Archive for the ‘Treatment’ Category

Can’t Afford a Lyme-Literate Doctor, Now What?

https://www.globallymealliance.org/blog/cant-afford-a-lyme-literate-doctor-now-what?

Can’t Afford a Lyme-Literate Doctor, Now What?

by Admin at Global Lyme Alliance on July 5, 2024

<span id="hs_cos_wrapper_name" class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_text" style="" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="text" >Can’t Afford a Lyme-Literate Doctor, Now What?</span>
Struggling to afford a Lyme-literate doctor? Explore options like reimbursement, payment plans, and NP/PA care. Learn how to access affordable treatment and free resources for tick-borne diseases.

The best way to be appropriately evaluated and treated for tick-borne disease is to see a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD). These practitioners are often trained by others in the Lyme field and specialize in the complexities of diagnosis, testing, and treatment of tick-borne disease. LLMDs can be pricey, however, because many of them don’t accept insurance (for information on why that is, see “Why Isn’t My Lyme Disease Treatment Covered by Insurance?”)

Perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with Lyme by your primary care doctor, but you aren’t feeling better after a short course of antibiotics, so now you’d like to see an LLMD. Maybe you have symptoms and risk factors for tick-borne disease, but your standard tests have come back negative, so you’d like to see an LLMD for a detailed clinical evaluation and specialized testing. Maybe you suspect you have a co-infection, but your primary care is only familiar with Lyme. You’ve done your homework and have found an LLMD in your area, but the price of an appointment is prohibitive.

Now what? There are several options you can explore:

Ask about reimbursement

Before just walking away due to sticker shock, ask the LLMD’s office if they offer a “super-bill” that you can submit to insurance for reimbursement. Though the office does not participate with insurance, you may be able to submit the “super-bill” yourself and get at least partial reimbursement for your out-of-pocket costs. Call your insurance company to learn how to submit a claim yourself and to find out what kind of coverage you can expect for an out-of-network provider (a provider who is not otherwise covered by your insurance network). If a claim is denied, ask your insurance company about the appeal process.

Ask about payment plans

Given the high cost of appointments, some providers may offer payment plans. Call the provider’s office to find out if that is an option.

Look into NPs and PAs

Many busy LLMDs have a Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician’s Assistant (PA) working in their practice. These practitioners see patients individually, under the guidance of the LLMD, who oversees the care of all patients in the practice and trains the NP or PA. NPs and PAs can order tests, make clinical evaluations, and write prescriptions. The cost for an appointment with an NP or PA is usually less than the cost for an appointment with the LLMD.

Shop Around

Different LLMDs have different appointment costs. The one in your area may be too expensive, but there could be another one just a little farther afield. Think about how far you’d be willing and able to travel to get good and affordable care. (You can search for an LLMD through GLA’s search engine.)

Advocate With Your Current Doctor

If your primary care doctor or other physician who is covered by insurance is not well-versed in Lyme disease, they may be willing to learn. Some doctors are set in their ways, but others are more open to collaborative care. Try gathering information about Lyme disease to bring and discuss with your doctor and talk together about the complexities of Lyme testing and the importance of a clinical diagnosis. You can do this with treatment protocols, too. (For more, see “How to Be an Advocate with Your Non-Lyme Doctor”.)

Explore Financial Assistance

There are several organizations that offer financial assistance for the high costs of Lyme disease appointments and/or treatment. On the Financial Assistance Resources page, GLA maintains a list of organizations that help with treatment access, reimbursement, and federal and state assistance programs.

Join a Support Group

Lyme disease support groups can offer more than emotional support, which is very important; members may also be able to recommend doctors or financial assistance resources. Groups come in different formats, from formal in-person meetings, to small in-person or remote discussions, to online Facebook groups. To find a support group, check out GLA’s Support Groups page.

Get One-on-One Support

Through the Peer-to-Peer Mentor Program, GLA can connect you with a fellow Lyme disease patient, or a knowledgeable caregiver of one, who can offer you one-on-one support. The mentor may have advice for you on finding or affording an LLMD. This program is free.

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For more:

Category:

Activism, Treatment

DMSO: Its History and Remarkable Properties

https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/the-remarkable-history-and-safety?

The Remarkable History and Safety of DMSO

Please share your experiences with DMSO with the readers here!

A Midwestern Doctor
Oct 12, 2024

Note: this article has two primary purposes. First, it is a compilation of all the existing safety and toxicology data on DMSO for anyone planning to utilize it in a clinical setting. Second, it is meant to serve as a place to collect reader’s (often incredible) experiences with DMSO so individuals who are considering using DMSO can have testimonials to juxtapose with the wealth of data I am gradually presenting on DMSO.

