24ME11 - Parasites: The Devil Inside

Speaker: Kenneth Proefrock, NMD  Parasitic infections pose significant health challenges globally, particularly in impoverished regions. We explore historical and botanical interventions alongside pharmaceutical treatments, while recognizing the need for balance between efficacy and microbiome impact. Anti-parasitic drugs and herbal regimens are more popular than they ever have been, and we explore the efficacy of these protocols, based on the life cycle of the identifiable infective agent. Botanicals addressed include the chemistry of tropane alkaloid containing plants like Datura and Belladonna, as well as cholinergic plants like Pilocarpus, Areca catechu, Piper betel, and Nicotiana spp. We also discuss Juglans niger, Syzigium, Berberis/Algerita/Mahonia spp, Artemisia spp, Castela spp, and Triphala.