https://pharmacopedia.wiki/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Category%3AAntimicrobial_herbs 2026-05-28T12:13:28Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.46.0-beta https://pharmacopedia.wiki/index.php?title=Category:Antimicrobial_herbs&diff=6949&oldid=prev 2026-05-23T19:19:42Z

<p>Create canonical category-page article (history-first)</p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>An &#039;&#039;&#039;antimicrobial herb&#039;&#039;&#039; is a plant medicine with documented activity against bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites. The category covers the broad-spectrum traditional antimicrobials (garlic, oregano, thyme, goldenseal), the antifungal-prominent herbs (tea tree, oregano, neem, pau d&#039;arco), the antiviral-active herbs (elderberry, olive leaf, lemon balm for herpes simplex), and the antiparasitic-active herbs (wormwood, black walnut hull, pumpkin seed, the Artemisia annua of artemisinin fame).<br /> <br /> The foundational antimicrobial herb in Western practice is &#039;&#039;&#039;garlic&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Allium sativum&#039;&#039;), whose allicin and the related thiosulfinates produce broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal, and modest antiviral activity in vitro. The clinical use of crushed garlic for infection long predates the introduction of penicillin; the Russian wartime use of garlic as &quot;Russian penicillin&quot; in the Second World War, when antibiotic supplies failed, is documented. &#039;&#039;&#039;Oregano oil&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Origanum vulgare&#039;&#039;), with its carvacrol and thymol content, has substantial in-vitro antimicrobial activity and a substantial herbal-supplement market for upper-respiratory and gastrointestinal infection. &#039;&#039;&#039;Goldenseal&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Hydrastis canadensis&#039;&#039;), the Native American and Eclectic medicine containing the berberine and hydrastine alkaloids, has broad antimicrobial activity through DNA-binding and inhibition of microbial efflux pumps; conservation concern (United Plant Savers At-Risk) is substantial. The related berberine-containing &#039;&#039;&#039;Oregon grape&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Mahonia aquifolium&#039;&#039;) and &#039;&#039;&#039;Chinese coptis&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Coptis chinensis&#039;&#039;) extend the berberine-based antimicrobial tradition. &#039;&#039;&#039;Thyme&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Thymus vulgaris&#039;&#039;) and the related &#039;&#039;&#039;oregano&#039;&#039;&#039; share thymol-mediated activity. &#039;&#039;&#039;Olive leaf&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Olea europaea&#039;&#039;), with its oleuropein content, has Mediterranean traditional antiviral use.<br /> <br /> The antifungal-prominent herbs include &#039;&#039;&#039;tea tree oil&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Melaleuca alternifolia&#039;&#039;), the standard herbal antifungal for tinea and minor skin infection; &#039;&#039;&#039;pau d&#039;arco&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Tabebuia impetiginosa&#039;&#039;) for &#039;&#039;Candida&#039;&#039; overgrowth in traditional South American practice; &#039;&#039;&#039;neem&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Azadirachta indica&#039;&#039;) for tropical fungal and bacterial skin infection; &#039;&#039;&#039;undecylenic acid&#039;&#039;&#039; from castor oil for topical antifungal use; and &#039;&#039;&#039;black walnut hull&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Juglans nigra&#039;&#039;).<br /> <br /> The antiviral-active herbs (cross-listed under [[:Category:Antivirals|antivirals]] where pharmaceutical-grade use applies) include &#039;&#039;&#039;lemon balm&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Melissa officinalis&#039;&#039;) topical cream for herpes labialis (substantial Cochrane evidence), &#039;&#039;&#039;elderberry&#039;&#039;&#039; for influenza, &#039;&#039;&#039;licorice&#039;&#039;&#039; (&#039;&#039;Glycyrrhiza glabra&#039;&#039;) for selected viral indications, and the pharmaceutical-derivative artemisinin (from &#039;&#039;Artemisia annua&#039;&#039;).<br /> <br /> == Members indexed ==<br /> <br /> Garlic (&#039;&#039;Allium sativum&#039;&#039;), oregano (&#039;&#039;Origanum vulgare&#039;&#039;), thyme (&#039;&#039;Thymus vulgaris&#039;&#039;), goldenseal (&#039;&#039;Hydrastis canadensis&#039;&#039;), Oregon grape (&#039;&#039;Mahonia aquifolium&#039;&#039;), Chinese coptis (&#039;&#039;Coptis chinensis&#039;&#039;), olive leaf (&#039;&#039;Olea europaea&#039;&#039;), tea tree (&#039;&#039;Melaleuca alternifolia&#039;&#039;), pau d&#039;arco (&#039;&#039;Tabebuia impetiginosa&#039;&#039;), neem (&#039;&#039;Azadirachta indica&#039;&#039;), wormwood (&#039;&#039;Artemisia absinthium&#039;&#039;), sweet wormwood (&#039;&#039;Artemisia annua&#039;&#039;), black walnut hull (&#039;&#039;Juglans nigra&#039;&#039;), pumpkin seed (&#039;&#039;Cucurbita pepo&#039;&#039;; antiparasitic), cloves (&#039;&#039;Syzygium aromaticum&#039;&#039;), cinnamon (&#039;&#039;Cinnamomum verum&#039;&#039;), grapefruit seed extract, propolis (bee-derived plant resin), the antimicrobial peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils, and elderberry, lemon balm, and licorice (cross-listed for antiviral indications).<br /> <br /> == Notes on scope ==<br /> <br /> The boundary of this category is &quot;herb whose principal or important indication is antimicrobial.&quot; The pharmaceutical [[:Category:Anti-infectives|anti-infectives]] (antibacterials, antifungals, antivirals, antiparasitics) are listed under their primary umbrellas; the herbal interest is in adjunctive use, in prevention, and in selected indications where evidence-grade herbal options exist. Several herbs in this category have evidence of resistance-pressure modulation and synergy with pharmaceutical antibacterials, with active research interest. The historical antiseptics derived from herbal sources (Listerine from thymol and menthol; tincture of iodine; carbolic acid from phenol) are listed under [[:Category:Antiseptics|antiseptics]].<br /> <br /> == About these pages ==<br /> <br /> This category page is an encyclopedia article about its subject. The actual index of herbs belonging to the category is generated automatically by the wiki engine, from category-membership declarations on the individual herb pages, and appears at the foot of the page below the references.<br /> <br /> == References ==<br /> <br /> &lt;references/&gt;<br /> <br /> [[Category:Plants]]<br /> [[Category:Herbal_medicines]]<br /> [[Category:Anti-infectives]]<br /> [[Category:CuratedCategoryPage]]</div>

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