MRSA is a type of staph infection. MRSA (pronounced ‘mer-sa’ or simply ‘m-r-s-a’) is
Microscopic view of MRSA
an abbreviation for ‘methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus’. This type of staph bacteria causes infection in different areas of the body, just like other types of staph. One difference is that MRSA is resistant to some commonly used antibiotics, which is why this type of infection is sometimes referred to as a ’super-bug’.
Herbs & MRSA
Of the great many herbal botanicals that act like antibiotics, two herbs in particular currently show a promising ability to treat antibiotic resistant staph infections like MRSA. These two herbs are Tumeric (Curcuma) and St. John’s Wort (Hypericum). These medicinals can be used internally or externally as a skin soak. Tumeric, a common cooking ingredient especially in Indian food, stains the skin bright orange and is probably best used internally. St. John’s Wort is very well known for its ability to treat depression. See related post here.
It is best to work with an herbalist when considering whether or not these herbs are right for you. A trained herbal healer will be able to determine the correct dosage of these medicinals for the treatment of MRSA and the correct method of usage and administration. Be aware that each of these herbs has cautions and contraindications, which are listed below.
Herbal Cautions:
Tumeric Roots - increase blood circulation
Tumeric Roots - increase blood circulation
Tumeric is an herb that promotes blood circulation and should not be used with blood thinning drugs such as Coumadin. This botanical should not be used before or after surgery. Tumeric should be used cautiously with pregnancy because in some cases it can act as a uterine stimulant.
St. John’s Wort has two main cautions. The first is that this herb increases photo-sensitivity to the sun and may be best to avoid using internally during the summer. Ironically when the oil of St. John’s Wort is applied to the skin, it acts as a strong sunscreen.
St. John's Wort Flowers & Leaves
The second caution for St. John’s Wort is that it can affect the way that the liver metabolizes certain western pharmaceuticals. This means that the processing time of these pharmaceuticals may be altered. For example, a women taking birth control pills and St. John’s Wort at the same time can become pregnant because the processing of the birth control pill might be slowed down.
Research
Click below to view some recent western medical research on Tumeric & St. John’s Wort:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16161063?log$=activity
[...] St. John’s Wort is also potentially effective against MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). See related post here. [...]