Role of Japanese Knotweed Root in Treating Lyme Disease/Inflammation

[ElliotB]

I take Resveratrol and have been for years and needed to reorder, and discovered in doing some simple research that Japanese Knotweed is an excellent natural source of Resveratrol and an excellent natural treatment for Lyme. Is is also anti inflammatory which makes it an excellent choice for those with auto-immune diseases.

Among its many benefits according to one of many articles I read, "Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) has a wide range of actions. It is a long list, but worth citing here: antibacterial, antiviral, antischistosomal, antispirochetal, antifungal, immunostimulant, immunomodulant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiatherosclerotic, antihyperlipidemic, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antineoplastic, vasodilator, inhibits platelet aggregation, inhibits eicosanoid synthesis, antithrombotic, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, oncogene inhibitor, antipyretic, cardioprotective, analgesic, antiulcer (slightly reduces stomach acid and protects against stress ulcers), hemostatic, and astringent.

A broadly systemic plant, Japanese Knotweed Root modulates and enhances immune function, is anti-inflammatory for both arthritic and bacterial inflammations, protects the body against endotoxin damage, and is a potently strong angiogenesis modulator, highly protective of the endothelia of the body. Its constituents cross the blood-brain barrier where they exert actions on the central nervous system: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, as protectants against oxidative and microbial damage. It is highly specific for bartonella infections and good, but of less importance, in mycoplasma infections."


Here is a link to the complete article:

https://www.beneficialbotanicals.com/th ... e-disease/

There is a lot of good info on the web on this supplement.

[tzootsi]

Very interesting. Japanese knotweed is one of the most aggressive, difficult to eradicate, invasive plants in the world.

[ElliotB]

And it may be one of the healthiest plants in the world as well.

From this article:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-ben ... tweed.html

Health benefits of Japanese knotweed include:

Cognitive Impact
One of the most well known and widely relied on benefits of Japanese knotweed is its apparent effect on cognitive disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This is primarily due to the resveratrol content of the herb, which is the same for most of the plant’s benefits. Resveratrol has shown a measurable preventative effect against neurodegenerative processes that can affect neural pathways. [4] Just as antioxidants can eliminate plaque and neutralize free radicals that can slow mental function and cause deterioration, resveratrol can keep brain pathways energized and in use, preventing those tragic conditions.

Heart Disease
When one consumes high-fat, rich foods, there is a much greater chance of developing heart disease and cardiovascular complications, such as high cholesterol. However, the resveratrol in Japanese knotweed has been known to counter that, due to its resveratrol content. [5] In France, where red wine is drunk in high concentrations (and thus, large amounts of resveratrol are consumed), heart conditions are very uncommon, despite the high-fat and rich diet that many people enjoy there. By adding knotweed to your diet, you can benefit from the same heart-protective qualities!

Blood Pressure
Early research on resveratrol’s effect on the heart primarily centered on a reduction in fat, there have also been encouraging results regarding resveratrol’s ability to modulate blood pressure. By reducing strain and stress on the heart, lower blood pressure can significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes by keeping the arteries and blood vessels dilated, preventing blood clots. [6]

Gastrointestinal Concerns
If you are suffering from stomach issues, such as constipation, bloating, cramps, inflammation, or chronic pain, Japanese knotweed may be just what the alternative medical practitioner ordered! By adding resveratrol-rich herbs to your diet, you can significantly reduce gastrointestinal distress, and the herb also acts as a mild laxative, which can help clear out your system and get your digestive processes back to normal. [7]

Cancer Management
Any herb that has anti-cancer potential tends to get a lot of attention, and Japanese knotweed is no exception. A 2014 research conducted by Dr. Chandra K. Singh from the Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison suggested that resveratrol-containing foods like raspberries, mulberries, and Japanese knotweed have been shown to afford chemopreventive as well as therapeutic effects against certain cancers. [8] In this study, the researchers tried to gain clarity on how resveratrol-based combinations can help in cancer management and the results, though not clear enough, look promising.

Insulin Control
Over time, particularly if we have a poor diet, our body becomes less able to regulate its insulin levels, and develops “insulin resistance”. [9] This can lead to diabetes and many other health complications, but if you add Japanese knotweed to your diet, you can effectively avoid all of that. The resveratrol in Japanese knotweed is able to prevent insulin resistance from developing, keeping your blood sugar levels regulated.

Word of Caution: Taking an excessive amount of Japanese knotweed can result in negative reactions, but if you follow the dosage guidelines and use the herb in moderation, the chances of an allergic reaction are small. If you are allergic to resveratrol, which some people are, you should avoid any use of this herb.

[jimmylegs]

invasive.
plenty of medicinal plants deliver concrete health benefits without accompanying ecological mayhem (whether the target plant in question is invasive or endangered)

[ElliotB]

"plenty of medicinal plants deliver concrete health benefits"

This is true but I know of no other that delivers as much resveratrol and all the other health benefits as listed in my post above as Knotweed.

