Herbal Antibiotics
There is only one study using herbal antibiotics for the treatment of SIBO, which used enteric coated peppermint oil (ECPO). Besides this, herbal antibiotcs have not been studied for the reduction of SIBO.
The question is whether they will target the bacteria that is overgrown. It has been suggested that some herbal antimicrobials do not kill our beneficial bacteria, certainly a unique and desirable quality. But if the overgrowth is of our normal, beneficial flora, can this approach work?
Anecdotal reports and my clinical experience indicate it does. Studies on this subject would be most appreciated. Herbal antibiotic formulas abound in the supplement industry. If you are interested in this approach as a health care professional, consider doing a trial with pre and post SIBO testing to measure and prove your therapy as Dr Logan did in the above study on ECPO. Also to be determined is the appropriate length and dose for this kind of treatment. Current dosing is typically 4weeks at levels suggested on product labels.
Traditional herbal antibiotics include:
Garlic
Cinnamon
Oregano
Goldenseal, Oregon Grape, Barberry, Coptis (berberine containing herbs)
and a host of other options such as neem, propolis...
For more details, please see my page 2 of my article SIBO: Often Ignored Cause of IBS, my class videos and the other resources at Learning More.
The question is whether they will target the bacteria that is overgrown. It has been suggested that some herbal antimicrobials do not kill our beneficial bacteria, certainly a unique and desirable quality. But if the overgrowth is of our normal, beneficial flora, can this approach work?
Anecdotal reports and my clinical experience indicate it does. Studies on this subject would be most appreciated. Herbal antibiotic formulas abound in the supplement industry. If you are interested in this approach as a health care professional, consider doing a trial with pre and post SIBO testing to measure and prove your therapy as Dr Logan did in the above study on ECPO. Also to be determined is the appropriate length and dose for this kind of treatment. Current dosing is typically 4weeks at levels suggested on product labels.
Traditional herbal antibiotics include:
Garlic
Cinnamon
Oregano
Goldenseal, Oregon Grape, Barberry, Coptis (berberine containing herbs)
and a host of other options such as neem, propolis...
For more details, please see my page 2 of my article SIBO: Often Ignored Cause of IBS, my class videos and the other resources at Learning More.
Site author: Dr Allison Siebecker
