Herbs for Herpes

Herbal Remedies for Herpes “A”

There are a very large number of herbs that have been studied in terms of their ability to cure herpes naturally. Below are herbs that start with the letter “A” and a summary of their effects against the herpes virus. We’ve collected these anti-herpes herbs from several different sources to create an encyclopedia of herbal remedies for herpes infections, including HSV-1, HSV-2, varicella, herpes zoster, HHV-6, HHV-7, and roseola. Some of these herbal remedies for herpes are extremely powerful. Others less so. In any case, we've included all of the herbs that have been studied because even herbs with low levels of activity against herpes can be useful, in some cases, in the prevention or treatment of herpes symptoms. And it's also possible that herbs that are not so powerful against herpes, but that work through unique mechanisms of action, can be combined with herbs that are more powerful against herpes. Plants often work well together and can be combined into herbal combination treatments for herpes.

Several of the plants listed below stand out in terms of their effects as an herbal remedy for herpes and we’ve provided some additional information on these plants. We elaborate a bit more on these anti-herpes herbs so that readers can decide whether these plant-medicines would be helpful in specific situations. 

Some of the anti-herpes herbs that we list below are quite powerful against different types of herpes infections while others have limited antiviral activity. 

Click here to learn about Sarracenia purpurea as an herbal cure for herpes.

Click here to read about herbs for herpes that start with the letter "B".

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• Achyranthes aspera / Devil’s Horsewhip - methanol extract of the root had antiviral activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2, but it was more potent as an herbal remedy against HSV-1.

• Achyrocline flaccida - water extract of the aerial plant parts prevents HSV-1 adsorption and penetration into human cells.

• Achyrocline satureioides - ethanol extract provided antiviral activity against HSV-1.

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• Adiantum latifolium / Broadleaf Maidenhair - methanol extract of the aerial plant parts provided complete HSV-1 inhibition.

Adiantum latifolium is a type of maidenhair fern with medicinal properties. This herb can be used to treat dysentery / diarrhea, stomach ulcers, and viral infections. It has been used to treat respiratory infection including cough, cold, fever, pneumonia, and other disease processes involving mucus production. It is also an anti-cancer herb. It’s worth noting that many of the most powerful herbal remedies for herpes are also herbal remedies for cancer.  Adiantum latifolium is also an anti-anxiety herb. As such, it may be useful to treat inflammation  as well as HSV-1. It is a pain-relieving herb too.

Note that pneumonia is one of the most common complications associated with varicella / chickenpox infection in adults. Varicella / chickenpox is a herpes infection and because the methanol extract of Adiantum latifolium has powerful effects as an herbal remedy for HSV-1, it may also have some activity against other types of herpes infections. In any case, Adiantum latifolium might be a good choice as an herbal remedy for pneumonia due to chickenpox infection because this herb has also been used to treat pneumonia.

• Aglaia odorata / Chinese perfume plant -ethanol extract of the leaves was antiviral against HSV-1, but it was most powerful against the wild type strain. This plant has the ability to decrease the size and development of skin lesions in mouse models of HSV-1 infection.

• Agrimonia pilosa / Hairy Agrimony - whole plant water extract was antiviral against 3 strains of HSV-1, but it was most effective against the acyclovir-resistant herpes strains.

Agrimonia pilosa is a broad-spectrum herbal antiviral medicine that is useful in treating not only herpes simplex 1 and herpes simplex 2, but also influenza and orthopoxviruses like smallpox. It’s possible that Agrimonia pilosa would also be a valuable herbal remedy for chickenpox or roseola, but studies regarding its use for these herpes infections haven’t been done yet.

• Aloe vera - glycerin extract of the aloe leaf had antiviral effects against HSV-2.

• Aloysia gratissima / White Brush - water-ethanol extract was antiviral against 2 strains of HSV-1 – essential oil from the leaf and fruit of Aloysia gratissima also has antiviral activity against HSV-1.

• Alpinia officinarum / Lesser Galangal - water extract of the rhizome demonstrates complete HSV-1 inhibition – in live models of HSV-1 infection, Alpinia officinarum significantly delays development and progression of HSV-1 lesions.

