Wormwood: Wormwood has been used in both Eastern and Western cultures for centuries as a bitter digestive remedy and stimulant. Western culture has used wormwood to expel parasitic and intestinal worms. It has been used for chronic diarrhea, indigestion, loss of appetite as well as stimulating liver and gallbladder secretions. According to the Naturopathic Handbook of Herbal Formulas, Wormwood is, "A strong herb for treating worm infestations, particularly roundworm and pinworm." It is also effective against threadworms and reduces the toxicity of lead poisoning. Chinese research has shown that the use of Wormwood (internally) has an effect on the growth of several types of fungi (such as ringworm) and other parasitic fungi and pathogenic bacteria of the skin. In the revised edition of Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, "Preparations of Herba Artemisia Annua (Wormwood) have shown a direct killing effect against the malaria parasite in vitro." In addition, other research from China shows that Wormwood is effective against blood parasites, protozoa, blood flukes and giardiasis, "often acting more quickly in destroying asexual parasites than drugs". Chinese research suggest taking a good immune stimulant (we recommend Floweres of Life Imu-Spectrum) with Wormwood to help prevent possible relapse. Pregnant or lactating women should avoid taking Wormwood.

Green Hull of the Black Walnut: Black Walnut is a north American relative of the more commonly known English or Persian Walnut which is found mainly in the Eastern States. Walnuts have been used as a food source and herbal agent for centuries. Walnuts have been cultivated in Europe since Roman times, and introduced into China after 206 BC. The green rind (outer casing), bark and leaves along with the nut are used for a wide range of maladies. The Asians, as well as some American Indian tribes have used the bark, and green hull to expel various kinds of worms and kill intestinal parasites. They are primarily effective against the adult and developmental stages of the parasites. Daniel B. Mowery in his book The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine says, "External Applications have been known to kill ringworm." and "The Chinese use it to kill tapeworm with extremely good success." James H. Duke, Ph.D. in his book The Green Pharmacy recounts "....one impressive study showing that the fresh husk of the black walnut destroyed candida better than a commonly prescribed antifungal medicine." In her article in Better Nutrition for Today's Living, Tamra Orr reports, "H. Winter Griffith, M.D., associate professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine, writes that black walnut hull does indeed help with a variety of health conditions from ridding the body of intestinal parasites and tapeworms to reducing constipation and healing skin conditions like acne, canker sores, psoriasis and other fungal infections." The fleshy green outer casing (rind) of the nut is rich in fruit acids and minerals, especially organic iodine.

Cloves: The clove comes from a dense evergreen tree originally found growing only in the Spice Islands. Transplantation of the tree to other places was prohibited until British occupation of the Malaysian Peninsula in 1788. In some ancient Asian cultures, the people were permitted to see their king only after they had chewed cloves to freshen their breathe. It is mainly recognized as a flavoring and a proven antiseptic numbing agent for toothache and for promoting digestion. In the Green Pharmacy, Dr. Duke states, "Cloves have been demonstrated to be active against several parasites, including intestinal worms." In the Oriental Materia Medica, research from China as to the effective antibacterial effects of cloves says, "The alcohol extract inhibits Bacillus diphteriae, Bacillus anthracis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus, Bacillus paratyphi, Shigella dysenteriae, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis." Additionally, Chinese research reports the effectiveness in treating intestinal parasites, especially roundworms and in inhibiting various types of fungus of the skin such as ringworm. In her book, The Cure for All Cancer, Hulda R. Clark, Ph.D., ND, says when referring to parasites, "Cloves kill the eggs."

Since these herbs do not distinguish between "good" or "bad" organisms, it is strongly suggested to take a good, comprehensive Probiotic Culture while taking this combination of herbs. COMMENSAL BIO-CULTURES is one of the most comprehensive Probiotic products available. Chinese research suggest taking a good immune stimulant with Wormwood to help prevent possible relapse. Flowers of Life IMU-SPECTRUM is a good, comprehensive immune formula.

References

Oriential Materia Medica a Concise Guide by Hong-Yen Hsu. Oriental Healing Art Center, Long Beach, CA 1986.

Jade Remedies--a Chinese Herbal Reference for the West (Volume 1&2) by Peter Holmes. Snow Lotus Press, Inc., Boulder, CO 1996.

Chinese Herbal Medicine--Materia Medica (Revised Edition) compiled and translated by Dan Bensky & Andrew Gamble. Eastland Press, Inc., Seattle, WA 1993.

The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelopy Ody. Dorling Kindersley, New York, NY 1993.

Naturopathic Handbook of Herbal Formulas by Herbal Research Publications, Inc. Herbal Research Publications, Inc., 1995.

The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke, Ph.D. Rodell Press, Emmaus, PA 1997.

Eyewitness Handbook--HERBS by Lesley Bremness. Dorling Kindersley, New York, NY 1994.

RD Home Handbooks--HERBS Contributing Editor Lesley Bremness. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, NY 1990.

The Herb Book by John Lust, ND, DBM. Bantam Books, New York, NY, 1974.

Culpepper's Complete Herbal by Wordsworth Reference. Wordsworth Editions Ltd., Cumberland House, Hertfordshire, England 1995.

The Authenic Kloss Family--BACK to EDEN by Jethro Kloss. Back to Eden® Publishing Co., Loma Linda, CA 1939.

The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine by Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D., with forward by Dr. Jeffrey Bland. Keats Publishing Co., New Canaan, CT 1986.

Globalherb by Steve Blake, 1996.

Botanical Safety Handbook, (American Herbal Products Association) edited by Michael McGuffin, Christopher Hobbs, Roy Upton, and Alicia Goldberg. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL 1997.

The Complete German Commission E Monographs--Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines by Blumenthal, Busse, Goldberg, Gruenwald, Hall, Klein, Riggins and Rister. American Botanical Council, Austin, TX 1998.

Better Nutrition for Today's Living, "Black Walnut" by Tamra Orr. March 1999.

PDR for Herbal Medicine, 2nd Edition 2000, Medical Economics Company, Montvale, N.J.