​MonkeyPox
Rediscovered Native American remedy kills poxvirus

Herbal medicine used to treat smallpox in the 19th century found to halt viral replication in vitro. 

An old herbal remedy for treating smallpox that is thought to have been used by native Americans in the late 1800s has been rediscovered and found to kill the poxvirus. Smallpox has been eradicated, but the finding offers a possible treatment for poxvirus in the unlikely event of a bioterror attack or increased incidence of similar poxviruses such as monkey pox.  

Smallpox ravaged human populations for thousands of years, but in 1796 Edward Jenner discovered that exposure to cowpox lesions could provide immunity to smallpox. This led to the creation of the first vaccine for a disease. It took some time, but in 1979 the World Health Organization officially declared that smallpox had been eradicated. 
 
An extract of the pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea halted viral replication

Historical sources suggest that in the 1800s, when smallpox still posed a serious threat, the Micmac native Americans of Nova Scotia treated the disease using a botanical infusion derived from the insectivorous plant Sarracenia purpurea, a species of pitcher plant.

Now, Jeffrey Langland at Arizona State University in Tempe, US, and colleagues have conducted in vitro experiments with the herbal extract and found it inhibits replication of the variola virus, the causative agent behind smallpox. 

Although, natural smallpox no longer poses a health threat, there is a remote possibility that unstable states or terrorist groups could have acquired stocks of the virus following the collapse of the Soviet Union, which had developed smallpox as a biological warfare agent.

Vaccinations are still administered to at risk groups including researchers working with poxviruses and members of the US military who could potentially be exposed to the virus through biological warfare. But since the risk is so low for populations at large, it is hard to justify vaccinating everyone, particularly because the vaccine can have serious side effects. Developing therapies is therefore important in order to treat people if a bioterror event does occur. 

’There is much scepticism on herbal medicine but what our results illustrate conclusively is that this herb is able to kill the virus and we can actually demonstrate how it kills the virus,’ says Langland. ’It takes this herb out of the realm of folklore, and into the area of true scientific evidence.’ 

The team made extracts of S. purpurea and found that it was highly effective at inhibiting the replication of the virus in rabbit kidney cells. They then looked at the replication cycle of the virus and found that the herb inhibits mRNA synthesis, halting production of proteins vital for replication. ’Other drugs are being developed against smallpox, but S. purpurea is the only known therapy that will target the virus at this point in the replication cycle,’ says Langland. 

’The extract blocks early transcription appearing to have a distinct mechanism of action from that of two other antivirals currently in clinical trials,’ says Mark Buller, a virologist at Saint Louis University, Missouri, US. ’The results are very compelling, and support the need to further evaluate the purified active ingredient in small animal studies.’ 

’With smallpox, it is obviously impossible to see if this herb is effective in the human body unless a bioterror release of the virus occurs,’ says Langland. ’We are in the process of doing animal studies to confirm our results in at least this type of whole animal system.’
 
"The Micmac (Mi'kmaq) [of Nova Scotia] called this plant Indian Cup Roo. During the early part of this century they used the plant's root to treat tuberculosis. This part of the plant is also believed effective in treating kidney problems, or to relieve indigestion.
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To prepare the medicine, a small piece of the root is steeped to a cup of water (for at least ten minutes) and taken in small doses."

​This Sweet Beet Juice Recipe Has Blood Pressure Benefits

It doesn’t matter if you drink this vibrant tonic early in the morning or as a late-night snack — the benefits of beets can fit into your lattes, smoothies, and even cocktails. Our simple and naturally sweet beet juice is full of nutrients and easy to make.

Not only are beets full of vitamins, minerals, and medicinal plant compounds, they’re low in calories and high in fiber, folate, manganese, and dietary nitrates.

Beet benefits

• can significantly lower blood pressure after only a few hours of consumption
• low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals
• improves athletic performance
• improves cognitive function

Plus, they’re great for blood pressure! Well, the nitrates in beets are. Studies have shown that beets can significantly lower blood pressure  after only a few hours of consumption. Both raw beet juice and cooked beets were found to be effective at lowering blood pressure and decreasing inflammation. However, raw beet juice had a greater effect.

For athletes, the same nitrates can directly affect how cells produce energy. Studies have shown that drinking 17 ounces of beet juice daily enhances athletic endurance and can increase oxygen use. To maximize the effect of beet juice on athletic performance, it’s best to consume beet juice two to three hours before training or exercising.

Additionally, nitrates can improve blood flow to the brain. Poor blood flow to the brain contributes to many diseases and a decline in cognitive function. Beets can keep your brain sharp, as improved blood flow to the frontal lobe is linked with increased cognitive alertness and reaction time.

Recipe for Sweet Beet Juice
Ingredients

• 1 large beet, trimmed and chopped
• 1 apple, cored and chopped
• 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Process all of the ingredients through a juicer. Serve juice over ice, if desired.

Pro tip: If you don’t happen to own a juicer, you can use a blender instead. Simply combine the beet, apple, and lemon with half a cup of water, give or take, and blend on the highest setting for about 60 seconds. Then pour the blended contents through a strainer or cheese cloth.

Dosage: One of the great things about beet juice is that you can feel the effects in as little as three hours. For the best results, drink one to two cups. And if you’re looking for sustained reduction in blood pressure, drink at least that much on a daily basis.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS Beets are generally safe for consumption, but due to their high levels of oxalate content, they carry the risk of contributing to kidney stone formation. People with sensitive stomachs or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) should also eat cautiously, as beets can cause digestive discomfort.

********** STATEWIDE COVID-19 MITIGATION **************

The entire commonwealth is now under statewide COVID-19 mitigation.
    Here is what statewide mitigation means.
​
General Guidance
Freedom of travel will remain, but refrain from non-essential travel.
The Dept of Health strongly encourages the suspension of
    gatherings of more than 10 people over the next eight weeks.
Doctors Office's are encouraged to exercise discretion in order
    to mitigate the spread of illness.

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My office will be open daily throughout this COVID-19 Pendemic and scheduling patients.
Dr. Edwards will be doing phone visits with his patients for the next 2 weeks.
However some patients needing essential in-office therapy will be screened for
    COVID-19 and seen by appointment only.
For more information please feel free to contact our office at
    215-966-8774 or MartyEdwardsND@aol.com .

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