Some strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause warts to develop on the genitals, hands, and feet. A small percentage of high-risk HPV strains can even cause cervical cancer and other forms of cancer.
HPV infections occur from intimate skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Once you get infected, there is no cure for HPV available from your doctor or pharmacy. However, specific herbal treatments with antiviral properties could potentially reduce the symptoms of the virus.
In most cases, an HPV-infected woman won’t experience any symptoms or severe illnesses from the virus because her immune system will usually eradicate the virus within two years of infection. But in the cases where the HPV infection stays in the body for longer than two years, that is when the risk of developing cervical cancer rises.
Best Herbal Treatments for HPV Infection Symptoms
Herbal treatments are not cures for an HPV infection. Instead, they could potentially boost the immune system’s response to the HPV infection and increase the chances of the immune system being able to eradicate the virus from the body. These herbal treatments are not guaranteed to work for everyone, but they are worth considering.
Below are the top 6 herbs for treating an HPV infection:
1) Echinacea Root
Echinacea root extract comes from a purple coneflower native to the midwestern prairies in the United States. It is a medicinal herb first discovered by the Native Americans, who used it to strengthen their immune systems. From a scientific standpoint, echinacea increases the body’s production of lymphocytes and white blood cells to defend itself against pathogenic micro-organisms, including viruses like HPV.
2) Goldenseal Root
Goldenseal is a dried root and perennial herb that has also been used by Native Americans for hundreds of years to reduce inflammation, clean wounds, and treat skin irritations. Goldenseal contains antiviral and antibiotic properties suitable for external or internal treatment.
An HPV-infected person with genital warts could apply goldenseal as a topical treatment on the outside of their warts to reduce their size and kill the virus potentially. Sometimes the goldenseal herb can also enhance the effects of other medicinal herbs taken in conjunction with it.
3) Chaparral Leaf
Chaparral comes from an evergreen desert shrub native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. It contains yellow flowers and leaves with antiviral properties for treating viral diseases, such as chicken pox, tuberculosis, and many sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Native Americans first discovered the benefits of chaparral leaves for treating diseases. Nowadays, people continue to utilize chaparral leaves for their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Some studies even show chaparral boosts vitamin C levels too.
4) Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaf extract comes from olive trees native to the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Thanks to its abundance of phytochemicals, olive leaf extract has been a medicinal extract to combat influenzas and common colds for several generations. Research shows olive leaf extract contains anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. There is even evidence it has twice the amount of antioxidants as a green tea extract.
5) Astragalus
Astragalus is a medicinal herb first discovered in Ancient China. It contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties capable of boosting the body’s immune system to fight against HPV and other viral infections.
6) Shiitake Mushroom
Modern researchers have found more evidence of the immune health benefits of mushroom extracts and beta-glucans. Consuming them could help protect your body from viral infections and reduce stress and brain degeneration.
AHCC is the name of the compound derived from shiitake mushroom and used to combat HPV. This is made from from the mycelia of the shiitake mushrooms, which is the part loaded with immune-enhancing polysaccharides like alpha glucans. Over 30 human AHCC HPV clinical studies and 100 published papers show evidence of AHCC’s effectiveness in enhancing the immune system to fight against HPV.
