Study shows Samento to be effective in treating Lyme
Borreliosis: an infection linked to over 300 conditions

Control Group: A few patients experienced slight improvement, and the rest remained with no positive change in their clinical condition at the end of the study

Experimental Group: 100% of patients experienced marked clinical improvement; 85% were seronegative for Lyme borreliosis at end of study

Investigators

William Lee Cowden, M.D.
Luis Romero M.D., Ph.D.
Joan Vandergriff, N.D.
Hamid Moayad, D.O.
Svetlana Ivanova, M.D., Ph.D.

Pilot Study Results

A 6-month pilot study was recently conducted with 28 patients suffering from Advanced Chronic Lyme borreliosis. All the patients tested positive for Lyme borreliosis utilizing the Western Blot blood test for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The control group was treated with antibiotics, and at the end of the study, from 14 patients in the group, 3 improved slightly, 3 got worse and the rest remained with no change in their clinical condition. The experimental group was treated with Samento (Pentacyclic Alkaloid Chemotype Uncaria tomentosa). At the end of the study 85% of the patients in this group tested negative for Borrelia burgdorferi, and all the patients experienced a dramatic improvement in their clinical condition. A full report will be available soon.

Samento

Samento, also known as TOA-Free Cat’s Claw, is a rare chemotype of a medicinal plant commonly known as Cat’s Claw, botanical name Uncaria tomentosa. Unlike traditional Cat’s Claw products, this chemotype does not contain a group of chemical antagonists called tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids (TOAs) that act upon the central nervous system and can greatly inhibit the positive effect of the pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs). Samento contains a standardized amount of (POAs) that primarily affect the immune cells responsible for non-specific and cellular immunity, and demonstrate powerful immune system modulating properties. According to research conducted in Austria, traditional Cat’s Claw products may contain as much as 80% TOAs, and as little as 1% TOAs can cause a 30% reduction in immune system modulating properties that POAs provide.

How Samento May Eliminate the Pathogen

The latest research on Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) shows that it exists in at least three different forms: the spirochete, the spheroplast (also known as L-form), and the cyst form. During the course of infection, Bb can shift among these three forms, converting from the spirochete form to the others when presented with an unfavorable environment (antibiotics, changes in pH of body fluids in chronic inflammation, etc.), and reverting back to the spirochete form to grow and reproduce upon being released from naturally aging and dying infected cells. It is during the growth period after re-conversion to the spirochete form, as well as in adult spirochete form, that Bb is most vulnerable and susceptible to antibiotics and natural elimination by the body’s immune system.

The severity of Lyme presentation is directly related to the spirochete load: low load results in mild or even asymptomatic infections. With increased spirochete load from subsequent repeated infections and/or reactivated dormant infections, the severity of the disease increases. Higher loads also impair key cells of the immune system and modify the immune response, thus making the immune system unable to fight the pathogen. The negative effects on the immune system increase the longer the spirochetes are present. To prevail in the effort to fight Lyme disease, it is necessary to not only restore the immune system to normal functioning, but to boost it as well. Even a normal functioning immune system is unable to attack and eliminate Bb in all its forms.

The results of research on Samento (TOA-free Chemotype Cat’s Claw) demonstrate its powerful immune system modulating and stimulating properties, along with pronounced anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-infectious effects. The diverse spectrum of the biological activities of Samento is due to its biologically active compounds. The pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs) contained in this Chemotype are generally accepted as the principal immunomodulating and immunostimulating agents. POAs are actively involved in the repair of many elements and functional mechanisms of both the innate and acquired immunity damaged by the Borrelia and other co-infections, assisting in restoration of structural and functional integrity of the immune system, enhancing its ability to eliminate the pathogens by natural way. In addition, this Chemotype contains quinovic acid glycosides – compounds with strong natural antibiotic properties (the latest generations of conventional synthetic antibiotics “Quinolones” are based on quinovic acid glycosides), which further enhance the medicinal effect of Samento in fighting the infection.