Alpinia officinarum has been used as a folk medicine against a number of serious viral infections. Alpinia officinarum contains diarylhpetanoids that inhibit respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), measles, polio, and HSV-1. This herb can also be used as an herbal remedy for influenza infection. Alpinia officinarum seems to have broad spectrum antiviral activity that likely would make it useful as an herbal remedy for other viral infections as well. 

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• Alternanthera sessilis / Sessile Joyweed - ethanol extract of the leaf has HSV-1 antiviral effects.

• Ampelozizyphus amazonicus - methanol extract of the leaf had complete HSV-1 inhibition.

• Anacardium occidentale / Cashew - ethanol extract of the bark had complete HSV-1 inhibition.

• Anemone obtusiloba / Ratanj / Rikabe - methanol extract of the root had partial HSV-1 inhibition.

• Anemo paegmasetilobum - ethanol extract of the leaf and stem had minimal HSV-1 inhibition.

• Annona muricata / Soursop - water and ethanol extract of the stem and bark showed complete inhibition of HSV-1.

Annona muricata / Soursop / Graviola is a powerful herbal remedy for herpes and other viral infections, ulcers and wounds,diabetes, cancer, protozoan infections, diarrhea, bacterial infection, and high blood pressure. 

Acidified ethanol extracts of Annona muricata decrease viral replication after just 1 hour of contact time. It also prevents replication of the HIV-1 virus.

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• Antrodia camphorata - ethanol extract of the mycelia had antiviral activity against both HSV-1 and HSV-2.

• Arachis hypogaea / Peanut - water extract of the seed / peanut has a moderate antiviral effect against HSV-2.

• Auracaria angustifolia / Brazilian Pine - ethyl acetate or n-butanol extracts had antiviral activity against one strain of HSV-1.

• Arctium lappa / Greater Burdock - the fruit of this plant has antiviral activity against HSV-1.

• Ardisia squamulosa / Tagpo - water extracts of the stem / leaf had moderate activity against HSV-1.

• Arisaema tortuosum / Whipcord / Cobra Lily - chloroform extracts of the leaf had strong antiviral effects against HSV-2 and moderate antiviral effects against HSV-1.

• Aristotelia chilensis / Maqui Chilean Wineberry - hydroethanol extract of the leaf had antiviral effects against HSV-2.

• Arrabidaea craterophora - ethanol extract of the stem had minimal antiviral activity against HSV-1.

• Arrabidaea formosa - ethanol extract of the stem and leaf had moderate antiviral effects against HSV-1 while the fruit had minimal antiviral activity.

• Arrabidaea pulchra - ethanol extract of the leaf had minimal anti- HSV-1 activity.

• Arrabidaea spectrum - ethanol extract of the leaf and stem had minimal anti-HSV-1 activity.

• Artemisia douglasiana / California mugwort - the essential oil of this herb had antiviral activity against HSV-1.

• Atractylis macrophylla - acetone extract had modest antiviral activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2.

• Auriporia aureus - the mycelia in a sodium chloride extract has antiviral activity against HSV-2.

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• Avicenna marina  / Gray Mangrove / White Mangrove - methanol extracts of the leaves have antiviral activity against HSV-2.

• Azadirachta indica / Neem - water extract of the leaves are antiviral against HSV-1, but water extract of the bark completely blocked HSV-1 entry into cells, it inhibited viral attachment and blocked cell-to-cell fusion. 

Azadirachta indica, also known as Neem, is an herbal remedy for herpes as well as malaria, west nile disease, dengue, and cancer. Neem is also used as a natural contraceptive herb. It can be used to prevent pregnancy in both men and women.  To produce an anti-herpes herbal remedy, you need to make a special type of water extract of neem bark (though neem LEAVES are also used as an herbal remedy for herpes, it is the bark that works well to cure HSV-1). To make the water extract according to studies, you'll need to put 1 mg of neem bark per 1 mL of phosphate buffer saline (or pH neutral water) in a glass container in the refrigerator. Vigorously shake this mixture daily for 30 days before you begin using it (alternatively, you could put it in a centrifuge at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes). Filter out the debris before using.

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