Mycoplasmas, revisited - nature provides us many healing choices.

Does a Lilo and Stitch in Time save nine Lilo's and Stitches? or does it save Time?

Phytonutrients found helpful against Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia or other anti-mycoplasma activity include Baicalin, found in skullcap, Zhang, et al., 2021), curcumin from turmeric root, (Boeder, et al., 2018), Tea Tree essential oil, (Melaleuca) (Harkenthal, et al., 2000), virgin olive oil as a food, an ounce a day may be helpful. (Furneri, et al., 2002; Furneri, et al., 2004)

“Other natural herbal biofilm disrupters, such as extracts of pomegranate, maple syrup, cinnamon and peppermint, have been used separately or together…” (Nicolson, 2019)

Acetylcysteine and budesonide used in inhalers seemed to help lung healing and overall improvement, though the adverse event rate was unchanged from other study groups. (Wang, et al., 2023)

Addition:

Mycoplasma infections - Rebuild Terrain … Restore health!

This was the previous post:

• Baicalin from the herb/tea known as skullcap, (Zhang, et al., 2021; baicalin activity against Mycoplasmas); lots of results & more about CoV is linked later.

• Curcumin, ethanol or acetone extraction from Curcuma longa (turmeric root), 2.5% concentration or above, was active against a variety of mycoplasma species, (Boeder, et al., 2018);

• Acetylcysteine and budesonide used in inhalers, primarily in Chinese health care, as an adjunct to azithromyacin & other standard treatment seemed to improve lung healing/reduce opacity and improve clinical efficacy/overall improvement, although adverse event rates were the same across the three study groups (“Budesonide group, Ambroxol + budesonide group, and acetylcysteine + budesonide group”). (Wang, et al., 2023). Acetylcysteine would help support glutathione.

• Tea tree oil/Melaleuca essential oil was found to be quite potent against M pneumoniae. Diffusing/inhaling and mouth rinses may be protective but clinical trials have not been held. (Harkenthal, et al., 2000);

• Oleuropein, a phenolic glycoside found in cold-pressed olive oil, was effective against several types of mycoplasma species, at concentrations of 20 to 320 mg/l. (Furneri, et al., 2002); and the phenol hydroxytyrosol found in olive oil also had activity against Mycoplasma species. (Furneri, et al., 2004)

How much virgin/first press/cold pressed olive oil? 25 ml or about an ounce a day is likely providing the phenols in a bioactive concentration. A study measured plasma samples after participants consumed 25 ml of virgin olive oil in one sitting. Other studies have shown that the more olive oil you consume, the more hydroxytyrosol you get (“dose-dependent”) (Furneri, et al., 2004)

• *Good olive oil is still a fat and can be over-consumed, leading to excess calories and a high total fat diet ratio which reduces methylation cycle use of oxygen for glycolysis with its greater ATP production and reduced lactic acid waste production. Delicious way to eat it - just dip crusty hot slices of baguette in a rich Extra virgin olive oil - so flavorful!

“Several papers report the good bioavailability of hydroxytyrosol following ingestion of olive oil or of the pure active principle in humans (10, 19, 20). Although plasma concentrations of hydroxytyrosol and/or its metabolites in olive oil-consuming people have not been described yet, when hydroxytyrosol levels were measured in plasma samples from volunteers after a single ingestion of 25 ml of virgin olive oil (a dose close to the daily oil intake in Mediterranean countries), a maximum concentration of 25 μg/liter was reached (10). Moreover, the disposition of hydroxytyrosol in humans has been reported to be dose dependent (19, 20).” (Furneri, et al., 2004)

Links via Pat on Telegram, “A good summary” - on the topic of Mycoplasmas and treatment: (Nicolson, 2019). Thanks!

It really is good:

Rebuild the terrain - patients with mycoplasma or other chronic infection should be considered depleted in multiple areas of nutrition is the recommendation by G. Nicolson.

“Chronic illness patients, and especially patients with chronic pathogenic mycoplasma infections, should be considered depleted in many essential vitamins and minerals that can be replaced by diet or dietary supplements [132] [151] [152] [153]. For example, we have suggested adding sublingual vitamin B complex (riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin, cyanocobalamin, choline), and vitamins A, C and E to routine vitamin use [132] [152]. Other mitochondrial replacement supplements that may be useful include coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ₁₀) L-carnitine, Alpha-lipoic acid, and glycerolphospholipids (see Section 6) [151] [152] [153] [155].

Important minerals that are often depleted during mycoplasmal infections include zinc, magnesium chromium and selenium. These can be replaced by taking mineral supplements [151] [152] [155].

Other useful supplements containing beta-carotene, bioflavoids, and amino acids, such as L-cyseine, L-tyrosine and L-glutamine. A supplement formulation of specific amino acids, Fatigue Reviva^TM, has been developed to support amino acid depletion found in conditions of sub-health, such as chronic infections [157]. Buhner [153] also suggests adding L-arginine, L-tryptophan, L-threonine, and L-serine to this mixture of amino acids. Poultry eggs were mentioned in section 6.1 as an excellent source of proteins and other nutritional components.” (Nicolson, 2019)

There is even more on diet in the treatment sections following one on medications typically use - various antibiotics. Later in the biofilm section pomegranate extract gets mentioned along with extract of pure maple syrup - plants don’t want to be eaten by insects or microbes - but plants are so delicious!

