I have been gathering herbs and making my own tinctures for many years. As I become more involved with lyme treatment, I find myself dismayed by the number of recommended herbs “from afar”. I currently live in Albuquerque; are any of the more “local” knotweeds active against lyme/borrelia?
I don’t think knotweed is endemic in NM (I live here as well and have never seen it) but it is an invasive species and most people hate it, it is also very prolific, so you will make people happy if you do use it wildcrafted from someplace else. I am not sure about local herbs that have that particular anti-inflammatory action. Red root is here, of course, and that is good in the protocol, rhodiola is here and that is good, isatis is here and that is good, fresh Bidens pilosa or pinnata tincture is good and that is invasive here. But no, I don’t know of a substitute here for knotweed. Sorry.
Stephen,
I live in the northeast where Japanese knotweed is prolific and crowding out all native species. Perhaps I could supply you with some.
Hello Lindley,
I’m not sure if you’re still active, but if you do read this I am interested in obtaining a live Japanese Knotweed plant to cultivate. I know they are considered invasive and grow quickly; so care would be taken to keep the plant in check (i.e. growing in a controlled environment like a large planting pot vs growing freely outdoors).
Would it be possible to obtain an offshoot of the plant or a live root from which to grow a supply?
Thank you in advance, and if you are interested we can swap contact info.