10 of the Most Common Antibacterial and Antiviral Herbs
"The secrets are in the plants. To elicit them, you have to love them."
George Carver
With the arrival of cold and flu season, stocking up on my antibacterial and antiviral herbs always comes to the forefront of my thoughts consistently by November. It's thought that for a multitude of reasons, illness increases in the winter season. First and foremost, we tend to be going more indoors more frequently, in closer quarters and coming in contact with more people to begin with. Second, the colder and drier air is thought to for many people increase the symptoms from any particular illness that may have been hardly noticeable in the spring and summer months.
Third, the lack of sunlight may lower our vitamin D levels which is thought to provide a critical role in fighting off common bacterial and viral infections. Over the course of a couple months, by December and January, we are in full swing of not only winter 'blues' and SAD (seasonal affective disorder) season but being more susceptible to illness. Naturally, this is where herbal medicine can be wonderful to have in stock.
It's also worth mentioning the value in these herbs due to the fact that resistance to bacteria has been slowly increasing. This phenomenon can spread quickly and is known to even pass from species to species. This is particularly important when it comes to farm animals and the increase of resistance found in strains of E. Coli or Staph infections because of modern mass farming practices. We can't completely escape bacteria and naturally, many strains are wonderful for us and we rely on them for our very survival. As with everything, it's our relationship with bacteria that matters. When it comes to viral infections, as we all know they can mutate into new strains and consistently do so from season to season. Viral infections are a lot more challenging to treat and often we are left with simply having to support the body in order to fight these off.
Many antibacterial or antiviral lab created compounds are made from mainly one or only a few main chemicals whereas natural plant medicine is made of hundreds of chemicals. For this reason, it's thought that herbal medicine won't often cause a resistance. That's not to say that one herb would act better than a prescribed antibiotic, just that it's unlikely to be the cause of a resistance and in some cases may be an option to discuss with our doctors to try in addition to their recommendations.
All of these herbs are listed only as inspiration to consult on with our physicians. Herbal medicine has the potential to interact adversely with other medications as with anything, even how food often does. Many of these would likely work better in conjunction with another herb such as combining elderberry with cinnamon and clove, turmeric with cinnamon (in warm almond milk with a dash of black pepper) or taking meadowsweet with lemon balm. Many doctors wouldn't recommend taking antibacterial or antiviral herbs daily for long periods of time as they can interfere with our body's delicate balance of good and healthy bacteria.
I've only had great experiences taking these during active illness and helping my body form a faster and more successful immune response. I've had particularly consistent success cutting my colds drastically with thyme or rosemary and lemon balm infusions (tea) as well as drinking high content cranberry juice. The caveat for me with this is drinking at least 3 cups or glasses a day for at least 3 days in a row. Consistency is as important with herbal medicine as it is with any other medication and this is often forgotten or unrealized. People will often drink only one or two cups tea and after a day think it's not working. Another facet to remember here is that your quality of herb matters and common store bought tea in the standard grocery mart is usually very medicinally weak due to processing and sitting in warehouses or store shelves for months.
Standard recipe: 2 oz. of herb per 8 oz. or 1 cup of boiling water. Steep for at least fifteen minutes.
I also make larger batches on my stove top using 1:4 method of herb to water. Doesn't matter what herbs you use. Some herbs and flavors lend to being more heavily used as the bulk of the herb (lemon balm) used whereas others are more for flavoring (cinnamon). These remedies naturally expand your taste palette. Bring all to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat and let simmer covered for an hour. Strain herbs well. Store the rest in the refrigerator to be used as iced herbal tea for the next couple days.
Disclaimer - There are very few studies on these herbs. These herb qualities are listed based on hypothetical use. Many studies have only been conducted in a lab setting and have not yet been replicated in the human body.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon or Cinnamomum cassia is a tree in the Lauraceae family and native to Asia. Many people don't realize that cinnamon is actually made from bark or that it can be used as an herbal medicine in many various ways. The use of cinnamon goes back thousands of years and was first documents over 4,500 years ago in Chinese texts. Even the ancient Egyptians used cinnamon to flavor food as well as in their embalming process. Pliny the Elder wrote that cinnamon was worth 15 times the value of silver and Romans believing it was somewhat sacred, often burned it during funerals. Cinnamon may act as an analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral.
Clove
Clove or Syzygium aromaticum is in the Myrtaceae family and native to Indonesia. Cloves reached the Roman world by the first century CE, where they were also described by Pliny the Elder. By 176 CE, cloves had reached as far as Egypt. Clove, similarly to cinnamon was a widely revered and traded herb in the old world. A major component of its taste but also medicinal quality is imparted by the chemical eugenol, similarly to cinnamon as well. Clove may act as an analgesic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral.
Elderberries
Elderberry or Sambucus nigra or canadensis is in the Adoxaceae family and has many subspecies that are native throughout Europe and North America. In Ireland, Britain and Western Europe, over half of the elder's historical and medicinal cited uses were for treating colds and respiratory ailments. According to Irish folklore collector Lady Wilde, there were seven herbs the Irish fairy doctors often worked with of great value and power, one of them being the elder tree. It was also used throughout Europe in Roman, Greek and Norse cultures as well. Hippocrates referred to elderberry as "nature's medicine chest". Elderberry may act as an antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral (2).