My time in the medical field has led me to accept many medical practices are adopted because of politics or economics rather than because existing evidence shows they work. Nonetheless, certain instances of this happening still astound me to this day, particularly the blacklisting of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) as:

  • This simple chemical is incredibly safe and effective and treats a wide range of challenging medical conditions that impact millions that still lack an effective therapy (outside of DMSO).
  • Because of its efficacy, once discovered, it took the country by storm, resulting in millions using it, the scientific community getting behind it and publishing thousands of studies on DMSO, numerous pharmaceutical companies making large investments to bring it market, professional athletes promoting it, numerous governors, congressional representatives and senators (on behalf of both themselves and their constituents) pressuring the FDA to give it a fair chance for decades and state legislatures independently legalizing it because the federal government would not.
  • Many approved pharmaceutical products take advantage of DMSO’s properties to work (e.g., in those products, DMSO is often classified as an inert “vehicle”). Similarly, DMSO is FDA approved for one condition (interstitial cystitis) and is approved for a wide variety of veterinary uses (e.g., the same conditions it treats in humans).
  • Over the past 40 years, more than 10,000 articles on the biological implications and 30,000 articles on the chemistry of DMSO have appeared in the scientific literature—much of which, as I’ve shown here is remarkably compelling and paradigm shifting in healthcare.
  • Yet, despite all of that, DMSO was effectively erased from history. It is now widely seen as an unproven and dangerous therapy, and even within the natural health field, most people do not know it exists.  (See link for article)

https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/dmso-could-save-millions-from-brain?

DMSO Could Save Millions From Brain and Spinal Injury

The decades of evidence showing DMSO revolutionizes the care of many “untreatable” circulatory and neurologic conditions.

Sep 15, 2024
By a Midwestern Doctor

Story at a Glance:

  • DMSO is a remarkably safe chemical that protects cells from otherwise fatal stressors (e.g., freezing, burning, shockwaves, ischemia). Since the heart, brain, and spinal cord are particularly vulnerable to injury, DMSO can produce miraculous results for those conditions.
  • The usage of DMSO completely transforms the management of strokes (including brain bleeds), heart attacks, and spinal cord injuries. As I will show here, had the FDA not sabotaged DMSO’s adoption, in addition to countless lives being saved, millions could have been protected from a lifetime of disability or paralysis.
  • DMSO has many other remarkable properties. For example, it stabilizes proteins, and thus treats many challenging protein disorders (e.g., amyloidosis and numerous genetic disorders).
  • Many conditions DMSO treats are typically considered to be incurable. In this article, I will focus on DMSO’s remarkable utility for the conditions that respond best to intravenous DMSO (e.g., a variety of circulatory disorders like varicose veins or Raynaud’s) and complex neurological disorders (e.g., Down’s Syndrome, Developmental Delay, ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), along with how to administer IV DMSO and DMSO stroke protocols.

If I were stranded on a desert island or knew the world was ending and I could only bring a few therapies with me, one of them, without a doubt, would be DMSO. This is because:

  • It treats a wide range of severe illnesses which are often otherwise incurable and frequently fatal or lead to a lifetime of permanent disability.
  • It effectively treats acute injuries and rehabilitates chronic musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., arthritis). Because of this, it’s one of the best “pain medicines” out there and has allowed many to get their lives back.
  • It has a variety of unique properties that open up a completely different dimension to how medicine can be practiced.
  • It is one of the safest medically active substances in existence.

Remarkably, in the 1960s, this was recognized and DMSO took the nation by storm (e.g., people everywhere were clamoring for it, gas stations would often advertise they sold it, and tens of thousands of research studies were conducted by enthusiastic scientists around the globe). Now however, outside of it being a laboratory chemical or an alternative therapy some people use for joint pain, few are even aware of DMSO’s existence.

This was due to the FDA waging a multi-decade long war against DMSO (despite widespread outcry from Congress and the public), which I believe was arguably the worst thing the FDA has ever done to the country.

