Antibacterial herbs

Bacteria, fungi and other harmful organisms is a problem for all living organisms. Some plants have developed various chemical compounds to neutralize these attacks. Some plants have protection that is easy to spot like the thorns of a rose or a blackberry plant, other plants fight a battle on a molecular level against enemies to small to see. The desire to protect themselves is what cause some plants to have antibacterial properties.Garlic Garlic has a long history of being used as an antibacterial herb. Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides all mention the use of garlic for various conditions, including parasites and respiratory ailments. Scientific test have shown garlic to have antibacterial as well as antiviral and antifungal properties.Raw garlic is more potent, and the green dry "folds" in the centre of each clove is particularly pungent. If you wish to use garlic it is important to crush it, chew it or damage it in some other way since this is how the sulphur compound allicin becomes available.Generally speaking you should avoid aged garlic since younger garlic contains more allicin. Garlic hace often been used in folk medicine and an example of this is the fact that the Cherokee used it to dissolve thick mucus and ease coughs. In 1858, Louis Pasteur reported on the antibacterial properties of garlic and garlic has found its way into modern medicine, e.g. by functioning as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene in wounded soldiers during World War I and World War II.Indian almond Indian almon leaves and other parts of the tree are used in folk medicne throughtout its native range as well as in other parts of the world such as Latin America.Indian almond leaves aka tropical almond leaves are often used in folk medicine to cure stomach problems such as dysentery. Leaves or bark ground up with some water has also been placed on the skin to help wounds heal and combat scabies and leprocy. Traditional Samoan medicine does for instance stipulate placing the leaves of the Indian almond tree on wounds to prevent and threat infection.Salvia / Common sageCommon sage, Salvia officinalis, is an herb that contains a lot of essential oil. The scientific name, Salvia, is derived from latin and means "to heal". The plant has always been used in European folk medicine. It has also been extensively used in European cousin due to its peppery taste and beneficial properties.The essential oil found in common sage contains cineole, borneol, and thujone, and modern research have found that the plant has antibiotic properties.The plant can also be used against fungi and it has antifungal qualities. Do not use or consume sage in combination with central nervous system stimulantes as this can very dangerous.This herb was usually one of the ingredients in the sk four thieves vinegar used against plague during the many plague outbrakes in Europe during the dark ages. People covered their bodies in the vinegar in an attempt to ward off the plague, and cotton masks were soaked in the concoction before being placed over the face to prevent the plague from enteringThere were a lot of different recipies but they usually combined sage with other herbs such as lavender and thyme.

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