Herpes infections are extremely common and they're present in the very young and in the very old. Not everyone who harbors the herpes virus experiences outbreaks, but if you do, and if you're looking for a natural herpes cure, you're in luck. There are a number of them. In this article we talk about natural herpes cures that come from the plant world.Herbal Herpes Cures
According to the World Health Organization, about 3.7 million people under the age of 50 years have an HSV-1 infection (oral herpes / cold sores). And about 417 million people between the ages of 15-49 years have an HSV-2 infection (genital herpes). If we consider those who have an active chicken pox or those who harbor the Varicella virus, the numbers go even higher. At any rate, those are some thought-provoking numbers given that this is a curable infection.In this article, we’re going to talk about herbal cures for herpes. Note that each of these herbal remedies can be used to treat any of the various forms of herpes that infect humans including HSV-1, HSV-2, and herpes zoster / shingles.
Many people think that an herbal remedy for herpes should be administered like a pharmaceutical agent and they also believe that it will work like a drug prescribed by a doctor. But you to remember that an herbal remedy for herpes is not going to cover up the symptoms of herpes. Indeed, herpes symptoms often get worse before they get better when you’re actually trying to cure the disease. So you need to make a commitment to work with these herbal herpes cures and not give up on them even if your symptoms seem to worsen at first.
It’s also important that you recognize that not every herpes infection is created equal. Every human body is different and the way that the herpes virus behaves inside your body may be different than how it behaves inside another person’s body. It may follow different routes to cause outbreaks and it may live in any number of areas of the body to cause infection. Usually, with our clients, it’s possible to find the right herb to treat a particular herpes infection by looking for a plant that has medicinal properties that can treat, not just the symptoms of that patient’s herpes infection, but also other symptoms that the patient may be experiencing that seem unrelated. Herbs are designed to work with the body and herbs “know” what kinds of health issues tend to coexist at the same time. Finding the right herb or herbal combination requires patients and experimentation at times. But when you start treatment with a particular herb combination for herpes, you should commit to no less than 20-30 days of treatment and religious dosing efforts to see if it really works for you or not.
Treating the Liver and Nerve Tissues: Herbal Herpes Cures That Do Both at the Same Time
The liver and gallbladder occupy the same space in the body and they’re connected to each other and to the pancreas via ductwork, making it easy for a liver infection of any kind to make its way into these two other organs. Indeed, an infection of the liver often impacts the entire digestive system and, as in the case, for example, of psoriasis, liver infection can also lead to skin involvement because of the role that skin plays in body detoxification as well.
HSV1 and HSV2 are said to reside primarily in nerve cells, lying dormant until provoked to come out of hiding by stress or perhaps a night of binge drinking, but actually, scientific studies have shown that all of the human herpes viruses cause mild liver disease. Though it’s true that HSV tends to shack up most readily in nerve tissues and primary liver involvement is uncommon, HSV1, HSV2, and varicella-zoster virus (the virus that causes chicken pox and shingles) can all cause fulminant liver necrosis. What this means is that all of these viruses can and do end up in the liver and sometimes they cause serious health problems there. The skin and the liver are both organs of detoxification that are intimately connected not only through their shared toxin-removal function in the body, but also through their work together in the production and activation of vitamin D and fumaric acid.
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Fumaric Acid
Though vitamin D is something that modern media literally pushes down people’s throat to their own tragic detriment, fumaric acid is nearly unknown in the general population. Fumaric acid is produced by a number of plants including Fumaria officinalis, Fumaria indica, and Iceland Moss (an herbal alternative to Fumaria officinalis that is safe for use during pregnancy). Fumaric acid can also be purchased as a supplement in its natural, non-synthetic form. This humble fruit acid is able to heal the liver as well as nerve tissues and it works so sublimely that a synthetic form of it was fabricated by Big Pharma to treat (not to cure) psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. The tricky thing with Big Pharma though is that often, they work to produce synthetic analogues of natural substances that have been specifically calibrated to treat, but not to cure disease. Synthetic analogues of natural substances tend to be toxic to the body as a general rule (with just a few exceptions) and fumarate esters are no exception. They cause terrible side effects. But natural forms of fumaric acid are well-tolerated, powerful healers that produce few, if any side effects.
