Dangerously Misleading Report Recommends Natural Protection AgainstBiological Weapons

Dangerously Misleading Report Recommends Natural Protection AgainstBiological Weapons

by Alan R. Gaby, M.D.

Healthnotes Newswire (Nov. 1, 2001)--The growing anxiety aboutthe recent anthrax attacks has raised new questions for the public: Onceinfected, can a diagnosis be made quickly enough for treatment to be effective?Will there be an adequate supply of antibiotics in the event of a massiveepidemic? In the face of widespread fear and uncertainty, the public will nodoubt be interested in a new online article claiming that a number of naturalremedies can be used in the fight against biological and chemical terrorism.¹

In this report, the author cites numerous scientific papers to support hisclaim that there are natural compounds as close as the kitchen cupboard thatare potent antidotes against biological warfare. However, virtually all ofthe research cited is taken out of context or misrepresented, and theconclusions drawn from this research are unwarranted and potentially dangerous.

One of the agents allegedly effective against anthrax is garlic. According tothe report, garlic is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that even blocks toxinproduction by germs. The research cited to support that statement discusses awide range of bacteria and several bacterial toxins, but does not mentionanthrax or the lethal toxins it produces.2 It is inappropriate to assume thatgarlic would be effective against anthrax merely because it has shown activityagainst other organisms. Furthermore, most of the research on the antibacterialaction of garlic has been done in test tubes, and that research does notnecessarily imply that garlic would be an effective treatment for individualssuffering from infections. For example, while garlic has been shown to inhibitthe growth of the bacterium that causes peptic ulcer (Helicobacter pylori)in test tubes,3 it is ineffective as a treatment for this infection in humans.45

The controversial report also states that N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a naturalantioxidant, can fight anthrax. That statement is based on a study in which micetreated with NAC were partially protected against the lethal effects of anthraxtoxin.6 However, effective use of NAC in a critical-care setting typicallyrequires massive intravenous intake. For example, in the treatment of acuteacetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning, doctors typically administer approximately10,000 mg of NAC immediately, followed by 5,000 mg every four hoursintravenously.7 While such treatment might conceivably be useful in theemergency treatment of anthrax infection, it is unlikely that long-term oralsupplementation with commonly used amounts of NAC (several hundred milligramsper day) would provide significant protection. Larger oral intakes would notonly be expensive, but would be expected to cause a high incidence ofgastrointestinal and other side effects.8

Another recommended antidote for anthrax infection is melatonin, ahormone that the report claims can help prevent lethal toxins from anthraxexposure. The test tube study cited to support that claim showed thatmelatonin reduced the production of a chemical called tumor-necrosis factoralpha in the white blood cells of mice exposed to anthrax toxin.9 However, thereis no reason to assume that melatonin taken orally by humans would have the sameeffect. Moreover, it is not clear whether inhibiting the production oftumor-necrosis factor alpha would be of any value in the treatment of anthrax.

The report further points out that most bacteria depend upon iron in order tomultiply, and that compounds that bind and sequester iron can, under somecircumstances, inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Phytate (also known as IP6)is recommended as a natural iron-binding compound that might prevent the growthof various bacteria. However, the potential value of such a recommendationappears questionable, at best. In one of the studies cited in the report, apowerful iron-binding drug was used to protect animals from the effects ofbotulism toxin.10 The drug did have an effect, but it was hardly worthmentioning: the animals died after an average of 9.9 hours, compared with 7.8hours without the drug.

Phytate, a natural component of some high-fiber foods, is, indeed, capable ofbinding iron and other minerals. In fact, consumption of excessive amounts offoods high in phytate can cause deficiencies of iron or zinc. However, even ifone were to accept the doubtful assumption that taking phytate supplements couldreduce the concentration of iron enough to inhibit the growth of anthrax, itwould be foolish to induce chronic malnutrition as a means of protecting oneselfagainst bacteria.

The report also discusses Huperzine A, a derivative of Chinese club moss, asa potential treatment for nerve gas poisoning. In one study, Huperzine A reducedthe death rate by 60% in rats exposed to the nerve gas agent soman.11 However,the lowest amount of Huperzine A that was shown to be beneficial was 100 mcg perkilogram of body weight, equivalent to approximately 7,000 mcg for humans. Thatamount is far greater than the 150 mcg per day recommended for protectionagainst chemical weapons, and would cost approximately $23.00 per day. HuperzineA would have to be taken every day in order to have any chance of minimizing theeffects of an unanticipated chemical attack. In addition to the high cost, thesafety of using such large doses of this compound has not been demonstrated.

The misinformation presented in this new report could have repercussions farbeyond enticing frightened people to waste their money. The natural compoundsrecommended in the article are not entirely free of side effects, and some havethe potential to interact with various prescription drugs. Most importantly, iffaith in any of these questionable remedies causes someone with anthrax to delayseeking medical care for even a few hours, the consequences could be disastrous.

Copyright 2001 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted withpermission of Healthnotes Inc. (www.healthnotes.com),Portland, Ore.

@bio:Alan R. Gaby, M.D., an expert in nutritional therapies, served as amember of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Panel of the National Institutes of Health Officeof Alternative Medicine. He is the Medical Editor for Clinical EssentialsAlert, is the author of Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis (Prima,1994), and co-author of The Natural Pharmacy, 2nd Edition (Healthnotes,Prima, 1999), the A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Healthnotes,Prima, 1999), Clinical Essentials Volume 1 and 2 (Healthnotes, 2000), andThe Patients Book of Natural Healing (Prima, 1999). Currently he isthe Endowed Professor of Nutrition at Bastyr University of Natural HealthSciences, Kenmore, Wash.

References

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10. Adler M, Dinterman RE, Wannemacher RW. Protection by the heavy metalchelator N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) against thelethal action of botulinum neurotoxin A and B. Toxicon 1997;35:1089-100.
11. Tonduli LS, Testylier G, Masqueliez C, et al. Effects of Huperzine used aspre-treatment against soman-induced seizures. Neurotoxicology2001;22:29-37.