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Most people think an acute infection is the primary cause of PANS/PANDAS flares, but infections are rarely acting alone.
While a strep infection or virus may seem like the trigger, they’re often the tipping point in an already stressed system. Underneath the flare, many children are dealing with deeper, chronic infections, like Lyme, Bartonella, Mycoplasma, or Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), that quietly inflame the immune system over time.
When the immune system is already dysregulated, even a mild infection can push it into overdrive, leading to flares of OCD, rage, tics, anxiety, or regression.
Herbs can play a powerful role in treating both acute and chronic infections, not just by targeting pathogens, but by supporting immune balance, modulating inflammation, and building long-term resilience.
You can think of these herbs for infections in three categories:
- Acute flares– For sudden symptom spikes triggered by infections
- Prophylaxis– To strengthen the immune system and reduce frequency/severity of future infections
- Latent Infections– To address underlying, persistent pathogens that may be driving chronic symptoms
Click below to explore the herbs we’ve found most helpful in each category.
Many of the plants labeled as “invasive” by ecologists are, in fact, some of the most pharmacologically potent. Take Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), for example, it grows aggressively and is nearly impossible to eradicate once established, you will usually see it along the side of the road, especially near water. But, its stalks and roots are a rich source of resveratrol, a compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. It also contains emodin, a powerful anthraquinone with broad-spectrum antiviral and antibacterial activity. Emodin has been shown to inhibit viruses like herpes simplex, influenza, and coronaviruses, while also disrupting bacterial biofilms. Stephen Buhner (brilliant herbalist) often highlighted it as a cornerstone herb in Lyme protocols due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and modulate cytokine activity.
Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) another fast-spreading invasive vine that blankets entire landscapes in the South, is often seen as a weed. But, it contains isoflavones like puerarin, daidzein and genistein that reduce inflammation, improve microcirculation, protect against excitotoxicity in the brain and has strong antimicrobial effects.
In an era of rising antibiotic resistance and super bugs, these “weeds” may be our greatest untapped farmacy.
No Spam, no nonsense— just the things I wish I’d known earlier,
sent with a big virtual hug.