Considering the life-time of intracellular forms of Bb equivalent to the life-span of the cells invaded by these forms, they are constantly released into surrounding environment upon the natural cell death and destruction. The release of intracellular forms of Bb is gradual over the time due to various life-span of various invaded cells. Since about 90% of these forms are reside in various cells (including all blood cells) which have the life-span from 2-3 weeks to 6-8 months, it may be assumed that within a 6 to 8 month period, a significant majority of all intracellular form of Bb will be released into the environment where they can be successfully attacked by a properly functioning immune system and a natural powerful antibiotic.

Taking into account all the above, in can be assumed that continuous use of Samento over a period of time consistent with the life-span of several generations of various infected cells (8-12 months), would more likely result in gradual killing and eliminating of Borrelia and co-existing infectious pathogens, with subsequent reduction of infectious load in the body and restoration of the person’s health.

History of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease was first recognized in the United States in 1975, following a mysterious outbreak of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis near the community of Lyme, Connecticut. The rural location of the Lyme outbreak and the onset of illness during summer and early fall suggested that the transmission of the disease was by an arthropod vector.

In 1982, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease was discovered by Willy Burgdorfer. Burgdorfer isolated spirochetes belonging to the genus Borrelia from the mid-guts of Ixodes ticks. He showed that these spirochetes reacted with immune serum from patients that had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Consequently, the lyme spirochete resembling the syphilis spirochete was given the name Borrelia burgdorferi.

Methods of Lyme Disease Transmission

W.T. Harvey, MD, MS, MPH and Patricia Salvato, MD of Diversified Medical Practices in Houston, Texas recently published the article- Lyme disease: ancient engine of an unrecognized borreliosis pandemic. They were puzzled by the high number of patients testing positive for Lyme disease. Many of these patients presented with "established" criteria for Lyme disease, but others did not. The fact that southeastern Texas is a ‘non-endemic’ region, and that many of the patients had no history of erythema migrans rash, led the doctors to question established methods for Lyme disease consideration. Careful reflection of published research leads them to conclude the following. First, the arthropod is not the exclusive vector of Lyme disease. In addition to ticks, Borrelia burgdorferi may be carried and transmitted by fleas, mosquitos, and mites. Second, Lyme disease is not exclusively vector-borne. Compelling evidence supports horizontal (sexual) and vertical (congenital) human to human transfer.

Other front-line physicians are arriving at the same conclusions. "Of the more than 5,000 children I've treated, 240 have been born with the disease," says Charles Ray Jones, MD. Dr. Jones, who is the world's leading pediatric specialist on Lyme Disease, says that about 90% of his practice is comprised of patients with the disease. He also states, "Twelve children who've been breast-fed have subsequently developed Lyme".

University of Wisconsin researchers state that dairy cattle and other food animals can be infected with B. burgdorferi and hence some raw foods of animal origin might be contaminated with the pathogen. Recent findings indicate that the pathogen may be transmitted orally to laboratory animals, without an arthropod vector. Thus, the possibility exists that Lyme disease can be a food infection

Citing limitations of laboratory tests for the detection of antibodies to Borrelia, a study was conducted in 1995 at the University of Vienna (Austria) for the detection of Borrelia. Utilizing polymerase chain reaction testing for DNA, Borrelia was found to be present in both the urine and breast milk of patients previously diagnosed with Lyme disease.A study conducted at the Sacramento (California) Medical Foundation Blood Center in 1989 states that there is evidence that the transmission of Borrelia is possible by blood transfusion. Furthermore, in 1990, a study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia stated that the data demonstrates that Borrelia burgdorferi can survive the blood processing procedures normally applied to transfused blood in the USA.

Number of Cases

Lyme disease is the fastest-growing epidemic in the world. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. affirms that "there is considerable underreporting" of Lyme disease, maintaining that the actual infection rate may be 1.8 million, 10 times higher than the 180,000 cases currently reported. Nick Harris, Ph.D., Director of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), states "Lyme is grossly under-reported. In the U.S., we probably have about 200,000 cases per year." Dan Kinderleher, MD an expert on Lyme disease, stated on the Today Show in June 10, 2002 that the number of cases may be 100 times higher (18 million in the United States alone) than reported by the CDC.