So fumaric acid that’s found in plants like Fumaria indica, Fumaria officinalis, and Iceland Moss, have powerful, healing effects on both the liver and the nerve cells. And since we’ve already established the fact that the herpes virus colonizes both of these tissues in the human body, it’s easy to see how an herb like Fumaria officinalis might benefit those who suffer from a herpes infection.
As it turns out, Fumaria indica, also known as parpata or “Indian fumitory” is used as part of an herbal remedy for chicken pox, one form of the herpes virus. Indeed, chicken pox is a famous affliction that involves the skin, but in reality, a chicken pox infection sets up its headquarters in the liver.
In the United States, it can be hard to find Indian fumitory, but you may be able to order it online from India. On the other hand Fumaria officinalis is readily available in the states.
Often, liver congestion, toxic buildup in the liver, and any kind of liver disease or dysfunction leads to skin changes including a rash, jaundice (yellowing of the skin), etc. So the idea that herpes can cause liver-related health issues is easy for most doctors and scientists to grasp because herpes makes its presence known through skin manifestations. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) can both cause viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver due to viral infection) and HHV-8 is a known cause of Kaposi’s sarcoma (another skin affliction) after liver transplant.
The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas can play host to colonizing pathogens that are in a semi-dormant state of colonization. These pathogens can then cause autoimmune disease symptoms, mental health issues, and even cancer. So, even if you haven’t had a herpes outbreak in years, it can pay off big to kill this virus using one of the herbal remedies that we discuss below.
Herpes Outbreaks and Alcohol Consumption
One study that examined the risk of developing HSV oral lesions, noted that while high levels of stress could cause a herpes outbreak, alcohol consumption could protect against outbreaks. This lends credibility to a theory that alcoholics may be inadvertently self-medicating against herpes outbreaks.Anecdotally, many patients report that drinking alcohol increases herpes outbreaks. Other patients report that drinking alcohol and herpes outbreaks are not related, at least not for them. But the thing is, not all alcoholic drinks are created equal. For example, red wine may contain resveratrol, a substance that is able to cure herpes. And if a person drinks red wine, they might experience a worsening of herpes symptoms as the virus is cast into exile from its normal site of habitation inside the body. On the other hand, another person with a herpes infection might drink red wine and never experience a herpes infection again because the resveratrol content of their chosen wine was able to expeditiously kill the virus without fanfare.
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Herbal Remedy for Herpes #1
One renowned herbal remedy for herpes includes the following three plants:- Rumex crispus / Yellow Dock - 1 to 2 teaspoons
- Rheum palmatum / Turkey Rhubarb / Da Huang - ⅕ to ½ of a teaspoon
- Salsola kali / Russian Thistle -
Combine these three dried herbs in 1 quart of water. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for 1 hour. Divide in half. Drink one half of the amount in the morning and the other half at night for 30 days.
Or, administer these herbs as tinctures twice daily according to the dosing instructions on the product that you purchase.
Herbal Remedy for Herpes #2: Echinacea and Burdock Root
Some people have had great success at curing herpes using this herbal cure. We recommend that you use the dried herb to make a decoction that you can drink rather than taking pills Burdock Root, also known as Arctium lappa and Echinacea purpurea are combined together in a 1:1 relationship as a tea that’s administered twice daily for 10 days. Then, burdock root is administered for an additional 10 days more by itself in twice daily doses.
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To make this herbal cure for herpes, you’ll add 1 ounce of Echinacea purpurea with 1 ounce of Arctium lappa with 1 quart of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Drink half of the mixture in the morning and half again at night for 10 days.
After the initial 10 day treatment, you’ll administer just a 1 dose of Arctium lappa daily by putting 1 ounce of the dried root in 1 quart of water. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 2 hours. Drink half in the morning and half in the evening for 10 days.
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Herbal Remedy for Herpes #3: Licorice Root / Glycyrrhiza glabra as a Cure for Herpes Simplex
Glycyrrhiza glabra, also known as licorice root, is an herbal remedy for herpes simplex infection. This herb is a potent cure for a number of diseases and it can be combined with other herbs to create a synergistically more powerful medicinal effect overall.Licorice root works through two different mechanisms of action to kill the herpes virus. It is able to prevent adhesion of the virus to human cells, but it also inactivates the virus. Indeed, licorice root has a similar effect on Helicobacter pylori. As an herbal remedy for H. pylori, licorice root powerfully prevents adhesion of this bacteria to the stomach wall. Interestingly, it seems that the herpes virus actually prevents infection with H. pylori and vice versa so these two pathogens rarely coexist. But at any rate, licorice root is able to prevent adhesion of certain infectious pathogens to human tissues which effectively renders them non-infectious.