BUT as I like to always look at both sides of the story, according to this Harvard medical school study, diets rich in resveratrol offers no health boosts:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/die ... 1405157153

So for the time being, I will do my part to help control the Knotweed issue by consuming it and hope that it helps me in some way! Perhaps the good health of the Japanese is because of their long time consumption of seaweed and Knotweed!

Seaweed is also supposed to be quite healthy and is another supplement I have taken for several years. Seaweed is low in fat but packed with soluble fiber, which helps control blood sugar levels and keeps your bowels moving. It also contains other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, B vitamins, zinc and iron, along with antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage. It also contains iodine which is necessary for proper thyroid function.

[jimmylegs]

consumers mean producers, and therein lies the rub
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf4019239

[jimmylegs]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 7416302354
Low-level inflammation is the most important correlate of not only survival, but also capability and cognition at extreme old age.

Taurine as the Nutritional Factor for the Longevity of the Japanese Revealed by a World-Wide Epidemiological Survey
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.10 ... -75681-3_2

http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/searc ... =US9022779
The highest concentration of taurine was found in clams and octopus (41.4 micromoles/g and 31.2 micromoles/g), followed by shrimp and fish (12.4 micromoles/g and 9.1 micromoles/g).

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/ ... EPKNFxKhPY
“Japanese people do have long average longevity, but the problem is with their healthy life expectancy,”
“Many people cannot live independently for the last 10 years or so of their lives.”
By merging the best elements of Eastern and Western diets, “Japanese people ought to be able to extend their healthy life expectancy as well,” Yamori said.

[ElliotB]

According to this USA Today article, the Japanese have the longest life expectancy of any population group on the planet:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/201 ... 848675002/

From that article:
"Okinawa, Japan, where hundreds of residents are over 100 years old, is often known as "the land of immortals." Last year, the number of people 90 years old and above in Japan hit the 2 million mark. "

It is well known that the incidence of MS in Japan is among the lowest on the planet.

Another interesting fact about the Japanese, Okinawa, in southernmost Japan, has the highest number of centenarians in the world as well as the lowest risk of age-related diseases (for example diabetes, cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer’s). The reason could be a results of their diet which is low in calories, high in good fats, low in bad fats, and also includes lots of fermented foods. They also consume a lot of seaweed which is also used to wrap sushi so it is consumed often) and of course Knotweed! Interestingly the diet of the Eskimos and Inuits where the incidence of MS is zero is also low in calories, high in good fats and low in bad fats,

[jimmylegs]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 7416302354
Low-level inflammation is the most important correlate of not only survival, but also capability and cognition at extreme old age.

Taurine as the Nutritional Factor for the Longevity of the Japanese Revealed by a World-Wide Epidemiological Survey
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.10 ... -75681-3_2

http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/searc ... =US9022779
The highest concentration of taurine was found in clams and octopus (41.4 micromoles/g and 31.2 micromoles/g), followed by shrimp and fish (12.4 micromoles/g and 9.1 micromoles/g).

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/ ... EPKNFxKhPY
“Japanese people do have long average longevity, but the problem is with their healthy life expectancy,”
“Many people cannot live independently for the last 10 years or so of their lives.”
By merging the best elements of Eastern and Western diets, “Japanese people ought to be able to extend their healthy life expectancy as well,” Yamori said.

[jimmylegs]

Urinary and Plasma Metabolomics Identify the Distinct Metabolic Profile of Disease State in Chronic Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis (2018)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30315511
Overall, our analysis shows that at the chronic stage of EAE, urine metabolomic profile of EAE and control group is significantly distinct, with the largest, significant and most impacted alterations in the metabolites of the amino acid metabolism; namely phenylalanine-tyrosine, taurine and polyamine metabolism metabolites. While the altered metabolites belonging to these impacted pathways participate in multiple physiological functions, they appear to converge at modulating CNS function by direct or indirect means (Fig. 2b). Further in-depth studies are required to assess if the metabolite changes are indicative of deteriorated CNS function, or their deficiency is the cause of deteriorated CNS function

Review: Taurine: A “very essential” amino acid (2012)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501277/
"Because it is one of the few amino acids not used in protein synthesis, taurine is often referred to as a “nonessential” amino acid, or more generously as a “conditionally essential” amino acid. Considering its broad distribution, its many cytoprotective attributes [29,30], and its functional significance in cell development, nutrition, and survival [31,32], these are clearly misnomers. Taurine is undoubtedly one of the most essential substances in the body."
"The major route for the biosynthesis of taurine, shown in Figure 1B is from methionine and cysteine via cysteinesulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSD), and typically requires oxidation of hypotaurine to taurine as the final step [19]."

in spite of endogenous biosynthesis, recall:

https://library.med.utah.edu/NetBiochem ... 1/2_1.html
"Essential nutrient: Substance that must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot make it in sufficient quantity to meet its needs."