Joanne Whitaker, MD has developed a "Rapid Identification of Borrelia burgdorferi" and has over 3200 positive specimens for Borrelia burgdorferi from forty-six (46) states, including Alaska and Hawaii. In addition, Dr. Whitaker has had positive specimens from Australia, Canada, Canary Islands, Brazil, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Considering vector, congenital and sexual transfer, Dr. Harvey and Dr. Salvato estimate that 15.5% of the global population, nearly 1 billion people, could be infected with Borrelia.

Lee Cowden, MD states that there are very few symptoms where one should not consider Lyme, especially given that a quarter of the U.S. population may be affected. It is estimated that Lyme disease may be a contributing factor in more than 50% of chronically ill people.

The Sierra Integrative Medicine Clinic in Reno, Nevada, states that "Authorities estimate that up to 90 percent of the population could be carrying the Lyme spirochete and that Lyme is a factor in over 50 percent of chronic illnesses."

Frequently Misdiagnosed

Katrina Tang, M.D., HMD, founder and Director of Research at the Sierra Integrative Medicine Clinic in Reno, Nevada, states that Lyme disease eludes many doctors because of its ability to mimic many other diseases. According to an informal study conducted by the American Lyme disease Alliance (ALDA), most patients diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) are actually suffering from Lyme disease. In a study of 31 patients diagnosed with CFS, 28 patients, or 90.3%, were found to be ill as a result of Lyme.

Dr. Paul Fink, past president of the American Psychiatric Association, has acknowledged that Lyme disease can contribute to every psychiatric disorder in the Diagnostic Symptoms Manual IV (DSM-IV). This manual is used to diagnose psychiatric conditions such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), antisocial personality, panic attacks, anorexia nervosa, autism and Aspergers syndrome (a form of autism) to name a few.

