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According To Research, This Plant Is More Effective Than Antibiotics Against Lyme Disease

According To Research, This Plant Is More Effective Than Antibiotics Against Lyme Disease

Stevia leaf

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that affects people of all ages. It is transmitted by deer ticks and blacklegged ticks throughout the United States, as well as in more than sixty other countries.

According to the Center for Control and Disease (CDC), at least 300,000 people are infected each year by Lyme disease in the United States, while new cases are detected annually. It is difficult to diagnose Lyme disease because its symptoms mimic those of other diseases. It can affect any organ of the body, including the brain, muscles, joints and the heart. This disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted by the sting of a tick that carries it.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease may include:
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Sweat
  • Muscle aches
  • Nausea
  • Articular pain
  • A rash in the form of an eye of beef
The conventional treatment for Lyme disease is through the administration of antibiotics, but the latter often treat only the superficial aspects of the infection, leaving the disease deep within the body where it is capable of causing more harm. In a new preclinical study, researchers discovered that the whole extract of stevia leaf has a potent antibiotic activity against a pathogen known as Borrelia Burgdorferi, which is known to cause Lyme disease.

The Research study

The study was conducted by researchers from the Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences at the University of New Haven, West Haven, Canada. The results were published in the European Journal of Microbiology & Immunology. In the study, the researchers directly compared an alcoholic extract of a whole stevia leaf product to conventional antibiotics. They assessed their abilities to kill various forms of Borrelia burgdorferi.

This pathogen can exist in different forms and is highly resistant to antibiotics. It has created a barrier against most conventional antibiotics, making it difficult to treat. The researchers found that "the stevia whole leaf extract, as an individual agent, was effective against all known morphological forms of B. burgdorferi."

The researchers noted that approximately 10-20% of patients with Lyme disease treated with antibiotics for the recommended 2 to 4 weeks experience adverse health effects. It often involves fatigue, joint and muscle pain. In some patients, the adverse effects of these antibiotics lasted more than six months.

The researchers noted: "Stevia leaf extract has many phytochemicals ... with known antimicrobial properties against many pathogens." Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that a natural product such as Stevia leaf extract could be considered an effective agent against B. burgdorferi.

Although this is a preliminary study, it provides a basis for future research on the subject. The results suggest that the whole extract of stevia leaf could play an important role in the natural treatment of Lyme disease.