Since I am uniquely positioned to present many of the forgotten sides of medicine to the public, I’ve long felt the DMSO story needs to be told. Simultaneously however, since there is a wealth of data on this topic, I wanted to ensure I honored the importance of this subject and accurately present it. For this reason, I’ve spent the last three months reading and arranging thousands of pages of literature. Since there is so much to say on this topic, this series will be broken into a few parts. In the first installment, I will cover the key properties of DMSO and the challenging conditions where it provides the most profound benefits. (See link for article & note there will be another part to it explaining where to get it, dosing, and non-IV protocols)

https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/dmso-is-a-miraculous-therapy-for

DMSO is a Miraculous Therapy for Chronic Pain and Musculoskeletal Injuries

The decades of evidence DMSO revolutionizes the practice of medicine

A Midwestern Doctor
Sep 29, 2024

Story at a Glance:

•The standard approach for treating pain and musculoskeletal injuries typically involves giving NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen), and in more severe cases, opioids. Unfortunately, these drugs are extremely dangerous (e.g., each one kills tens of thousands of people each year), but nonetheless have remained the standard of care for decades.

•DMSO is a remarkably effective pain-killing agent, in many cases allowing individuals who’d been disabled for years by their pain (e.g., a failed spine surgery or severe arthritis—DMSO’s most popular use) to get their lives back. Furthermore, it can treat many types of pain other therapies do not work on (e.g., complex regional pain syndrome).

•DMSO is a highly effective therapy for healing wounds and creating healthy scars, making it particularly helpful for recovering from surgery.

•DMSO is incredibly effective for healing a wide range of acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries (e.g., arthritis, headaches, neck and back strains, restless leg syndrome, sprained ankles, trigeminal neuralgia and numerous traumatic injuries). It typically has an 80-90% success rate and often has an instant and dramatic effect. This use was particularly popular with professional athletes, as it allowed many of them to quickly return to the field rather than be out for the rest of the season.

•In this article, I will review the scientific literature that explains how DMSO provides pain relief and healing, the vast body of evidence (comprising of thousands of patients) showing it indeed does, and our preferred DMSO home treatment protocols for pain, arthritis, and musculoskeletal injury (along with the best sources for procuring DMSO).  (See link for article)

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https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/how-dmso-treats-incurable-autoimmune

How DMSO Treats “Incurable” Autoimmune and Contractile Disorders

The decades of research that could have prevented an immense amount of human suffering

A Midwestern Doctor
Oct 20, 2024
Article excerpts:

DMSO is a powerful (but safe) anti-inflammatory agent that is often extremely helpful for autoimmune conditions. For example, it’s frequently used to treat asthma, inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g., ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome), interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome), ITP, lupus, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome, and uveitis.

  • DMSO is also remarkably effective at stabilizing and refolding proteins. This allows it to treat a variety of “untreatable” genetic disorders, and conditions characterized by the abnormal accumulation of misfolded proteins in the body (e.g., amyloidosis) or chronic deposits of excessive contractile collagen (e.g., surgical scars, abdominal adhesions, Dupuytren’s contractures, and Peyronie’s disease). Two of the most dramatic examples of this are scleroderma and fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva—both “untreatable” conditions where DMSO can provide truly lifesaving benefits.
  • In this article, I will present the wealth of evidence substantiating each of those uses, share my theory on how the unusual antimicrobial properties of DMSO explain some of these benefits, and present DMSO treatment protocols for many of those disorders. Additionally, since many readers requested it, I put together a simplified guide on how to use DMSO orally or topically.

One of DMSO’s remarkable properties is its ability to function as a chemical chaperone and stabilize the three dimensional structure proteins assemble (fold) themselves into. This is important as many complex illnesses (e.g., many genetic disorders) result from misfolded proteins and presently can only be (ineffectively) managed with expensive drugs that aim to normalize the function of the abnormal proteins.

In turn, a few drugs have been developed to refold misfolded proteins, and to my knowledge, the most helpful ones on the market were the ones developed to treat cystic fibrosis (after the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation gave 150 million to bring these medications to market which currently are priced at roughly 300,000.00 a year). However, unlike the existing pharmaceutical chaperones (which are very specific to the misfolded protein), DMSO’s effect is remarkably universal.

Studies have shown DMSO can improve the functionality of the dysfunctional proteins that are seen in genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis,1 hereditary nephrogenic diabetes insipidus,1,2 Machado-Joseph disease,1 Niemann–Pick disease,1,2,3,4,5,6 and a defective protein that causes motor disorders and early death in mice.1 Likewise, it can also treat a variety of complex diseases which result from misfolded proteins damaging surrounding tissue.  (See link for article.  He gives a study in which DMSO was used to treat Alzheimer’s, contractures, Peyronie’s disease, FOP, Scleroderma, & other autoimmune issues like lupus, asthma, IT, MS IBD, MG,& Sjogren’s syndrome) .  Also many patient testimonials are given, including the improvement of Downs Syndrome.)