Lyme Borreliosis causes, mimics, is manifested as, is misdiagnosed as or is a contributing factor to many conditions. The following list of over 300 conditions was compiled by means of a non exhaustive search of published scientific literature and includes: Abdominal pseudo-eventration, Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA), Acute Acral Ischemia, Acute conduction disorders, Acute coronary syndrome, Acute exogenous psychosis, Acute meningitis, Acute myelo-meningo-radiculitis, Acute peripheral facial palsy, Acute perimyocarditis , Acute pyogenic arthritis, Acute reversible diffuse conduction system disease, acute transitory auriculoventricular block, Acute transverse myelitis, Acute urinary retention, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Algodystrophy, Allergic conditions, Allergic conjunctivitis, Alopecia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease), Amyotrophy, Anamnesis, Anetoderma, Anorexia nervosa, Antepartum fever, Anxiety, Arrhythmia, Arthralgia, Arthritis, Asymmetrical hearing loss, Atraumatic spontaneous hemarthrosis, Atrioventricular block, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Bannwarth’s Syndrome, Behcet's disease, Bell’s Palsy, Benign cutaneous lymphocytoma, Benign lymphocytic infiltration (Jessner-Kanof), Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, Bilateral facial nerve palsy, Bilateral follicular conjunctivitis, Bilateral keratitis, Bilateral papilloedema, Biphasic meningoencephalitis, Bipolar Disorder, Brain Tumor, Brown recluse spider bite, Brown-Sequard syndrome, Cardiac Disease, Cardiomegaly, Cardiomyopathy, Carditis, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Catatonic syndrome, Cauda equina syndrome, Central vestibular syndrome, Cerebellitis, Cerebral atrophy, Cerebro-vascular disease, Cervical facet syndrome, Cheilitis granulomatosa, Chiasmal optic neuritis, Chorea, Choriocapillaritis, Chronic encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic muscle weakness, Chronic urticaria, Cerebellar ataxia, Cogan’s syndrome, Collagenosis, Complete flaccid paraplegia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Concomitant neuroretinitis, Conduction disorder, Conus medullaris syndrome, Coronary aneurysm, Cortical blindness, Coxitis, Cranial Neuritis, Cranial polyneuritis, Craniopharyngioma, Cutaneous B-cell lymphoma, Dementia, Demyelinating disorders, Depression, Dermatomyositis, Diaphragmatic paralysis, Diffuse fasciitis, Dilated cardiomyopathy, Diplopia, Discopathy, Disseminated choroiditis, Dorsal epiduritis, Encephalitis, Encephalomyelitis, Encephalopathy, Endogenous paranoid-hallucinatory syndrome, Eosinophilia, Eosinophilic fasciitis (Shulman syndrome), Epilepsy, Epileptic crises, Episcleritis, Epstein Barr, Erythema chronicum migrans, Exanthema (local and generalized), Extrapyramidal disorders, Facial diplegia, Fascicular tachycardia, Fatal adult respiratory distress syndrome, Fetal death, Fever, Fibromyalgia, Fibrositis, Focal nodular myositis, Frontotemporal atrophy, Generalised motor neuron disease, Geniculate neuralgia, Giant cell arteritis, Gonarthritis, Granuloma annulare, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, HLA-B27 negative sacroiliitis, Headaches (severe), Hearing loss, Heart block, Hemiparesis, Hemophagocytic syndrome, Hepatic disorders, Hepatitis, Herniated discs, Holmes-Adie syndrome, Horner's syndrome, Human necrotizing splenitis, Hydrocephalus, Hyperacusis, Hyperbilirubinemia, Hypothyroidism, Idiopathic atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini (IAPP), Idiopathic facial paralysis, Infarction pain, Impaired Brainstem response, Infantile sclero-atrophic lichen, Infectious Mononucleosis, Infiltrating lymphadenosis benigna cutis, Inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid syndrome, Influenza, Internuclear ophthalmoplegia, Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis, Intracerebral haemorrhage, Intracranial aneurysm, Intracranial hypertension, Intracranial mass lesions, Intrauterine growth retardation, Iritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Isolated acute myocarditis, Isolated lymphadenopathy, Isolated neuritis of the sciatic nerve, Isolated oculomotor nerve paralysis, Isolated posterior cord syndrome, Jaundice, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Keratitis, Keratoconus, Left sided sudden hemiparesis, Lichen sclerosus, Livedo racemosa, Lofgren's syndrome, Lupus, Lymphadenosis benigna cutis, Lymphocytoma cutis, Lymphoma, Lumboradicular syndrome, Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome, Memory impairment, Meningeal lymphoma, Meningitis, Meningoencephalomyelitis, Meningoencephalomyeloradiculoneuritis, Meningoradiculitis, Migraines, Mono-arthritis, Monolateral chorioretinitis, Morgagni-Adams-Stokes syndrome (MAS), Morning glory syndrome, Morphea, Motor neuron syndrome, Multiple mononeuropathy, Multiple Sclerosis, Myelopathy, Myofascial pain syndrome, Myositis, Neonatal respiratory distress, Neuromyotonia, Nodular panniculitis, Normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), Oculomotor paralysis, Oligoarthritis, Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, Nodular fasciitis, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Optic atrophy, Optic disk edema, Organic mood syndrome, Optic nerve lesion, Otoneurological Disorders, Panuveitis, Papillitis, Paralysis of abdominal muscles, Paraneoplastic polyneuropathy, Paranoia, Parkinsonism, Parotitis, Pars plana vitrectopy, Parsonage and Turner syndrome, Peripheral facial palsy, Peripheral neuropathy, Peripheral vascular disorder, Pericarditis, Perimyocarditis, Persistent atrioventricular block, Pigment epitheliitis, Polymyalgia rheumatica, Polyneuritis cranialis, Polyneuropathy, Polysymptomatic autoimmune disorder, Porphyrinuria, Posterior scleritis, Primary lymphoma of the nervous system, Presenile dementia, Progressive cerebral infarction, Progressive facial hemiatrophy (Parry-Romberg syndrome), Progressive stroke, Progressive supranuclear paralysis, Prolonged pyrexia, Propriospinal myoclonus, Pseudo tumor Cerebrae, Pseudolymphoma, Pseudoneoplastic weight loss, Psychosomatic disorders, Radiculoneuritis, Ramsay Hunt syndrome (pleocytosis), Raynaud's syndrome, Recurrent paralysis, Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, Reiter's Syndrome, Respiratory failure, Restless legs syndrome, Retinal pigment epithelium detachment, Retinal vasculitis, Reversible dementia, Rheumatic Fever, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rhombencephalitis, Sacro-iliitis infection, SAPHO syndrome, Sarcoidosis, Schizophrenia, Schoenlein-Henoch purpura, Scleroderma, Secondary syphilis, Seizure Disorders, Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Septal panniculitis, Septic arthritis, Seventh nerve paralysis, Sick sinus syndrome, Spontaneous brain hemorrhage, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Stiff-man syndrome, Still's disease, Stroke, Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis, Subacute multiple-site osteomyelitis, Subacute organic psychosyndrome, Subacute multiple-site osteomyelitis, Subacute presenile dementia, Subarachnoid hemorrhage, Sudden deafness, Sudden hemiparesis, Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), Sudeck's atrophy, Synovitis, Syphilis, Symmetric Polyarthritis, Temporal arteritis, Temporomandibular joint syndrome , Thrombocytopenic purpura, Thyroiditis, Tourette's syndrome, Transient Ischemic Attack, Transient left ventricular dysfunction, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Unilateral interstitial keratitis, Unilateral papillitis, Urticaria, Uveitis, Vasculitic neuropathy, Vasculitic mononeuritis multiplex, Vasculitis, Ventricular asystole, Vertigo, Vestibular neuronitis and Vitreous clouding.

