* Infectious Diseases: Alfalfa, The Anti Microbial Herbal Remedy

Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrition


Alfalfa may be a potential anti microbial agent used for treatment of infection or infectious related diseases.

Microorganism, first observed by Anton van Leeuwenhoek in 1675 is a class of microscopic organism, including a bacterium, virus, or fungus.

Believe or not, single-celled like bacteria, algae and protozoa, or multicellular, such as algae and fungi can survive under all types of extreme environment.

 And less than 1% of bacteria, can invade and cause infection and diseases.

Although the discovery of human antibiotics are medicines that kill or slow the growth of bacteria, however, over uses of the antibiotics have been found to induce microbial resistance to certain drugs.

Dr. Jose M. Munita, the lead author in the study of " Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance" said, "Emergence of resistance among the most important bacterial pathogens is recognized as a major public health threat affecting humans worldwide" and " The bacterial response to the antibiotic “attack” is the prime example of bacterial adaptation and the pinnacle of evolution. “Survival of the fittest” is a consequence of an immense genetic plasticity of bacterial pathogens that trigger specific responses that result in mutational adaptations, acquisition of genetic material or alteration of gene expression producing resistance to virtually all antibiotics currently available in clinical practice"(4).

Some researchers in the concerns of antibiotics serious side effects in treatment of diseases suggested that clinicians should eliminate the use of drugs associated with chronic or fatal because multiple therapeutic alternatives exist for virtually every potential infection(5).

Truly, herbal teas has been used popularly as natural alternatives for the treatment of infectious diseases. Dr. Mayram Hacioglu, has found 31 herbal teas that may be  alone and in combination with antibiotics or antifungals against some standard and clinical isolates antimicrobial activities(6).

Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the genus Medicago, belongings to the family Fabaceae, cultivated all over the world as hay for cattle feeding, and used in traditional medicine over thousands of year to treat high cholesterol, asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, enhance digestive system, bleeding disorder, kidney and urinary tract infection, etc.

North American aboriginal have used Alfalfa seed as food, such as making bread and mush.

According to the Via Orabona 4, Università, chemical compound saponins found in alfalfa family exhibited anti microbial activities in a selection of medically important yeasts, Gram-positive and negative bacteria.

Dr. Avato P, the lead author said, "(The anti micrbial) Activity (of alfalfa)was especially high against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) with M. arabica being the species showing a broader spectrum of action. Discrete antifungal activity was also observed, mainly against Saccharomyces cerevisiae".

Furthermore, in the study of 40 steers fed either a sainfoin (hay or silage) or alfalfa (hay or silage) diet over a 9-week period, in vitro, alfalfa fed group showed a decline in fecal E. coli numbers marginally.

The study also suggested the result of decline of anti E. coli number is due to the presence of phytochemical phenolics in alfalfa.

In fact, The Karunya University in the investigation of Antimicrobial of Alfalfa(Medicago sativa) in various bacterial strain showed a positive effects of alfalfa seed extract in inhibition of
five bacterial strains namely Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia. The efficacy also depend on concentration of extract with the maximum inhibition was seen in 300µg/ml concentration of extract.

There is no doubt that intake of alfalfa regularly may be beneficiary in reduced risk and treatment of microbial infection and diseases. But further human trials are necessary.

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Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrition
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Antimicrobial activity of saponins from Medicago sp.: structure-activity relationship by Avato P1, Bucci R, Tava A, Vitali C, Rosato A, Bialy Z, Jurzysta M.(PubMed)
(2) Potential to reduce Escherichia coli shedding in cattle feces by using sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) forage, tested in vitro and in vivo by Berard NC1, Holley RA, McAllister TA, Ominski KH, Wittenberg KM, Bouchard KS, Bouchard JJ, Krause DO.(PubMed)
(3) Antimicrobial screening of Alfalfa(Medicago sativa) in various bacterial strains by G.SHEELA JOY1 , and Dr.PHILOMENA GEORGE2 *. *Professor, 1B.Tech.student Department Biotechnology, Karunya University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India 641114(IJPDA)
(4) Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance by Jose M. Munita1,2,4 and Cesar A. Arias(PubMed)
(5) Antibiotic side effects by Cunha BA(PubMed)
(6) Antimicrobial activities of widely consumed herbal teas, alone or in combination with antibiotics: an in vitro study by Mayram Hacioglu, Sibel Dosler, Ayse Seher Birteksoz Tan, and Gulten Otuk(PMC)