Cryptolepis Plant

American herbalist Stephen Harrod Buhner talks about Cryptolepis, one of his favourite broad spectrum antibacterials.

This miracle root is one of the most effective systemic herbal antibiotics according to herbalist Stephen Harrod Buhner, author of Herbal Antibiotics. The root contains cryptolepine, a potent antimalarial shown to be highly effective against resistant strains of malarial parasites. But it is not just an anti-malarial, it is also one of the best antibacterials for MRSA, streptococcus, babesia, urinary tract infections, tuberculosis, salmonella, shigella, gonorrhea and other bacterial infections. It often proves to be more effective than pharmaceutical drugs. Known as Ghanaian quinine, the root has a long history of use for malaria, fevers and diarrhea in Africa, and the rest of the world is slowly waking up to this amazing herb.

Cryptolepis Tincture
Tincture of Cryptolepis roots made with 80 proof vodka.

The roots can be taken as a tea or powdered and taken in capsules. But the most common way to take it is as a tincture. Herbal tinctures are easy to make and will keep for years. Usually the dried roots are placed in a wide mouthed jar and enough vodka or gin is poured over them to cover the roots. The mixture is shaken every few days to ensure full extraction of the active constituents of the roots. After three months the liquid is strained and poured into a dark bottle and capped tightly. The tincture is now ready for use to treat infections. As Stephen Buhner says in the video, Cryptolepis is "very potent and has no side effects." And it can complement antibiotic drugs to increase their effectiveness.

Cryptolepis roots are hard to find in North America but Richters has secured high quality roots direct from Ghana. We inspected the roots for quality, cleanliness and freshness in Africa before they were shipped to us.

Cryptolepis Roots
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