An article entitled Hidden Plague. Forget about SARS. Lyme disease is spreading steadily, and some experts say it can elude the standard cure was published in People Magazine on June 16, 2003. The article tells the story of a patient suffering from Lyme disease who was misdiagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), an incurable disease that is fatal within 5 years of onset. Dr. Whitaker states that nearly every patient she has tested who is suffering from Parkinson’s Disease has tested positive for Borrelia. Professor Luis Romero, MD, PhD reports three patients that had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease years ago to be 99% reversed using Pentacyclic Alkaloid Chemotype Uncaria tomentosa.

Dormancy and subsequent activation caused by weakened immune system

It is believed that years can pass before symptoms appear in a patient that has been infected with Borrelia. In 1998, a study conducted in Switzerland demonstrated that only 12.5% of the patients that tested positive for Borrelia developed clinical symptoms confirming that Borrelia burgdorferi infection is often asymptomatic. A report from Germany outlines the case of a 12 year old boy that developed Lyme Arthritis 5 years after being bit by a tick. The case indicates that the latency period between tick bite and onset of Lyme Arthritis may last up to 5 years.

All asymptomatic carriers of Borrelia are at risk of developing Lyme disease at some point. Stress, an increasing health concern for physicians worldwide, may have been the trigger that activated Lyme disease in a patient in Sweden. The case is reported of a 26 year old woman with latent Lyme borreliosis that was concurrently activated with a herpes simplex virus type 1 infection. Immune suppression by stress may have caused activation of both infections.

Prevalent on 6 continents

Lyme disease, known as Borreliosis in much of the world, is prevalent on 6 continents and recognized as an epidemic in many countries. Pentacyclic Alkaloid Chemotype Uncaria tomentosa has been available to the public in Bulgaria, where a high incidence of Lyme disease exists, since January 2001. Within 2 months it became the most widely sold natural medicine in that country. Dr. Atanas Tzonkov, director of Bulgaria’s largest private medical clinic, has treated thousands of patients with Samento. He reports that it has been used successfully to treat over 100 conditions. A possible theory is that most of these conditions were actually misdiagnosed Lyme disease or Lyme disease was a component of the illnesses that the patient was suffering from.

The following are links to citations of medical and scientific articles from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Library of Medicine (NLM) MEDLINE database. In most cases the number of citations has doubled in the past two years, and in some countries the number has increased four fold.

The following selected search results for Lyme disease, with number of citations, are current as of July 14, 2003:

Total 7687