Hepatitis is a term that encompasses not only viral hepatitis (hepatitis A-E; abbreviated HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV), but also inflammatory conditions of liver that may have a variety of causes. I will not go into detail as to how many diseases this term could comprise, so it’s important to note that this list is focused solely on viral hepatitis and while some of these herbs may also be beneficial for other liver conditions, it’s best to check out my list about liver fibrosis as antiviral herbs are best supplemented with hepatoprotectives and antifibrotics.
Category: Herbs Page 2 of 3
As the coronavirus panic continues to spread, I figured now would be a good time to write an article about potential herbal treatment. I have summarized most of the herbs that may be effective against COVID-19 (otherwise known as SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV) based on molecular docking and previous experience from SARS and MERS outbreaks. Do keep in mind that each herb and its respective constituents work differently and while some of these are direct inhibitors of replication, others might be helpful in managing the symptoms. Many of the studies that provide information about these are based on older data. The last section of this article comprises my personal recommendations that I do believe may be helpful in managing the symptoms, most of them even having antiviral effects. Although COVID-19 is a new virus, it bears similarities to the previous SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, thus herbs effective against these strains may also be effective against the latest coronavirus. The genome of SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be 89% similar to the genome of the original virus. These similarities are mainly in the proteins that are responsible for the virus’ life cycle.
Leaves of pale smartweed (Persicaria/Polygonum lapathifolia) are commonly used in ethnomedicine to treat stomach disorders, fever, disorders of kidneys, kidney stones and urinary tract infections. It is commonly associated with antiviral, antifungal, astringent, hepatoprotective, anthelmintic, antibacterial, anti-emetic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 1
Boldo (Peumus boldus) is a plant that has been predominantly used in South America, but it has managed to spread to other continents as well. As common with herbs stemming from Latin America, the term boldo is often associated with other herbs such as Plectranthus barbatus, P. neochilus, P. amboinicus and Vernonia condensate. 1
Boldo is used in traditional medicine for treatment of rheumatism, syphilis, anxiety, gonorrhea, trouble sleeping, cysts, stomach pain, ear pain, urinary tract infections, diabetes, disorders of gastrointestinal tract, cancer and liver disorders.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is an incurable virus that lies dormant in the brain stem after the initial infection. There are two types of HSV, namely HSV-1 and HSV-2. Oral herpes is known to be caused by HSV-1, while genital herpes can be caused by both HSV-1 and HSV-2.
The herbs in this list won’t fully eradicate the virus from the brain stem (for that you would need one herb to facilitate access to brain stem and one extremely virucidal herb which is an impossible feat), but they might help you clear the virus from skin or mucosal membranes after its outbreak. Some of these may even stop the virus from getting to your brain stem, so they are perfect for when you think you might have been infected by someone.
Some of these herbs are only active against HSV-1 or HSV-2, so it’s important to know which type you have. In my opinion, the best kinds of herbs are those that are active against both types as it demonstrates their antiviral potency.