Garlic
Garlic or Allium ursinum and Allium ampeloprasum are in the Amaryllidaceae family and native to Europe and Asia. Wild garlic is a predominantly Irish foraged medicinal herb from times of old all the way into the present and unanimously in use throughout Ireland. There are over 45 references to garlic medicinal use in the Irish Folk Duchas library where it was used for everything from colds, whooping cough, tuberculosis, anemia, cancer, rheumatism, wounds and toothaches or to ward off evil spirits. Older records through the Medieval period point to the same usage with 75 records alone accounting for its use to treat colds and asthma. Garlic may act as an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and vermifuge.
Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm or Melissa officinalis is in the Lamiaceae family and native to south-central Europe, the Mediterranean and Central Asia, but has become naturalized in the Americas and elsewhere. Greek physician Dioscorides mentions that a 'decoction of the leaves in wine was good for "those touched by scorpions, or bitten by harvest spiders or dogs. It is suitable for women's hip baths for moving the menstrual flow, as a mouth rinse for toothache, and as an enema or suppository for dysentery. It would also help those who are ill from mushrooms or griping." Lemon balm was still being recorded as a common cottage herb in Europe, Ireland and Britain at the latest by the 16th century. Lemon balm may act as an antibacterial, antiviral (2), anxiety alterative and digestion tonic.
Meadowsweet
Meadowsweet or Filipendula ulmaria is in the Rosaceae family and native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia. Records indicate that it was used readily and widely throughout Ireland, Scotland and Britain for various ailments ranging from generalized pain, cough, cold, fever and sore throat to nervousness, kidney trouble, jaundice and digestive complaints. Meadowsweet has been found with the cremated remains of three people and at least one animal in a Bronze Age Cairn at Fan Foel, Carmarthenshire and North Mains, Strathhallan. An example of one the world's oldest alcoholic drinks 'Mead' comes from a cairn at Ashgrove in Fife, Scotland dating from 1000 B.C. It was made from two types of honey, lime pollen and meadowsweet. Meadowsweet may act as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and astringent.
Rosemary
Rosemary or Rosemarinus officinalis is in the Lamiaceae family and native to the Mediterranean. Rosemary was well traded and became a common cottage herb throughout Europe and the isles at least by the 800's but likely well before this point as it was in use throughout ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome for millennia. Rosemary was somewhat of a unanimous symbol throughout Europe of fidelity between lovers, possibly on account of its ability to improve memory or the fact that it was a flowering evergreen. Rosemary may act as an antibacterial, antispasmodic, antiviral and hair and skin tonic.
Thyme
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris and Wild Thyme, Thymus serpyllum or Thymus praecox are in the Lamiaceae family and native to the Mediterranean but has become naturalized throughout Europe and the isles. Thymus is a very heavily populated genus with approx. 350 species. In Ireland, Britain, Wales and Scotland thyme was regularly mixed with honey and considered a potent remedy for tuberculosis, asthma and whooping cough. An old English recipe called for picking thyme in the sun and covering thoroughly with honey. "Let the mixture sit for three to four weeks near a source of heat, strain and use for coughs, asthma or bronchitis." Thyme may act as an antibacterial (2), antiviral (2), hypotensive and antispasmodic.
Turmeric
Turmeric or Curcuma longa is in the Zingiberaceae family and native to the Indian subcontinent or Southeast Asia. It is surely one of the oldest native herbs used in India and a staple of Ayurveda, India's collection of ancient medicinal recipes. Turmeric may act as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immunity tonic. Ginger is also in the same plant family and has very similar qualities if you don't have turmeric on hand.
Vervain
Vervain or Verbena officinalis is in the Verbenaceae family and native to Europe and Asia. It was said that Druids used vervain to cleanse their altars before performing rituals and may have been used to induce prophesy or to accompany incantations. One folk custom that continued into the middle ages in parts of Ireland and Scotland was to wear vervain to protect oneself from evil spirits, witchcraft or to bring good luck. Vervain may act as an antibacterial (2), anti-inflammatory (2), antiviral and a relaxant.
Honorable Mention...
Marshmallow and Mullein
Both Marshmallow and Mullein are native to Europe and Asia but have become naturalized in North America. Mallow is famously one of the seven herbs in Irish folklore that nothing natural or supernatural could injure and commonly used to treat sore throat or stomach ailments. Regarding mullein, there are over 15 references in the Irish Folk Duchas library alone lending to the usage of mullein to treat colds and lung ailments as well. References to this usage goes back to early classical writers. They both are demulcents and work wonders when taken as an infusion at calming aching sore throats, muscle aches and cough or other symptoms associated with respiratory illness. Marshmallow and mullein are particularly well known as antispasmodics (2)(3)(4)(5). Additionally, mullein is also antibacterial and antiviral.
Cranberry, Grapefruit, Pomegranate, Lemon, Orange
All of these wonderful fruits and juices have a huge array of vital and wonderful components and vitamins like vitamin C that aid in combatting illness. Cranberry works particularly well against stomach viruses due to its proanthocyanidins (also in elderberry) which are highly antibacterial and antiviral. As with herbs, these juices are most potent fresh but also more concentrated.
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All of my herbal and folkloric information is research based with citations.
Cover art by Camille Pissarro