About managing Anthrax exposure from the CDC

[Guest guest]

So has any herbal formula been shown to be as effective as

ciprofloxacin?

 

Jim Ramholz

 

 

 

 

 

About managing Anthrax, excerpted from the CDC

(http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no4/cieslak.htm):

 

Inhalational anthrax begins after exposure to the necessary inoculum,

with the uptake of spores by pulmonary macrophages. These macrophages

carry the spores to tracheobronchial or mediastinal lymph nodes.

Here, B. anthracis finds a favorable milieu for growth and is induced

to vegetate. The organism begins to produce an antiphagocytic capsule

and at least three proteins, which appear to play a major role in

virulence. These proteins are known as edema factor (EF), lethal

factor (LF), and protective antigen (PA). Following the A-B model of

toxicity (13), PA serves as a necessary carrier molecule for EF and

LF and permits penetration into cells. Edema toxin results from the

combination of EF + PA, lethal toxin results from the combination of

LF + PA. These toxins result in necrosis of the lymphatic tissue,

which in turn causes the release of large numbers of B. anthracis.

The organisms gain access to the circulation, and an overwhelming

fatal septicemia rapidly ensues. At autopsy, widespread hemorrhage

and necrosis involving multiple organs is seen.

 

While endemic strains of B. anthracis are typically sensitive to

various antibiotics, including penicillin G, antibiotic-resistant

strains do (on rare occasion) occur naturally (16) and can be readily

isolated in laboratories. For this reason, as well as the convenience

of twice-daily dosing, many experts consider ciprofloxacin (400 mg

intravenously (i.v.) q 12 h) the drug of choice for treating victims

of terrorism or warfare. Doxycycline (100 mg i.v. q 12 h) is an

acceptable alternative, although rare doxycycline-resistant strains

of B. anthracis are known. Conversely, however, the much lower cost

of tetracyclines compared to quinolones may factor into therapeutic

decisions, especially where large numbers of patients are involved.

These recommendations are based solely on in vitro data and data from

animal models (17); no human clinical experience with these regimens

exists. In cases of endemic anthrax, or where organisms are known to

be susceptible, penicillin G (2 million units i.v. q 2 h or 4 million

units i.v. q 4 h) is recommended.

 

Postexposure prophylaxis against anthrax may be achieved with oral

ciprofloxacin (500 mg orally q 12 h) or doxycycline (100 mg orally q

12 h), and all persons exposed to a bioterrorist incident involving

anthrax should be administered one of these regimens at the earliest

possible opportunity. In cases of threatened or suspected release of

anthrax, chemoprophylaxis can be delayed 24 to 48 hours, until the

threat is verified. Chemoprophylaxis can be discontinued if the

threat is found to be false. Levofloxacin and ofloxacin would be

acceptable alternatives to ciprofloxacin. In addition to receiving

chemoprophylaxis, exposed persons should be immunized. On the basis

of animal data (wherein an appreciable number of unvaccinated

primates died when antibiotics were withdrawn after 30 days of

therapy) (18), chemoprophylaxis is best continued until the exposed

persons has received at least three doses of vaccine (thus, for a

minimum of 4 weeks). If vaccine is unavailable, some recommend that

chemoprophylaxis be continued for 8 weeks (19). The available vaccine

was licensed (for preexposure prophylaxis) by the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration in 1970 and is prepared from a formalin-treated

culture supernatent of an avirulent B. anthracis strain. It is given

in a preexposure regimen at 0, 2, and 4 weeks, and at 6, 12, and 18

months. Persons at continuing risk for exposure should receive yearly

boosters. Exposed persons should receive at least three doses (at 0,

2, and 4 weeks), assuming no further exposure is likely, before

discontinuing chemoprohylaxis.

[Guest guest]

been shown

>>>That is the key word

Alon

[Guest guest]

, <alonmarcus@w...> wrote:

> been shown

> >>>That is the key word

> Alon

 

from the 100th General Meeting of the American Society for

Microbiology:

Do Plants Use a Traditional Strategy in Combating

Microbes?

 

(Session 136/A., Paper A-123)

 

Spencer Benson

University of Maryland College Park

301-405-5478

sb77

 

In Traditional (TCM) the herbalist often combines

various agents (herbs) in a holistic approach to restore or maintain

homeostasis. By combining various herbs the herbalist seeks to

accentuate and enhance the activity of the principle active

ingredient, suppress undesirable side effects, and treat accompanying

symptoms. This TCM strategy is different then traditional western

medicine approaches which historically have been to identify

single " magic bullet " drugs that are highly specific, used for

specific diseases/symptoms, and have minimal interactions with

systems of components other that the desired target. We show that

Arnebia euchroma an herbal plant of the Boraginaceae family uses a

TCM-like combinatorial strategy in its production of antimicrobial

compounds. Root extracts from Arnebia euchroma and related

Boraginaceae species have traditionally been used as topical wound

heal agents both in Asia and Europe. The roots of Arnebia euchroma

contain a mixture of six structurally related shikonin type compounds

that can be extracted from the roots using organic solvents. We have

termed the extract rubricine due to its deep red color. Rubricine is

a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that is active against fungi and

bacteria. Each of the six compounds individually possesses

antimicrobial activity, although not all are equally effective as

single agents. When individual components are used in pair-wise

combinations the antibacterial activity is accentuated and enhanced

beyond that expected from a simple additive effect. The parent

compound, shikonin, functions as both an antimicrobial agent and as

an accentuator for the antibacterial activities of each the other

five compounds. This finding suggest that in the natural environment

the plant produces a combination of compounds rather then increased

amounts of a single compound because of the added advantage of

synergy among the compounds. One possible reason for this is that

roots need to maintain homeostasis with the surrounding microbial

flora and the combination of compounds is more beneficial that the

actions of individual compounds. This natural combinatorial strategy

is TCM like. It suggests that an alternative paradigm for drug

discovery is to look at combinations of related compounds for

synergistic effects.

[Guest guest]

on 9/21/01 11:30 PM, James Ramholz at jramholz wrote:

 

> So has any herbal formula been shown to be as effective as

> ciprofloxacin?

>

> Jim Ramholz

>

 

I have no idea, but chuan xin lain and huang lian are the most logical

places to start an inquiry.

Cara

[Guest guest]

there many TCM herbs that have anti-biotic properties, especially in vitro. That is not the same thing as being able to combat specific infection in vivo.

Alon