Hyssop Plant Extracts Found to Be Potent Anti-HIV Agents

The medicinal herb hyssop (Hyssop officinalis) has been used therapeutically for thousands of years. Hyssop is a blood nourisher, an immune system strengthener, and possesses potent antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial activity. Today, researchers think that hyssop may be useful in the treatment of patients with AIDS.

Hyssop can be absorbed into the colon via enema or suppository as a single essential oil. Hyssop is also found in the essential oil blend ImmuPower, which gives the body the added healing benefits of mountain savory, cistus, ravensara, frankincense, oregano, clove, cumin and Idaho tansy.

1) In one study, extracts of dried leaves of Hyssop officinalis showed strong anti-HIV properties.

Hyssop officinalis inhibits syncytia formation (the abnormal clustering of cells), HIV reverse transcriptase (RT, or how HIV viruses reproduce), and p17 and p24 antigen expression (an antigen is anything, like a protein foreign to the immune system, that stimulates the production of an antibody, so 'antigen expression' is the triggering of antibody release, an indicator of the presence of a foreign invader; antigens p17 and p24 are proteins found in human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV).
Hyssop officinalis was non-toxic to the uninfected (Molt-3) cells.
Caffeic acid was identified in the extracts. As a confirmation, commercial caffeic acid also showed good antiviral activity in i) the RT assay and ii) high to moderate antiviral activity in the syncytia assay and iii) high to moderate antiviral activity in p17 and p24 antigen expression.
Tannic acid and gallic acid, commonly found in teas, was not identified in the extracts. But when these two acids from commercial products were tested, they showed high to moderate activity against HIV-1.
Overall, Hyssop officinalis contains caffeic acid, unidentified tannins (a class of phytochemicals), and other compounds that show strong anti-HIV activity. Therefore Hyssop officinalis may be useful in treating AIDS patients.

2) In another study, a polysaccharide isolated from Hyssop officinalis also showed strong anti-HIV activity.

The polysaccharide MAR-10 (polysaccharides are chains of sugars) isolated from Hyssop officinalis was found to inhibit HIV-1 replication by inhibiting HIV-1 p24 antigen and syncytia formation.
MAR-10 had no toxicity or effect on lymphocyte functions or CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts.
MAR-10 also has broad spectrum anti-glycosidase activity (inhibits HIV from replicating and inhibits HIV-mediated syncytium formation, ref: http://glycob.oxfordjournals.org/content/13/10/93R.long).
This study shows that the polysaccharide MAR-10 has strong anti-HIV-1 activity and can be considered potent in treating people living with HIV or having AIDS (difference between the two here: www.healthcommunities.com/hiv-aids/hiv-aids-difference.shtml)

The scientific research on hyssop coupled with the ample scientific evidence that exists that the colon is an effective delivery system for therapeutic agents suggests that the hyssop enema and the hyssop suppository are powerful additions to the therapeutic tools in assisting people with AIDS.

SOURCES:

Inhibition of HIV replication by Hyssop officinalis extracts.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1708226

Isolation of a previously unidentified polysaccharide (MAR-10) from Hyssop officinalis that exhibits strong activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7741735

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FURTHER READING:

Screening of selected plant extracts for in vitro inhibitory activity on human immunodeficiency virus.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12237813

A Story Of AIDS & Essential Oils (You'll love this.)

Hyssop (an Herb) Inhibits HIV per Federal Government
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4tHPfdMtOc

38 Natural Alternatives for HIV
www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/38-natural-alternatives-hiv

How Bananas and Herbs May Prevent the Transmission of HIV
www.foxnews.com/health/2011/01/11/bananas-herbs-prevent-transmission-hiv/

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

Here is a sampling of scientific studies looking at the application of therapeutic agents directly into the colon:

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Again, hyssop can be absorbed into the colon via enema or suppository as a single essential oil. Hyssop is also found in ImmuPower essential oil blend, which gives the body the added healing benefits (see below) of mountain savory, cistus, ravensara, frankincense, oregano, clove, cumin and Idaho tansy.

Mountain savory (Satureja montana) has immune stimulant, antiviral, antifungal, anti-infectious, and anti-parasitic properties.
Cistus (Cistus ladanifer) has antibacterial, anti-infectious, and antiviral properties. It is also an immune stimulant.
Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica) has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-infectious, antiseptic, antiviral, and expectorant properties. It is a cross between the nutmeg and clove plants so it may support the adrenals.
Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) has antidepressant, anti-infectious, and immune stimulating properties. The high sesquiterpenes level stimulates and oxygenates the limbic system of the brain which elevates our mood and helps us relax (overcome stress).
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an immune stimulant.
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) has antiseptic, antiviral, anti-infectious, and antifungal properties. It is COX inhibitor (anti-inflammatory) and has one of the highest ORAC values of any plant in the world!
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) has antiseptic and immune stimulant properties.
Idaho Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) has antiviral, antibacterial, anti-infectious, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an immune stimulant.