Biofilms are protective communities where various forms of the Lyme bacteria can hide from prescriptive antibiotics, herbal antimicrobials, and the immune system.
In chronic Lyme and associated diseases they can cause:
--treatment resistance and
--relapse once antibiotics or herbal antimicrobials are stopped
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011 AT 6:02AM |
MARTY ROSS MD |
- natural medicines: banderol and samento, lumbrokinase
- pharmaceutical medicines: tinidazole
Biofilms are protective communities where various forms of the Lyme bacteria can hide from prescriptive antibiotics, herbal antimicrobials, and the immune system. In chronic Lyme and associated diseases they can cause:
- treatment resistance and
- relapse once antibiotics or herbal antimicrobials are stopped.
Biofilms are not unique to borrelia, the Lyme disease bacteria. They are known to occur based on scientific studies in various infections such as staph infections of the skin. In Lyme disease, Alan MacDonald MD, has shown biofilms to exist based on his microscopic exams of brain tissues.
Composition
In biofilms bacteria produce and cover themselves in a layer of slime composed of mucopolysaccharides. To add structure, the bacteria recruit a protein found in blood called fibrinogen which they then convert to the protein fibrin. Because the fibrin gives structure, the bacteria in biofilms can rid themselves of their outer protein coverings making it harder for the immune system to react against them. In addition the slime layer covers the germs so the immune system cannot see them and antibiotics or antimicrobial supplements cannot reach the germs. Within the biofilms the germs establish highly organized structures and functions where they communicate using various chemical messengers, excrete waste through channels and perform other complex activities to promote the longevity of the community. Biofilms require calcium and magnesium and contain other minerals and heavy metals.
Biofims and Treatment
In my practice I intentionally treat biofilms
- at the end of treatment to prevent relapse or
- when a treatment is not progressing well due to treatment resistance.
Some physicians address biofilms at the very beginning or throughout the entire course of a treatment. In my practice I do not do this because my observation is that90% or more of my patients get well without specific biofilm treatments. Even though we know based on the work of Alan MacDonald MD that biofilms exist in brain tissues of people with Lyme, there is no scientific evidence that they occur in every individual who has Lyme and associated diseases. Furthermore, even if they do exist in all that have borrelia infection, there is no scientific evidence that they universally block treatments.
How to Treat Biofilms
Based on my review of biofilm treatments there are two scientifically supported approaches to eliminate biofims in Lyme Disease and many theoretical treatment approaches.
Research-based Treatments
Eva Sapi PhD and her colleagues are performing groundbreaking Lyme Disease research. In the past 2 years she has published two articles based on petri dish experiments in her lab. The first published over a year ago shows that the herbsBanderol and Samento used together completely eliminate biofilm communities and eradicate nearly every germ living in them. Her more recent study of 5 different antibiotics shows that prescription tinidazole decreases the size of biofilm communities and eliminates the germs living in them by over 90 percent. Based on my review of her research, I believe the best antimicrobial approach that eliminates biofilms and the germs that live in them are the herbs Banderol and Samento. Prescriptive tinidazole is a very close second though.
Theoretical Treatments
As I noted above biofilms require magnesium and calcium, have various minerals and heavy metals, and contain fibrin protein structures and mucopolysaccharides substances. Theoretical treatments address these various components. Some physicians treat biofilms by
- starving the germs by eliminating or limiting calcium and magnesium,
- removing minerals and heavy metals with the chelating agent EDTA, and
- breaking up the protein fibrin matrix with enzymes like Lumbrokinase or nattokinase.
In theory, I understand these approaches. However, I think such approaches are overkill. Now I admit that I am a minimalist when it comes to treating Lyme and associated diseases. I believe that physicians should treat using as few supplements or prescriptions as possible to gain the maximum benefit. Even though I work with supplements for instance, I do not think it is useful or appropriate for most patients to leave a medical office or a store with bags full of supplements. Regarding eliminating calcium and magnesium or limiting them, I do not support this. Biofilms exist in us, so of course they require the same minerals that we do to survive. I do not think we should starve the host (a person with Lyme) to kill the germ.
The only theoretical approach I use in my practice is the supplementLumbrokinase. It breaks down the fibrin protein skeleton that holds the biofilm together. This alone is enough to break up the biofims. Using Lumbrokinase alone I have seen great improvements in my patients with treatment resistant Lyme and decreased episodes of relapse. An alternative to the Lumbrokinase is nattokinase, but it is a much weaker fibrin dissolving enzyme and I do not find it effective.
Biofilm Treatment Approach
Treat biofilms in the last four months of treatment to prevent relapse or anytime in treatment when resistance to antibiotics or herbal antimicrobials is blocking progress.
So how do I design a treatment for biofilms? My favorite and most effective approach is to use Banderol and Samento. When using these two herbs, I stop all prescritpive antibiotics. Dr. Sapi's work suggest this is the most effective approach, and this is what I observe in my practice as well. Another approach is to use prescritipive tinidazole in an antibiotic approach. I use Lumbrokinase, if an antibiotic approach is working fairly well, or if Banderol and Samento do not work, or if a person cannot tolerate the nausea or abdominal cramping that can occur with tinidazole. It is safe to add Lumbrokinase to any antibiotic regimen. To read how to use Banderol and Samento or Lumbrokinase or to purchase these supplements click on the Links in this section.
One word of caution, when treating biofilms, sometimes die-off Herxheimer reactions can occur. In a die off reaction the immune system makes more inflammatory chemicals that can temporarily make the Lyme and associated diseases symptoms worse. To read about these reactions and the treatment approach I use for them see the Treatment Manual: Supplements and Advanced Treatments in Lyme and Associated Diseases.
Final Word
As Dr Brooke and I note on this site, often supplements offer better approaches to treat this illness than prescription-only treatment approaches. The examples laid out above regarding treating biofilms with Banderol and Samento or Lumbrokinase provide perfect examples of our claim. Read additional articles or supplement blog entries on this site to see other examples of how you can improve your prescription based approach.