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**Comment**

Some of the most thorough articles on DMSO yet.  I highly recommend making a pdf of them for your own usage.  This safe treatment has been attacked by the FDA so it may be nearly impossible to get good information on it in the future.

For more:

Category:

Alzheimer's, Pain Management, research, Treatment

Boy Gets Powassan Encephalitis After Camping Trip

https://danielcameronmd.com/powassan-encephalitis-camping-trip/

Young boy develops Powassan encephalitis after camping trip

powassan-encephalitis

Although the Powassan virus is considered to be a rare tick-borne illness, the number of cases is rising, and at an alarming rate. A recent survey found, a 4-fold rise in the number of Powassan virus cases in the US from 2014 to 2023 (compared with 2004 to 2013). [3]

By 

This summer, a 9-year-old boy in Canada developed Powassan virus encephalitis, a life-threatening condition. In Pennsylvania, another young child was hospitalized with the virus. And, in April, an older man from Massachusetts was infected. Meanwhile, last year, a Maryland resident died from Powassan encephalitis after contracting it in Canada.

Powassan virus – transmitted in 15 minutes

The Powassan virus, which is transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, can be deadly. And, most concerning, as cases are rising, the infection can be contracted within 15 minutes of a tick attachment.

The virus can cause fever, headache, vomiting, loss of coordination and memory and speech problems. It can also cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.)

However, it often does not present with any symptoms, according to the CDC.

POWV encephalitis can be deadly

From 2004 to 2022, the US reported 288 cases of Powassan virus infection. Of these cases, 72 (25%) occurred in children, 264 patients (92%) required hospitalization, and 36 patients (13%) died.1

Patients infected with the virus have a “10% risk of developing fatal encephalitis and up to 50% of infected patients have long-term neurologic damage.”2

Up to 50% of patients have long-term neurologic complications.

The prognosis for individuals with Powassan virus neuroinvasive disease is poor. The case fatality rate is 10%–15%, and survivors have about a 50% probability of persistent neurologic deficits, including headaches, altered mental status, and cognitive difficulties.1

There is no treatment for the Powassan virus.

Case Report: 9-year-old boy

In July, a 9-year-old boy, residing in Canada, was hospitalized with Powassan encephalitis, after returning from a camping trip in northern Ontario.

Blatman and colleagues describe the case in their article, “Powassan virus encephalitis in a 9-year-old.”1

The young boy was admitted to the hospital with a fever, neck stiffness and headache, which began 1 week after returning from his camping trip.

Initially, he was treated with ceftriaxone and vancomycin for suspected meningitis.

PCR testing of the CSF for viral causes of meningitis or encephalitis, however, was negative. Bacterial culture and Gram stain of the CSF sample was also negative. And, an MRI of the brain was unremarkable.

The patient had no known tick bites or rashes.

“Over the next 48 hours, blood cultures showed no growth,” the authors state. However, “The patient remained persistently febrile with ongoing severe headache.”

After 3 days in the hospital, the boy’s condition worsened and he was transferred to the ICU. At this point, he was nonverbal and nonresponsive to commands, according to the authors.

Testing for Lyme disease was negative.

“Tick-borne Powassan virus encephalitis is associated with high mortality and a risk of long-term neurologic sequelae in survivors.”

Repeat EEG showed generalized slowing of brain activity. Meanwhile, a repeat MRI of the patient’s brain and full spine showed subtle bilateral basal ganglia and substantia nigra.

However, CFS testing was negative for autoimmune encephalitis.

“Given concern for potential autoimmune encephalitis, the patient received intravenous immunoglobulin at a dosage of 1 g/ kg for 2 days, with notable improvement in his level of consciousness within 24–48 hour,” the authors state.

Within 2 months, the boy had made a complete recovery.

New research indicates that the Powassan virus may be more deadly in older patients. “… only minimal infectious doses of the virus were highly lethal in older mice and that lethality increased >10-fold with age,” states Mackow.2

“Increased awareness of Powassan virus among clinicians in Canada will likely lead to increased identification of Powassan virus and other arthropod-borne infections, which should always be reported,” the authors state.

