The following herbs widely used for infections and the flu are a part of phytotherapy for diseases that affect a single body part or system and the entire body as a whole. These herbs help to heal infectious diseases in three ways:
- Antibiotic action: Natural antibiotics contained in superior plants do not act as quickly and as effectively as chemically treated, purified antibiotics contained in pharmaceutical products. However, they have the advantage of being much better tolerated, since as a rule, they lack any side or toxic effects. Moreover, they do not depress natural defenses, as pharmaceutical antibiotics usually do. Plants also contain antiseptic substances which act on the skin or mucosa surface.
- Depurative action: Herbs promote elimination through the kidneys, the skin, and the liver of toxins that our bodies are continuously producing, even more so with infectious diseases.
- Immunostimulant action: Some herbs can stimulate the immune system, which produces defenses against infections. These defenses are double: cellular (for instance, the leukocytes or white blood cells) and humoral (antibodies). Both increase in number with phytotherapy remedies.
In the fight against diseases, the herbs widely used for infections and the flu act mainly organically, improving their conditions to allow the body to confront the germs by itself. Bear in mind that the best antibiotic will fail if the body’s defense mechanism does not act in an effective manner.
Herbs Widely Used for Infections and The Flu
Perspirant Plants
These plants stimulate sweat production. Sweat has a composition similar to urine, though less concentrated. Perspirant plants have a notable depurative and antitoxic effect on the blood. They are recommended for infectious or febrile diseases, overload due to excessive diet, arthritis caused by an excess of uric acid, and chronic toxicity.
Herbal teas from medicinal plants are excellent to promote our body’s healing during recovery from infectious diseases: they help eliminate toxins, tone up the body, and increase appetite.
To achieve a healthy, infection-free body, fighting the micro-organisms which cause infections is not enough. Current medicine is more critical to the body in fighting infectious diseases. Their use, and the adoption of a healthier lifestyle, can help us more than the most potent antibiotic.
List of Infectious Diseases
Herbs widely used for infections and the flu can improve the health of people suffering from infectious diseases at any point in their lives.
Low defenses – Unhealthy diet, lack of physical exercise, and abuse of antibiotics are some of the causes which can depress the immune system. In other cases, lack of defense is caused by severe ailments such as AIDS or certain types of cancer.
Besides correcting the causative factors, using these plants has a notable immunostimulant effect whenever possible. Their use is recommended in any case of severe infection, and when it occurs, depression is in defense against infections.
Febrile diseases – In any case of fever, the causative illness diagnosis is required since many can cause fever. Hence, a specific treatment could be applied. These medicinal herbs are a complement to the treatment of fever-causative disease. They not only produce a decrease in temperature but also increase perspiration, promote the elimination of toxins, refresh, and invigorate. Therefore, they are better than antipyretic medicines.
| Lemon tree | German chamomile | Barberry |
| Quassia | Lilac | Apple tree |
| Rowan | Tamarind | Bramble |
| Couch grass | Mountain holly | White willow |
| Sassafras | Wild daisy | Borage |
| Cinchona | Black poplar | Black elder |
Convalescence – This is an intermediate period between the conditions of illness and health, during which our body corrects the losses suffered and normalizes the altered functions. The term is generally applied to the phase of recovering from any infectious disease. Phytotherapy uses important plants to ease and make the convalescence process shorter. These plants complement other measures such as diet or physical rehabilitation.
| Oats | Spirulina | Angelica |
| St. Benedict thistle | Red currant | White currant |
| Ginseng | Sesame | Meadowsweet |
| Rosemary | Wild daisy | Brier hip |
| Clary sage |
Amebiasis is a disease caused by amoebae, which are protozoa (unicellular animals). They provoke severe diarrhea (amebic dysentery) and hepatic afflictions. With the extract of this tropical shrub, some pharmaceutical preparations are made.
Brucellosis – An infection caused by the Brucella mellitensis, transmitted through milk and dairy products (goats and sheep). Besides pharmaceutical preparations, these herbs help heal this disease.
Cholera – Is a disease caused by choleric vibrion, which manifests as vomiting, liquid diarrhea, and dehydration. Besides the treatment with antibiotics, this plant helps with its healing. See also herbs for gastroenteritis.
Diphtheria – A children’s disease caused by the diphtheria bacillus, which affects the throat (pharynx and larynx), and the nose. It can even cause asphyxia. At present, this disease is quite rare. Applications with lemon juice are a complement to its specific treatment.
Salmonellosis – This disease is caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella, which are present in food in harmful conditions. It manifests itself as severe gastroenteritis. Besides these plants, those recommended for gastroenteritis are useful.
Syphilis – A sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. These plants are a complement to the specific antibiotic treatment.
Typhoid fever – The bacteria Salmonella typhi, which comes in infected water or foods, especially seafood. It appears as severe diarrhea and intoxication. These medicinal herbs have a positive influence on the course of this disease.
Whooping cough – A disease caused by the microorganism Bacillus pertussis, which manifests itself as crises of spasmodic cough, which repeat for several weeks. These herbs effectively ease cough and promote this disease’s healing. See also the herbs recommended against cough.
Influenza – This is an infectious disease caused by a virus, which manifests itself as fever, muscular pain, respiratory catarrh, and a trend toward bronchial and lung complications. There is no specific pharmacological treatment for influenza. The best one consists of helping the body overcome the infection by itself by enhancing its healing mechanisms.
Phytotherapy acts precisely in that way. These medicinal herbs increase sweat and thus eliminate toxins and stimulate immune defenses against infection. They also decrease the fever and alleviate the discomforts of the disease.
| Linden | Cypress | Lemon tree |
| Coltsfoot | Buckbean | Meadowsweet |
| Mountain holly | Wild daisy | Boxwood |
| Echinacea | Briar hip | Black elder |
| Nasturtium |
AIDS – We cannot say that the use of these herbs can heal this terrible ailment, though some people have stated so. However, they can positively help its evolution by stimulating our body’s abilities to fight against this disease. The increase in the defensive capacity of our body seems to be the best way to heal AIDS since its virus has not been eliminated with medicines. These herbs, along with a healthy lifestyle, can do their best to fight AIDS.
Tuberculosis – This is an infection caused by the Koch bacillus, called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a disease with a slow progression, mainly affecting the lungs, and manifests itself or becomes more severe when there is an imbalanced diet or unhealthy lifestyle. These herbs cannot heal this disease alone, but they promote the body’s healing mechanisms, which greatly influence the prevention and cure of tuberculosis.
Malaria – This is an infection caused by protozoa (unicellular animals) of the genus Plasmodium, which are transmitted by a mosquito bite. According to the WHO, this disease affects most people worldwide. Medicinal herbs are essential in treating malaria since antimalaria medicines are all quinine derivatives. This substance is removed from the bark of the cinchona tree, native to South America.
To achieve a healthy, infection-free body, fighting the microorganisms which cause infections is not enough. Current medicine is increasingly critical to the body in fighting infectious diseases.
Medicinal herbs do not act by destroying microorganisms but rather by giving strength to the body’s defenses. Their use, and the adoption of a healthier lifestyle, can help us more than the most potent antibiotic.
Herbal teas of medicinal herbs complement the treatment of infectious diseases during their acute phase and recovery.
Herbal teas from medicinal herbs are excellent for promoting the recovery of our body during recovery from infectious diseases: they help eliminate toxins, tone up the body, and increase appetite.
REFERENCES
George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 2 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743. Print.