Biofilm disruption: “As mentioned in Section 5, chronic infections can hide in biofilms and be refractory to anti-microbial treatments. There are several natural biofilm-degrading enzymes that can be useful during anti-microbial treatments, such as nattokinase, lumbrokinase, and serrapeptase [151]. Together with monolauren or glycerol monolaurate, an anti-biofilm agent derived from lauric acid found in coconut and other oils [162] , these are useful in disrupting biofilm and potentially improving therapy against a variety of microbial pathogens that hide in biofilms. A natural sweetener, stevia, extracted from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana plant, has also been shown to be a natural biofilm disrupter [163]. Other natural herbal biofilm disrupters, such as extracts of pomegranate, maple syrup, cinnamon and peppermint, have been used separately or together to inhibit biofilms [151].” (Nicolson, 2019)

Tea Tree Essential Oil is very potent against a wide variety of bacteria and mycoplasma species.

“In vitro assays using a variety of essential oils revealed a particularly high antibacterial effect of Australian tea tree oil (TTO) on a great number of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria of unrelated phylogenetic origin.

In the present study, the susceptibility of cell wall-less bacteria such as the human pathogenic bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae to Australian tea tree oil was examined. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to be 0.006% (v/v) TTO for the wild type and to 0.003% (v/v) TTO for mutants of M. pneumoniae which lost the ability to adhere to host cells (cytadherence-negative).

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for M. pneumoniae are 100 times lower than those for all other eubacteria tested.” (Harkenthal, et al., 2000)

*Minor edits for emphasis/clarity, by me.

Baicalin also has fusion inhibitor potential against Chimeric spike.

Baicalin also has potential against chimeric spike issues as it is a fusion inhibitor like pomegranate peel. (Cowley, Deinert, 2022)

“The Ukranians have known for at least 12 years that Baicalin (among other flavonoids) has furin inhibitory effects. Translated from Russian, a paper by Kibirev et al from back in 2010: (12)” (Cowley, Deinert, 2022)

The GP-120 protein in HIV that causes fusion with a cell, allowing entry for the virus, has similarities with Mycoplasma genitalium adhesin proteins.

“Mycoplasma molecular mimicry may be involved in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Antigen similarities between the surface components of pathogenic mycoplasmas and HIV-1 have led to speculation that they use similar mechanisms for cell entry. Interestingly, the HIV‑1 gp120 envelope glycoprotein and M. genitalium adhesin proteins share sequence homology and also have significant similarity with the CD4-binding site of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. The interactions of pathogenic mycoplasmas with MHC-related antigens on host cells could contribute to a number of possible outcomes, including T-cell dysfunction, T-cell depletion, T-cell shift, B-cell proliferation, hyperglobulinemia and antigen-presenting cell dysfunction. All of these have been observed during the development and progression of HIV-AIDS [74]. (Nicolson, 2019)

Malapropism - mixed up metaphors? Time travel in outerspace?

A Lilo and Stitch in time saves nine Lilo and Stitches in time. A Santa sleigh and flying reindeer may have been involved in the rescue mission.

Photo by Stephen Broome on Unsplash

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use and is not intended to provide individual health guidance.

Reference List

(Boeder, et al., 2018) Boeder, A.M., Tenfen, A., Siebert, D.A., Almeida, C.L.d.B., Firmo, C.R.M.,. Scharf, D.R., et al., Anti-mycoplasma activity of Curcuma longa extracts and your isolated compound, the curcumin, Revista Fitos. Rio de Janeiro. 2018; 12(2): 112-118, e-ISSN: 2446-4775, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326194317_Anti-mycoplasma_activity_of_Curcuma_longa_extracts_and_your_isolated_compound_the_curcumin

(Furneri, et al., 2004) Furneri PM, Piperno A, Sajia A, Bisignano G. Antimycoplasmal activity of hydroxytyrosol. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2004 Dec;48(12):4892-4. doi: 10.1128/AAC.48.12.4892-4894.2004. PMID: 15561875; PMCID: PMC529223. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC529223/

(Furneri, et al., 2002) Furneri PM, Marino A, Saija A, Uccella N, Bisignano G. In vitro antimycoplasmal activity of oleuropein. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2002 Oct;20(4):293-6. doi: 10.1016/s0924-8579(02)00181-4. PMID: 12385687. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12385687/

(Harkenthal, et al., 2000) Harkenthal M, Layh-Schmitt G, Reichling J. Effect of Australian tea tree oil on the viability of the wall-less bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Pharmazie. 2000 May;55(5):380-4. PMID: 11828621. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11828621/

(Nicolson, 2019) Nicolson, Garth. (2019). Pathogenic Mycoplasma Infections in Chronic Illnesses: General Considerations in Selecting Conventional and Integrative Treatments. Int. J of Clinical Medicine. 10. 477-522. 10.4236/ijcm.2019.1010041. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinforcitation.aspx?paperid=95720

(Wang, et al., 2023) Wang, Y., Liu, K., Chen, C. et al. Acetylcysteine and budesonide for the treatment of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children: a clinical observation. Ital J Pediatr 49, 80 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-023-01491-y https://ijponline.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13052-023-01491-y

(Zhang, et al., 2021) Zhang H, Li X, Wang J, Cheng Q, Shang Y, Wang G. Baicalin relieves Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection‑induced lung injury through regulating microRNA‑221 to inhibit the TLR4/NF‑κB signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep. 2021 Aug;24(2):571. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12210. Epub 2021 Jun 10. PMID: 34109422; PMCID: PMC8201456. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8201456/

(baicalin activity against Mycoplasmas) https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Study+on+Baicalin+against+Mycoplasma+Pneumoniae&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1701117283379&u=%23p%3DSkJIq3vySgUJ