano iirc.
>
> If bacteria can become resistant to prescription antibiotics (and they
> can), they can just as easily become resistant to "natural"
> antibiotics

Why do you assume that? What do you base it on?

Evolutionary necessity. The survivors survive and continue to
reproduce in larger numbers. Shucks, that stuff they put in
"anti-bacterial" soaps? They used to think that bacteria couldn't
become resistant to it. Turns out they can, and have.

There's nothing magic about "natural" substances. You put stress on
a species, and it either adapts or dies out. There are algae that
live in the hot springs in Yellowstone Park. There are bacteria that
do just fine under a radioactive bombardment that would kill many
other varieties almost instantly.

Herbal antibiotics and honey etc have been around for a very long time,
though (wasn't the Promised Land to be "flowing with milk and honey", a
few thousand years ago?) So, if there was going to be a
mutation/resistance, wouldn't it likely have already happened?

No. Because bacteria only start evolving resistance when they are
exposed to the antibiotic. Penicillin still works against some
bacteria, despite the number of resistant strains.

Remember, evolving resistance has a cost -- and if the stimulus goes
away, the resistance is likely to follow. If we got rid of several
common antibiotics for a couple of decades, they'd start working much
better again.

Quoted message said:

And, if it works, it works. I don't see much value in not using something
because "one day it may not work"...?

I'm not saying "don't use it." I'm saying "don't use it with the
expectation that it will work forever."

Quoted message said:

There is a section called, "Natural Interferon Boosters", and includes
chlorophyll itself, as well as Echinacea and couple of others. Ime,
echinacea is a fast-working and effective antibiotic for sore throats,
toothache, or minor bouts of the flu'. The site doesn't mention ginger,
which surprises me, as my family use it often, to stave off colds or to
lessen the symptoms.

However, although echinacea may work well for you, it has not fared so
well in clinical trials. So apparently it's not for everyone.

-- David Wright :: alphabeta at prodigy.net
These are my opinions only, but they're almost always correct.
"If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants
were standing on my shoulders." (Hal Abelson, MIT)