Evergreen Nutrition has a large immune support selection featuring supplements ranging from single herbs such as elderberry and echinacea to condition-specific blends of multiple nutrients, herbs and mushrooms. There are specific blends for anti-viral support, anti-bacterial support, or simply general immune support. In the anti-bacterial realm, one new (and improved) formula stands out for its sheer power. Vibrant Health‘s renamed Bacterial Defense, formerly Bulls Eye, is a blend of concentrated bioactive plant extracts with refined cinnamic acid, and has perhaps the broadest anti-microbial action in a blend of this kind. In Vibrant Health’s description,

“Bacterial Defense contains plants that
naturally target and kill bad bacteria, and help maintain a healthful balance (homeostasis) among the bacteria that populate the interior and the exterior of the human body.”

This dynamic blend is not an antibiotic per se, but when taken daily can protect against (and maintain a balance among) some of the most virulent microbes surrounding us, whether in our food, water, or the air we breathe. Included are:

• Bacillus subtilis (causes various infections)
• Borrelia burgdorferi (causes Lyme disease)
• Borrelia mayonii (also causes Lyme disease)
• Candida albicans (causes yeast infections)
• Enterobacter aerogenes (causes various infections)
• E. coli (causes most urinary tract infections)
• Proteus spp (causes bladder infections)
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa (causes pneumonia and more)
• Klebsiella pneumoniae (causes pneumonia and more)
• Salmonella choleraesuis (foodborne illness)
• Shigella spp (intestinal disease shigella)
• Staphylococcus aureus (staph infections)

The Ingredients

Bacterial Defense includes clove buds, jambolan leaf, lemon balm leaf, pomegranate fruit,
rosemary leaf, thyme leaves and flowers, cat’s claw, and eucalyptus leaves. These plants are a source of bioactive food substances that include flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, triterpenes, phenolic acids and essential oils.

We will go into depth with some of these individual plants to see just what powerful allies they are in the fight against nasty bacteria.

Clove

Clove (Carophyllus aromaticus) is one of the most heavily researched botanical sources of antimicrobials. The volatile oils contain eugenol, carvacrol, and cinnamaldehyde, among other constituents. Clove’s activity has been investigated on pathogenic bacteria as well as Herpes simplex and hepatitis C viruses. In addition to its antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal and antiviral activity, it is profoundly antiyeast, controlling Candida albicans. Some bacteria susceptible to clove include: Salmonella, Listeria, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus. Recent discoveries have shown that some bacteria showing resistance to certain antibiotics are sensitive to extracts of clove.

Cat’s Claw

The aptly named Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) has alkaloids that influence the immune system’s fight response, as well as being directly antibacterial. They modulate and regulate the immune response to bacterial invasion by enhancing phagocytosis (the destruction of bacterial invaders by white blood cells and macrophages). Some of the microbes directly inhibited by Cat’s Claw include: Candida albicans, Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus. Research has also shown extracts to be effective Lyme disease microbicides.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) contains antimicrobials throughout, in the juice, the peel and the seeds. Whether in water or alcohol extract form, extracts from pomegranate exhibited antibacterial activity against: E coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella, Streptococcus, Clostridium difficile, Heliobacter pylori, Listeria monocytogenes (a particularly virulent, potentially lethal food-borne illness), and even Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In addition it has shown activity against the parasite that causes malaria.

Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.), also known simply as Melissa, has a long history of affording protection. The essential oil contains more than 36 constituents. Extracts from Lemon Balm have shown activity against: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria, E coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella, and also Candida albicans. In addition, Lemon Balm has antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus.

Vibrant Health suggests this product is great to bring when traveling, hiking in wild country, or on a camping trip. Let the power of plants protect you!

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