Hi - I find this article very interesting from Life Extension about an herb:
Forskolin reduces urinary tract infections
In a letter published online on April 8, 2007 in the journal Nature Medicine, Soman Abraham and his associates at Duke University Medical Center described their finding that an over the counter extract of the Indian coleus plant known as forskolin can significantly reduce urinary tract infections and could enhance the ability of antibiotics to destroy E. coli, the bacteria that cause most bladder infections. The herb is currently an ingredient in some body-building products, and is used to enhance lean body mass.
"This herb has been used in Asia for centuries for a wide variety of ailments," Dr Abraham said. "However, one of its constant uses has been for treating painful urination."
In several experiments using mice, the Duke team found that some bacteria retreat to cells lining the bladder where antibiotics cannot reach them. "After customary antibiotic treatment, the vast majority of the bacteria are either killed by the antibiotics or eliminated during urination," Dr Abraham explained. "However, there are small numbers of bacteria that survive antibiotic treatment because they sneak into the lining of the bladder, waiting for the opportunity, after antibiotic treatment, to come out and start multiplying again."
Although the lining of the bladder is resistant to penetration, pouchlike structures that enable the organ to stretch create niches in which E. Coli can reside. By enhancing specific cellular activity, forskolin causes these pouches to flush their E. Coli colonies into the urine, rendering the bacteria destructible by antibiotics.
Because the current research used injectable and intravenous forskolin, Dr Abraham is planning to test the compound’s efficacy when administered orally. "This type of treatment strategy may prove to be beneficial for patients with recurrent urinary tract infections," Dr Abraham predicted. "Ideally, use of this herb would expel the bacteria, where it would then be hit with antibiotics. With the reservoir of hiding bacteria cleared out, the infection should not recur."
PV - This could be a major help to those who have an IC caused by low level hidden bacteria, if that is truly the case.
Forskolin reduces urinary tract infections
In a letter published online on April 8, 2007 in the journal Nature Medicine, Soman Abraham and his associates at Duke University Medical Center described their finding that an over the counter extract of the Indian coleus plant known as forskolin can significantly reduce urinary tract infections and could enhance the ability of antibiotics to destroy E. coli, the bacteria that cause most bladder infections. The herb is currently an ingredient in some body-building products, and is used to enhance lean body mass.
"This herb has been used in Asia for centuries for a wide variety of ailments," Dr Abraham said. "However, one of its constant uses has been for treating painful urination."
In several experiments using mice, the Duke team found that some bacteria retreat to cells lining the bladder where antibiotics cannot reach them. "After customary antibiotic treatment, the vast majority of the bacteria are either killed by the antibiotics or eliminated during urination," Dr Abraham explained. "However, there are small numbers of bacteria that survive antibiotic treatment because they sneak into the lining of the bladder, waiting for the opportunity, after antibiotic treatment, to come out and start multiplying again."
Although the lining of the bladder is resistant to penetration, pouchlike structures that enable the organ to stretch create niches in which E. Coli can reside. By enhancing specific cellular activity, forskolin causes these pouches to flush their E. Coli colonies into the urine, rendering the bacteria destructible by antibiotics.
Because the current research used injectable and intravenous forskolin, Dr Abraham is planning to test the compound’s efficacy when administered orally. "This type of treatment strategy may prove to be beneficial for patients with recurrent urinary tract infections," Dr Abraham predicted. "Ideally, use of this herb would expel the bacteria, where it would then be hit with antibiotics. With the reservoir of hiding bacteria cleared out, the infection should not recur."
PV - This could be a major help to those who have an IC caused by low level hidden bacteria, if that is truly the case.
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