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Ask the Herbalist_questions on STDs
Answer:
Yes, if the condition is mild. Abnormal cervical cell growth is triggered primarily by the human papillomavirus (HPV),
but other risk factors include early age at first intercourse, multiple sexual partners, cigarette smoking and poor
nutrition.
A host of studies demonstrate a relationship between low levels of antioxidant nutrients and HPV infection, cervical
Dysplasia and cancer.
A study of 123 women found that blood levels of vitamin E and carotenoids such as beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin and
lutein were on average 24 percent lower among women who had active HPV cervical infection, compared with women
who had no infection or whose infection cleared. Furthermore, those with the lowest vitamin levels tended to have the
most severe Dysplasia.5
Blood tests from 147 women with cervical Dysplasia and 191 control women showed those with the highest levels of
cryptoxanthin and vitamin E reduced their risk of cervical Dysplasia by about two-thirds. Other carotenoids and vitamin
C offered weaker protection.6
A study of 206 women found a correlation between high plasma levels of vitamin A and regression of cervical
Dysplasia. It also uncovered a protective effect from high zinc levels.7 Preliminary trials of the prescription vitamin A
derivative retinoic acid (Retin-A®) applied topically to the cervix show complete regression in about 45 percent of
patients treated with higher concentrations (0.1583 to 0.484 percent) of retinoic acid.8
Low folic acid levels appear to play a role in the initiation of cervical Dysplasia. Although this vitamin probably helps
prevent Dysplasia, it is not clear whether supplements can reverse it. A study of 47 women with mild to moderate
Dysplasia found that taking 10 mg of folic acid daily for three months produced significant improvement compared with
placebo.9 A subsequent trial of 235 women taking the same dose of folic acid for six months failed to find a significant
change.10 To avoid masking a B12 deficiency, most practitioners suggest folic acid be taken with 400­1,000 mcg of
B12.
Holistic practitioners generally recommend reducing risk factors including smoking, unsafe sex and poor diet, as well
as taking daily supplements of 10 mg folic acid, 25,000­50,000 IU beta-carotene, 1­3 g vitamin C, and 200­400 IU
vitamin E. Herbs such as Echinacea (E. purpurea), Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus), and Shitake (Lentinus
edodes) and Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) mushrooms can also boost immune function to help fight HPV infection.
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Controlling the Incurable Viral STDs
by Jill E. Stansbury, N.D.
In the wake of the AIDS epidemic, we've had to examine our social attitudes about sexuality. So severe are the
consequences of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that concerns about less vicious infections seem almost trivial.
However, herpesvirus and human papillomavirus continue to plague millions. Although typically not as life-threatening
as AIDS, these viruses are common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that cause a great deal of both physical and
psychological pain and suffering.
The Many Forms of Herpes
Herpesvirus is thought to be millions of years old, and infects all known vertebrate species.1 The herpes family is large
and ubiquitous, with more than 70 members including the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which is responsible for
recurrent cold sores and genital herpes. Herpes zoster, or shingles, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also
causes chicken pox in children and often remains dormant in nerves after recovery. The herpes family also includes
several viruses associated with acute infections and chronic fatigue syndrome, namely Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and
cytomegalovirus (CMV).2-5 CMV is a common pathogen that has been isolated from virtually all bodily fluids. CMV
infections may be minimal or may cause a mononucleosislike illness with sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and
elevated white blood cell counts. EBV and CMV are serious pathogenic threats to immune-compromised individuals
causing prolonged flulike illness.
Herpesviruses affect the nerves and may lie dormant in the body for many years, becoming active during times of
stress or immune challenges. Herpes, from the Greek word herpein, which means to creep, causes tingling, burning or
crawling sensations as the virus becomes active and inflames local nerves. Many people can predict the onset of
either a cold sore or a genital outbreak a few days prior to the emergence of a blister by the characteristic nerve
sensations produced. Herpesvirus often produces tiny, painful blisters that quickly ulcerate and create red, raw,
inflamed lesions that take several weeks to scab and heal. As with most viruses, outbreaks can be accompanied by
enlargement of the lymph nodes.
Most of the U.S. adult population is believed to be infected with the herpes simplex virus, and at least one-third of the
population has recurrent outbreaks, either oral or genital. Some estimates put the number of new genital herpes cases
at half a million each year and the total number of genital herpes cases in the United States at about 30 million.6 With
oral herpes, the initial infection commonly occurs in childhood and is often mild and unremarkable, although it may be
associated with fever and flulike symptoms. Once the initial infection has occurred, the virus may lie dormant for years
or become active at any time. Two types of HSV have been identified--type 1 and type 2. While HSV-1 is mostly
responsible for oral lesions and HSV-2 for genital herpes, both can occur in either location. Oral-to-genital contact at a
time when the virus is active can transmit the virus to a susceptible mucous membrane. Both types are taken up by
nerve endings and migrate to nerve ganglia. Oral herpes commonly targets the trigeminal nerve, the motor and chief
sensory nerve of the face, while genital herpes commonly migrates to the sacral ganglia, located at the base of the
spine. When HSV-1 infects the genitals, the outbreaks are somewhat less severe.
Highly Contagious Genital Warts
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the causes of genital warts and is among the most common sexually
transmitted diseases. Some 25 million Americans are thought to have HPV.7 There are more than 60 types of the
virus; some infect the skin, causing common warts, and about one-third of the HPV types may be spread sexually and
cause genital warts. Some HPVs may infect the cervix and are associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer.8
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