How Red Marine Algae (RMA) can help you:
RMA can assist the body's immune response
to viruses. This can help to reduce the
number of outbreaks and the severity of
your outbreaks.
RMA can reduce the formation of herpes
virus colonies, also helping to reduce the
number and severity of your outbreaks.
RMA can be useful for weight-loss and lowering cholesterol, helping improve your overall health.
Red Marine Algae and Herpes
Alternate relief for Herpes?
By Kent Farfield
Historically, there has been no long term relief for
chronic sufferers of herpes simplex infections, let
alone a cure. Herpes sufferers are seemingly at the
mercy of this viral menace. Despite failure at the
eradication of the herpes virus, success in the short
term by temporarily suppressing its proliferation has
yielded positive results. One such agent, acyclovir,
a nucleoside analogue,has been regarded as the drug
of choice by the medical community. However, as with
most drugs, there are side effects. Are there no alternatives?
There are as many known factors which contribute to
a chronic case of herpes, while other factors remain
a mystery. Finding ways to stop or curb some of the
known factors which predispose one to herpes activity
can be helpful. Chronic herpes sufferers are well accustomed
to the recommended restrictions in diet and lifestyle.
Yet, even healthy individuals who seemingly do everything
right to lead a herpes-free life cannot escape this
relentless virus. So, what's next?
Treatment with acyclovir relieves symptoms, reduces
the amount of infectious virus released from the sores
and speeds healing. The treatment does not prevent
subsequent attacks or diminish their frequency or severity.
The effect of acyclovir in a herpes virus infection
is to inhibit the synthesis of viral DNA. Prophylactic
courses of oral acyclovir can have a modest impact
on recurrent infections, but the cost of the drug and
its potential toxicity over the long term do not justify
such regimens in most cases. In the majority of cases
for genital herpes, general recurrency patterns returned
within 8 to 25 days after stopping long term use.
Laboratory studies suggest prolonged administration
of acyclovir as a prophylactic or its prescription
for trivial infections might favor the appearance of
virus strains that are both drug-resistant and pathogenic.
This concern over the advent of drug resistant pathogens,
has recently come to pass. The NIH reported that a
new strain of genital herpes (HSV-II) has evolved upon
which acyclovir had no effect.
Western medicine, armed with its infinite technological
powers, can still help us. Many potent botanical agents
have been investigated but never made it through the
arduous process of drug approval. Difficulties in understanding
the intricate process under which particular botanical
agents interact within the human body has kept many
useful medicines from ever reaching the people who
most urgently need them. In addition, many botanical
agents can only work in their whole plant form. They
work on multiple levels and act synergistically within
the body.
Although the actions of these botanical agents in
whole plants (commonly described as herbs or medicinal
plants) are difficult to trace and report scientifically,
a close monitoring of clinical results by trained practitioners
can be useful and show efficacy. Certainly, using our
powers of observation to determine whether a particular
treatment works better than no treatment, or better
than some other treatment for a patient whose health
status and history is well documented can be significant.
One such casualty of the drug approval process is
a red marine alga in the family of Dumontiaceae. Research
on antiviral carbohydrates from marine red algae indicate
a high potential for low-cost, broad spectrum antiviral
agents. Further research in the family of Dumontiaceae
produced two patents where clinical efficacy for herpes
I and II was clearly shown. The treatment was effective
for treating subjects (e.g. human patients) both prior
to and subsequent to herpes infection. It was used
topically to alleviate symptoms associated with herpes
infections or preferably systemic, by oral administration,
to eradicate the virus and thereby prevent symptom
recurrence. No side effects or toxicity were noted.
This treatment, which now must be considered alternative,
suggests a breakthrough in the discovery of natural
immunomodulatory and antiviral agents.
Recent research and gathering of anecdotal evidence
on the health benefits and antiherpetic action of the
red marine alga, Dumontiaceae, has yielded much promise.
Its use as a topical has been further documented and
thought superior to acyclovir. It was shown to be clinically
effective against herpes zoster infections as well.
Anecdotal reports from patients suffering from Epstein
Barr (another herpes virus) and Candida have shown
marked improvement in a short period of time through
oral administration (systemic).
General health benefits show red marine algae useful
in weight-loss programs and for lowering cholesterol
and fat in the blood. It contains soothing, mucilaginous
gels such as algin, carregeenan, and agar, which specifically
rejuvenate the lungs and gastrointestinal tract. Once
thought of as a liability that blocked assimilation,
the tough cell wall in Dumontiaceae has been found
to be invaluable. It binds with heavy metal, pesticides,
and carcinogens, and carries these toxins safely out
of the body. Contained within the cell walls are polysaccharides,
which are a complex of simple sugars. These long chained
complex sugars stimulate interferon production as well
as other anti-tumor and immune- enhancing activity
(improving activity of T- and B-cells). Other compounds
in the cell wall are related to those found in friendly
bacteria which fortify and strengthen our immune systems
to fight against invading organisms and toxins.
Although the effects of long term use of an alternative
treatment such as the red marine alga, Dumontiaceae,
has not been clinically substantiated, edible seaweeds
have been consumed for thousands of years and are considered
safe, nutritious, and beneficial. The added dimension
that science has uncovered surrounding its antiviral
and immunomodulatory potential; opens up a whole new
source of food that could serve to palliate or even
hopefully cure virally caused diseases. Since most
life derived from the sea, the novel idea that the
ocean lies untapped as perhaps our greatest medicinal
resource is entirely possible and may be critical to
our human survival.
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