Related Articles:4 cases of Powassan virus encephalitis
Powassan virus encephalitis contracted during winter months
Can Powassan virus cause encephalitis or other neurologic damage?
References:
  1. CMAJ 2024 August 26;196:E973-6. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.240227
  2. Megan C. Mladinich et al, Age-dependent Powassan virus lethality is linked to glial cell activation and divergent neuroinflammatory cytokine responses in a murine model, Journal of Virology (2024). DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00560-24
  3. Passive surveillance of Powassan virus in human-biting ticks and health outcomes of associated bite victims. Siegel, Eric et al. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, Volume 30, Issue 10, 1332 – 1334

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**Comment**

But like all things Lyme/MSIDS, Powassan can persist in humans as well as mice.

Powassan is NOT rare:

http://www.coppelabs.com/blog/why-is-powassan-virus-infection-still-described-as-rare-and-mysterious/  Excerpt:  

For the last two years, Coppe Laboratories has dedicated a significant amount of time and resources to dispelling the myth that infection with Powassan virus, a virus transmitted by tick bite, is rare. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) reports only 100 cases of Powassan virus infection in the United States in the last 10 years. Indeed, that statistic gives the illusion that Powassan infection is rare. However, did you know that the only infections reported to CDC are those that are life-threatening, particularly cases causing severe inflammation of the brain like the case reported in LiveScience?

Coppe has published three new papers in the last year that clearly show Powassan virus infection is not rare are at all, and until testing for this virus is included as part of tick-borne disease screening panels infections will continue to be underreported. Coppe’s Powassan Guide, which can be downloaded from the website, summarizes the findings from both tick and human Powassan prevalence studies, as well as defining the patient populations that would benefit most from Powassan testing.

Coppe Labs, a specialized CLIA-certified lab, right in Waukesha, Wisconsin tests for Powassan, West Nile, Anaplasma, Babesia, Human Herpes Viruses 6 & 7, COVID, and Lyme disease.

Wisconsin is a hot-spot for Powassan.

For more:

Regarding IVIG, it has been used successfully in many Lyme/MSIDS patients including this young autistic boy infected with borrelia, babesia, and bartonella.  After a rough week of treatment suddenly this boy could remember things, he became happy, social, and agreeable with fewer tics.  Disulfiram also played a key role as well as targeting bartonella.  IVIG has also been used in PANS and PANDAS with some success.

Susannah Cahalan, who wrote the book Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, was given steroids, plasmapherisis, and IVIG for autoimmune encephalitis.

Dr. Frid uses IVIG for treating infections induced autoimmune encephalitis.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/01/panspandas-steroids-autoimmune-disease-lymemsids-the-need-for-medical-collaboration/   Boy’s Lyme Disease Morphs into Autoimmune encephalopathy. It took 10 years and 20 doctors to find out 12-year-old Patrik had Lyme disease. Just 4 months later the doctors discovered he also has a condition where his immune system attacks his brain.

Category:

research, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment, Viruses

Medicine Struggles to Define Chronic Lyme. Long Covid Has Only Made it Harder

https://www.statnews.com/2024/09/09/lyme-disease-long-covid-symptoms-diagnosis-research/

Medicine struggles to define chronic Lyme. Long Covid has only made it harder

By Isabella Cueto and Alina Sajani

Sept. 9, 2024

Going to the doctor is already tricky enough for people with chronic symptoms of Lyme disease. Their concerns often dismissed by mainstream medicine, those patients now face an additional hurdle: ruling out long Covid.

The two illnesses — one seeping in over the course of decades and another suddenly springing to life on a massive scale — share many qualities, including being widely misunderstood. But as efforts to demystify long Covid intensify, so does interest in studying neglected conditions, including persistent complications from Lyme disease.

Long Covid was a crash course in chronic conditions that start with infection. “As a result, Lyme patients are now met with more compassion and understanding than ever in the past. It is now harder for a physician to dismiss the possibility of a Lyme diagnosis out of hand than it was before the pandemic,” said Bernadette Clavier, facilitator of the Coalition for Infection-Associated Chronic Conditions and Illnesses Research.

New studies aim to tease apart the diseases’ differences and similarities in hopes of finding treatments for patients that have gone without vetted, tailored therapeutics, in some cases for decades. (See link for article)

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**Comment**

The article discusses the case of a Lyme advocate who had a mild case of COVID and only lost her sense of taste and smell, but who crashed two months later.  Joint pain and GI issues popped up seemingly out of nowhere.  She also got severe brain fog.

I’m sure this patient isn’t alone.

COVID did a number on both of us as well and we were very sick, numerous times.  The first time caused us to relapse with Bartonella.