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Water extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra have the most potent ability to kill HSV and herpes zoster which means that you can drink licorice root as a tea for the most powerful effects against herpes. This is a powerful herb and it definitely deserves some respect. The glycyrrhizin in licorice root has been used as an antiviral against all of the following:
- HSV
- Flavivirus
- HIV
- Vaccinia virus
- Poliovirus Type 1
- Vesicular stomatitis virus
- IAV
- SARS
- Coronavirus
- Human respiratory syncytial virus
- Arbovirus
Herbal Herpes Remedy #4: Glycyrrhiza glabra, Arctium lappa and Trifolium pratense
Licorice Root / Glycyrrhiza glabra and Red Clover / Trifolium pratense combine well together to accomplish a variety of important goals. This herbal HSV cure is perhaps most famous for its ability to get rid of migraine headaches quickly. These herbs are able to gain access to the liver and nerve tissues to kill the herpes virusTo make this herbal remedy for HSV, fill one pot with water 3 quarts of water. Add 3 ounces of burdock root to the water and bring it to a low boil. Simmer for 2 hours. This is enough burdock root to last for 3 days.
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After the mixture cools, remove 1/6th of the total amount as 1 dose and drink it over the course of 30 minutes to an hour. Drink 2 doses of this mixture daily. There are a total of 6 doses in this batch that you’ve just made which will last for 3 days in the refrigerator.
Drink this tea for 20-30 days as a cure for HSV.
Herbal Herpes Remedy #5: St. John’s Wort and Monolaurin / Lauricidin
This herbal cure for herpes is one that would combine well with one of the above cures because the monolaurin can prevent outbreaks. Indeed, if you take 3000 mg of monolaurin or "Lauridicin" along with 1000 mg of Lysine, you can treat cold sores naturally, prevent herpes outbreaks, and also kill the herpes virus at the same time.
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St. John’s Wort: Herbal Herpes Cure
St. John’s Wort, also known as Hypericum perforatum, contains a substance called hypericin. Hypericin is a deep red color that is able to selectively target the fatty envelope that protects the herpes virus and other pathogenic viruses. Most people in developed countries know that St. John’s Wort is a powerful remedy for certain types of depression, but few are aware of the fact that it works to combat depression by literally passing into nervous system tissues to kill pathogens that might be disrupting nerve transmission.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, St. John’s Wort is more widely known for its ability to treat infection. As a natural antiviral that works against herpes, Hypericum perforatum is an herb that is able to gain special access to nervous system tissues.
St. John’s Wort is famous as an herbal nervine that has the ability to target nervous system tissues by essentially soaking into and “melding” with nervous system lipid coatings. Indeed, the fatty coating on nerve tissues is similar to the fatty coating that protects the herpes virus. The hypericin molecule is encapsulated in an oily base making it an ideal plant medicine to work with viruses that affect the nerve tissues.
Studies have demonstrated the hypericin is able to specifically kill HSV-1 (and possibly HSV-2 and other herpes viruses) by preventing the adsorption and penetration of the virus into nervous system tissue.
St. John’s Wort Dosage:
Administer 500 mg of St. John’s Wort (0.3% Hypericin) in the morning and at night.
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Monolaurin / Lauric Acid / Lauricidin: Herbal Remedy for Herpes
Lauric acid is a 12-carbon fatty acid that’s found in both coconut oil and in breast milk fats. This substance and some of the other short and medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are powerfully anti-microbial. In terms of herpes, the monoglycerol of lauric acid, also known as “monolaurin”,has the most powerful anti-herpes effects.Though coconut oil contains a natural form of monolaurin, you have to eat quite a lot of it to make a dent in a population of herpes viruses. On the other hand, a product called “Lauricidin” contains a concentrated, pure form of monolaurin. There are other products that also contain a pure form of monolaurin to kill herpes naturally too. As an added bonus, monolaurin is also able to kill Candida naturally.
Monolaurin Dosage:
Start by taking 1500 mg per day for 3 days and then increase the dose to 3000 mg per day thereafter.
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