Children's Herbal Antibiotic Syrup

8 oz. glass syrup bottle. (Mahonia repens and Usnea sp.). Made from equal amounts of Oregon Grape and Usnea tinctures to which 1/3 volume of simple syrup has been added to make the mixture more palitable to children.

Each herb was tinctured individually, in 50% food grade alcohol, to extract their constituents, then blended together to form the syrup.

Oregon Grape: The antibacterial properties of berbamine have shown activity against staphyloccus, streptococcus, salmonella, shigella and escherichia coli. It has antimicrobial properties that are especially beneficial for the skin and intestinal tract. Take ½ teaspoon of tincture in warm water three times daily. The tincture may be used to treat mild infections. Take one teaspoon of the tincture in warm water four to five times daily. Continue treatment for two days after all symptoms have ceased to be noticed.

Since Oregon Grape shortens the duration of toxic exposures by increasing liver catabolism, use Oregon Grape after exposure solvents or to lessen allergic responses due to such toxic exposures as paints, pesticides, herbicides or cigarette smoke. The syrup also works for toxins from prescription and other drugs.

Oregon Grape Constituents: Alkaloids of the isoquinoline type; berberine, berbamine, hydrastine, oxycanthine.

Usnea is recommended by herbalists and naturopathic doctors for acute and chronic lung infections, such as pleurisy, pneumonia, colds and flu, and as an adjunct to tuberculosis (TB) treatment Usnic acid, the constituent of the Usnea species that has been studied most extensively, inhibits gram-positive bacteria such as streptococcus, staphylococcus, and mycobacteria. The organism Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of bacterial pneumonia in children, and a related organism, Streptococcus pyogenes, is responsible for the clinical condition pharyngitis, which is commonly referred to as strep throat.

The lichen also helps the body to resist and kill unwanted organisms such as bacteria, virus, fungus and parasites. The properties are often referred to in a more specific way using the terms anti-bacterial, anti-biotic and anti-fungal. Usnea appears to kill bacteria by disrupting their metabolic function. Specifically, it uncouples oxidative phosphorylation by acting on the inner mitochondrial membrane and also has ATP-ase activity. Both of these mechanisms ultimately kill bacterial cells by cutting off their energy supply. Unlike bacterial cells, human cells are less permeable to usnic acid and are not adversely affected.

Usnea Constituents: Usnic acid, mucilage.