But this patient is blaming COVID for it all.  I question the logic of this as there is no accurate test to prove it. One of the most common features of long-COVID syndrome is post-exertional malaise and research has shown the spike protein exhausts cardiomyocyte mitochondria.  Also, ‘Long COVID’ symptoms mirror those in other viral illnesses and with Lyme/MSIDS it is nearly impossible to discern what is causing what.  I can rattle off 10 things that cause joint pain, GI issues, and brain fog, including a bevy of bacterial and parasitic infections!

Researchers at Johns Hopkins and other institutions have a lost of potential new therapies they’d like to study – everything from inflammatory treatments to antibiotic combination therapies, brain stimulation, and magic mushrooms.

It is widely known that ALL vaccines prime illness by injecting foreign proteins and the COVID shots specifically cause T-cell exhaustion and masks are immunosuppressive.  These issues are side-stepped regarding ‘long covid.’ A top biologist states they are ‘bioweapons’ that can target entire populations by ‘triggering the immune system to stand down.’  This is the last thing a Lyme/MSIDS patient needs!

Italian scientists have issued a disturbing warning over a new neurological emergency surging in those who received the mRNA shots and others have shown they have caused excess death, organ damage, autoimmunity, and myocarditis and pericarditis, and urinary and bladder issues.  Then there’s the paper showing the spike protein induces a lethal cancer phenotype.

Seems to me ‘Long COVID’ is an easy scapegoat from much larger and damning issues.

Category:

Lyme, Treatment, vaccines, Viruses

Two Plants in Plaintain Family Show Antioxidant and Bb Inhibiting Properties

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/13/7112

Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata Exhibit Antioxidant and Borrelia burgdorferi Inhibiting Activities

by Pille-Riin Laanet, Olga Bragina, Piia Jõul and Merike Vahe*
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7112; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137112
Submission received: 18 May 2024 / Revised: 15 June 2024 / Accepted: 20 June 2024 / Published: 28 June 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Antimicrobial Activities of Phytochemicals: Bridging Traditional Knowledge and Molecular Insights)

Abstract

Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection, is the most widespread vector-borne illness in the Northern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, using targeted antibiotic therapy is often an ineffective cure. The antibiotic resistance and recurring symptoms of Lyme disease are associated with the formation of biofilm-like aggregates of B. burgdorferi. Plant extracts could provide an effective alternative solution as many of them exhibit antibacterial or biofilm inhibiting activities. This study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata as B. burgdorferi inhibitors. Hydroalcoholic extracts from three different samples of each plant were first characterised based on their total concentrations of polyphenolics, flavonoids, iridoids, and antioxidant capacity. Both plants contained substantial amounts of named phytochemicals and showed considerable antioxidant properties. The major non-volatile constituents were then quantified using HPLC-DAD-MS analyses, and volatile constituents were quantified using HS-SPME-GC-MS. The most prevalent non-volatiles were found to be plantamajoside and acteoside, and the most prevalent volatiles were β-caryophyllene, D-limonene, and α-caryophyllene. The B. burgdorferi inhibiting activity of the extracts was tested on stationary-phase B. burgdorferi culture and its biofilm fraction. All extracts showed antibacterial activity, with the most effective lowering the residual bacterial viability down to 15%. Moreover, the extracts prepared from the leaves of each plant additionally demonstrated biofilm inhibiting properties, reducing its formation by 30%.
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**Comment**
Both plants are in the plantain family, which is a diverse family of flowering plants and herbs and includes snapdragons, foxglove, particularly the broadleaf or greater plaintain (Plantago major) which is considered an herb, and narrowleaf plantain or ribwort (Plantago lanceolata).  You will find the former to be a common weed that is often found along the edge of the road.  This is handy because if you react to bee/wasp stings you can chew these leaves which are highly anti-inflammatory and them put it directly on the sting until you get home.  I’ve had to do this.  The tea is also excellent for bronchitis.  While narrowleaf plantain is has supposedly been introduced in WI, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen it and I consider myself a plant freak.
For more:

Word of warning: many think herbs are always safe.  I know of patients who messed themselves up pretty badly with herbs.  Herbs are strong medicine.  Never forget that.  For some they make all the difference.  For others, not so much.  Make sure you learn all you can about these powerful plants and as always – use with caution – as with any treatment.  I’m certainly not trying to dissuade you, just remind you to take heed, do your homework, and preferably work with experienced herbalists.  Nothing beats experience.

Category:

Biofilm, Herbs, Inflammation, Lyme, research, Treatment