Editor’s Note: Part 1 of this article appeared in the November issue.
A modern herbal formula for Lyme disease must be cognizant of a more complex clinical landscape. Such a formula must address both the pathogen and the underlying constitutional shortcomings that facilitate chronic infection.
And of course, treating Lyme disease is not just about killing a microbe; it is also about restoring balance to a system that has essentially been hijacked. With this in mind, we support the immune system, clear inflammatory heat and toxins, move stagnant qi and blood, and calm and support the shen. But we can’t forget it still must specifically and effectively target the pathogen at hand; otherwise our efforts will fall short of achieving our ultimate clinical goals.
Bridging Conventional With Traditional to Help Our Patients
So, where else to turn? There are a few knowledge funnels we can potentially utilize, such as teachers and elders in the broader medical community. Over a decade ago, I had an unexpected encounter with the late Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, a pioneering integrative oncologist, who radically influenced my clinical thinking.
Dr. Gonzalez described to me his work with Native American herbal traditions, particularly his use of desert parsley (Lomatium dissectum) to treat Lyme disease. Historically used for respiratory infections due to its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities, Lomatium is particularly effective at “outthrusting” pathogens.
While Dr. Gonzalez described it using a different nomenclature, the underlying concept strongly echoed the Chinese medicine principle of “releasing the exterior” and expelling deeply embedded pathogenic factors. It immediately made sense to me just why he would use this particular herb, especially given the stubbornly invasive nature of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Eventually, I came to think of Lomatium dissectum as one of my more useful botanical tools that can enhance a given formula’s ability to release a variety of deep pathogenic factors to the surface. In clinical use, I observed that it often triggered a detox reaction (usually benign, diffuse, itchy-red rash along with temporary flare of joint pain), both signs of pathogen die-off, followed by measurable improvements in Lyme-related symptoms.
While individual herbs may not be as potent as antibiotics in isolation, when strategically combined, they can create a synergistic effect that helps achieve significant clinical goals such as modulating inflammation, supporting immune response, relieving symptoms, and promoting detoxification. These actions, taken together, can truly help a sick and afflicted body shift toward recovery. Adding Lomatium to a Lyme formula felt to me like applying a crow bar to a rusty door hinge ... a very handy catalyst.
An additional creative tool for when historical research on modern ailments is limited in TCM (there is next to nothing on Lyme in the classics or even recent clinical research) is to attempt to draw meaningful insights from other documented disorders that perchance share similar characteristics. This approach helps identify relevant herbal options.
For example, syphilis and leptospirosis are also caused by Spirochetes (just like Lyme disease), yet unlike Borrelia, they are extensively studied in China. To my delight, I’ve found that the herbal agents shown to be effective against syphilis and leptospirosis, such as jinyinhua, banlangen, huoxiang, huangqin, tufuling, and chuanxinlian, are also very effective for treating Lyme disease.
This cross-pollination between Western medical disease classifications and Eastern herbal agents exemplifies how modern herbal formulations can be enhanced through borrowed knowledge, especially when new diseases emerge that have not been as thoroughly dissected by TCM.
And then eventually, when we are lucky, direct research into conditions like Lyme disease starts to emerge independently and we can further apply these newly evolving insights to refine our ability to choose the most effective herbs in treating the illness. Particularly in cases of resistant or chronic Lyme disease, we now have research showing that a variety of Eastern and Western herbs such as black walnut husks, rock rose leaf, huzhang, qinghao, Cryptolepis and Plantago are particularly effective.
These findings further validate the need for multitargeted herbal approaches and with documented crossover antiparasitic properties, some of these newly researched herbs, even lend themselves to addressing several of the common tick-borne co-infections, such as Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia.
Take on the Challenge
Lyme disease remains one of the greater challenges in clinical practice. Its elusive nature, co-infections and complex presentation often call for a nuanced approach that bridges conventional and traditional healing systems.
