BACK TO ASK THE HERBALIST INDEX
ANSWERS FROM LORHYL:
QUESTION:  What herbals would be good in treating High Ammonia levels in a Hep C patient? He is already taking Ginger Root tea and Milk Thistle .  He's taking a medication prescribed by his physician called Lactulose.

ANSWER:  Thank you for the inquiry. Please read the following excerpt, from the Alchemist Lab. Please also read the downloads, so that you can learn, how to eat and cleanse, and make your body, more alkaline. If you will follow this information, you will have less ammonia, as a side effect of the Hep C, and your over all health will, improve tremendously.

What injures the liver in HepC is an auto-immune mechanism whereby the lysosomes use a reactive oxygen species to attack the virus. This causes oxidative damage to the liver. Anti-oxidants such as milk thistle, alpha-lipoic, glutathione and selenium help mitigate liver damage. The deeper approach is quieting down lysosome output by the use of lithium and calcium orotate. This was discovered by Dr. Hans Nieper of Germany. Also, to lower enzymes, we like fresh juices, especially watercress, fennel, carrot, beet, parsley and lemon with part of the peel, apple, wheat and barley grasses. In general an alkaline diet is helpful, one that is rich in fruits and vegetables. We also make use of phosphatidyl choline to help heal the liver.

Ammonia is a normal by-product of protein digestion. The liver clears ammonia, and when liver function becomes poor, ammonia levels rise interfering with mental clarity. We use Ornithine Aspartate 1 packet twice daily and 1 NADH tablet before breakfast to lower ammonia levels. Ornithine Aspartate, or technically l-Ornithine-l-Aspartate (LOLA) primes the Urea Cycle (also known as the Orinithine Cycle) and Glutamine Synthetase which consume ammonia. NADH also is part of the metabolic detoxification of ammonia through the Urea Cycle. Ornithine Aspartate is easily tolerated without the side effects associated with Lactulose. Also useful is having more of your dietary protein from vegetarian source and beneficial intestinal bacteria. Diuretics by washing out potassium can increase ammonia levels

FROM KAREN
QUESTION: Hepatitis C any thoughts?

ANSWER: Well, let's see, first and foremost, no unprotected sex. Bad for you, bad for your partner. Next, burdock, dandelion, mile thistle and licorice to help cleanse the liver. Goldenseal, (not for more than 2 weeks at a time), red clover, and yellow dock are also beneficial.  You need to be drinking plenty of pure, steam distilled water. No alcohol, sugar, fats, processed foods and raw fish. If you like artichokes, they are very good for the liver, so feel free to eat as many of those as you like! Lots of green leafy veggies of course.

QUESTION: I've been reading a lot about alternative treatments (especially herbs) for Hepatitis C.  So far, I've seen very little about Hepatitis G.  Do you know any resources or references for learning about treatments for
this type of hepatitis?  Or... are people treating it the same way they treat Hepatitis C?

ANSWER: Hepatitis G is  actually a relatively common infection, accounting for as many as 9% of all hepatitis infections. A mild form of the disease, it does not seem to cause ongoing liver damage as some of the more potent strains do.

I would suggest 30 mg of Zinc daily, avoid fatty foods entirely and limit your protein intake to between 3 and 6 ounces per day. Avoid alcohol in all forms, take milk thistle daily as a tea to make sure your liver is in good shape and make sure you are eating lots of green leafy veggies.


QUESTION: I had contracted Hep. C from a blood transfusion when my son was born.  Do you have any recommendations on effective herbs to help get rid of the hep. c?  Can herbs take the hepatitis away?  If there are any effective herbs that can be taken, is there a special diet that should be followed with the consumption of the herbs?  If you can please answer my questions I would greatly appreciate it!  Thank you.

ANSWER: Are you certain what you have is Hepatitis C? It's very difficult to contract that from a blood transfusion since the clean up of the blood supply in 1993.It takes multiple repeated blood tests to detect it. It has many of the same long-term consequences as Hep. B. However, there is a very successful vaccine for Hep. B. If you do indeed have Hep C, you cannot get rid of it. You need to take steps to reduce the level of iron in your body. High levels of iron inhibit therapy for the liver.  Milk Thistle is my favorite herb for healing of the liver. Also, 30 mg. of Zinc every day will help build up the liver. I have a Liver Cleanse Tea available on my website. Go to www.allgoodegifts.com and in the Herb Shoppe under TEAS select Custom in the dropdown. Then in the comments section of the checkout, put "Liver Cleanse Tea". The cost is the same for custom blends.

FROM DAVID
HEPATITIS C
QUESTION:   My husband has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C.  He had a liver biopsy and was told now that there is some cirrhoses.  We know the cirrhoses can not be cured but my question is will the milk thistle keep his liver from getting worse?  Also, does the milk thistle actually get rid of the hepatitis?  He is supposed to go into a study program with the hospital and have interferon along with another drug I cannot remember the name of.  He has quit drinking but the doctor wants to wait three weeks before they "possibly" put him in this program.  There is only a 35% chance this medicine will work. I have been doing a lot of research on the chance that herbs will get rid of the hepatitis.  I read a lot about milk thistle and your suggestions with the antiviral herbs.  If you have any further information I would like to hear about it. 

ANSWER:  I would use a standardized Milk Thistle product, Milk Thistle has helped individuals with damaged livers to regenerate.  I would look for a pill if possible in your area.

Here are some other herbs for Hepatitis:

Dan Shen Latin Named: Salvia miltiorrhiza

Reishi mushrooms, Latin Named: Ganoderma lucidum and will normalize his immune response to help fight the virus.

Schisandra berry and will normalize his immune response and is antiinflammatory.

Turmeric, Latin Name: Curcumma longa and is antiinflammatory

I would probably use a tea of Dan Shen, Schisandra and Reishi, if his problem was alcoholism.  Use 1 teaspoon of the ground herb mixture (1:1:1) and cook in a ratio of 16 ounces of water for upwards of an hour (or until the liquid has reduced by half), drink 3 cups a day.  The Tumeric could be ingested in food, it is an Indian spice.  If his problem was not alcoholism, then alcohol extracts of these herbs would be stronger, faster acting and more convenient. 

HEPATITIS
QUESTION:  My doctor and I believe that I acquired hepatitis from a blood
transfusion as I do not fit the profile for any other "at risk" factors.
I have researched this matter and found many different treatments, to
wit, methionine therapy, pantothenic acid treatment as well as the use of
B-12 and Ginko biloba.  What would you suggest ?  Currently I show no
signs of jaundice or necrosis.

ANSWER:  I would go on Milk Thistle immediately to protect your liver from this virus.

The other advice I could give would be to rotate antiviral herbs in your diet and as supplements to combat the germ.  These include Lemon Balm, Elderberry, Sage, Thyme, Basil, Licorice, Cinnamon, Fresh Ginger, Horehound, Hyssop, Chrysanthemum flowers, Mullen Flowers.  Add them to dishes for meals or make teas.

Finally I would jump on some immune potentiating herbs such as Echinacea and Astragalus.

Eat lots of raw Garlic cloves a day, smell like garlic, get it in diet daily or as a second choice as pills, the deodorized ones are not as effective as the regular.