Artemisia and oregano for HSV and HPV

HSV – Herpes simplex viruses

Herpes simplex viruses are primarily divided into HSV-1 and HSV-2, which can occur in both the mouth and genital area. Many infections progress without symptoms or with only mild symptoms, but transmission is still possible even without visible blisters. After the initial infection, the virus remains in the body for life and can become active again at irregular intervals.

• Types: HSV-1: mostly cold sores, increasingly also genital, HSV-2: predominantly genital herpes
• Transmission: skin and mucous membrane contact
• Symptoms: Burning, itching, painful blisters
• Conventional medical treatment: Antiviral drugs (e.g., acyclovir) shorten outbreaks but do not cure them

HPV – Human papillomaviruses

There are over 200 types of human papillomaviruses. Most infections go unnoticed and heal spontaneously. However, some types can cause genital warts or cancer. High-risk HPV types in particular are closely associated with cervical, anal, mouth, and throat cancer. HPV vaccination is considered an effective preventive measure against the most important types.

• Types: Low-risk (e.g., HPV 6, 11): Genital warts, High-risk (e.g., HPV 16, 18): Risk of cancer
• Transmission: Very easily through skin and mucous membrane contact
• Symptoms: Often none; cancer usually develops only after years
• Conventional medical treatment: Virus cannot be treated directly; removal of lesions, vaccination for prevention

Facts from the clinic

HSV and HPV are among the most common viral infections in humans. The WHO estimates that around 3.7 billion people worldwide have antibodies against HSV-1. Approximately 491 million people live with HSV-2, of whom around 187 million experience symptomatic genital herpes episodes each year [1,2].

High-risk HPV types cause almost all cases of cervical cancer. Data from GLOBOCAN, the WHO database on global cancer figures, show a significantly higher mortality rate in resource-poor regions [3,4].

Antiviral drugs such as nucleoside analogues inhibit HSV replication but cannot eliminate the virus. There is currently no approved antiviral drug for HPV. This therapeutic gap and the growing demand for complementary approaches are drawing attention to herbal active ingredients such as Artemisia annua (annual mugwort) and oregano (Origanum vulgare).

Artemisia annua against HPV and HSV

Artemisia annua is an undemanding plant that also thrives very well in this country. Artemisinin, an active ingredient first isolated from the plant in 1972, has long been used successfully in Chinese medicine to treat malaria and viral and bacterial infections. Chinese pharmacologist Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015 for her work on developing artemisinin extraction.

The strongest clinical evidence for the effectiveness of active ingredients extracted from Artemisia annua against HPV comes from a phase I study with intravaginal artesunate (an artemisinin derivative) in women with biopsy-confirmed CIN2/3 (moderate to severe precancerous cervical lesions). [5]. The treatment was administered over one to three five-day treatment cycles. In just under 68% of participants, the cell changes improved to CIN1 or less (mild or no abnormalities). In addition, almost half showed a reduction in HPV infection.

These clinical results are consistent with laboratory studies showing that natural artemisinin inhibits the cancer-promoting viral proteins E6 and E7 in HPV-infected cells, reactivates the protective function of the tumor suppressor p53, and thereby triggers programmed cell death in the affected cells [6].

Artemisinin and artesunate also have a broad antiviral effect on herpes viruses. Studies show that they inhibit the replication of HSV-1, among other things [7]. The effect begins after the virus has entered the cell: artemisinin-like compounds interfere with the production of viral DNA instead of blocking the virus from entering. They thus specifically inhibit viral replication.

In addition, the leaves of Artemisia annua contain flavonoids, which have an independent effect against HPV [8]. Luteolin in particular inhibits the cancer-promoting viral proteins E6 and E7 in HPV-infected cells and activates several pathways of programmed cell death, thereby specifically breaking down affected cells [9].

More about Artemisia annua in our active ingredient text

Oregano against HSV-1 and HSV-2

Oregano is much more than a well-known and popular culinary herb. It has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties and protects cells as an antioxidant.

Oregano leaves mainly contain rosmarinic acid, supplemented by caffeic acid and other phenols [10,11]. Rosmarinic acid acts directly against HSV by blocking the virus from entering cells.

In laboratory tests with acyclovir-resistant HSV-1, rosmarinic acid was able to strongly inhibit the attachment of the virus to cells and at the same time reduce virus uptake by 80–96% [12]. In HSV-2, an extract rich in rosmarinic acid reduced cell damage by 60% [13]. Other plants rich in rosmarinic acid, such as thyme, also showed similar effects against HSV [14. Beyond its direct antiviral effect, rosmarinic acid strengthens the innate immune system (also relevant for HSV susceptibility) [15,16].

More about Origanum vulgare

Artemisia and oregano in combination

Artemisia annua and oregano leaf extracts act at different stages of the viral infection and thus complement each other effectively.

• Artemisia annua: inhibits virus replication after penetration. In the case of HPV, flavonoids such as luteolin act specifically against the HPV oncoproteins E6 and E7
• Oregano: blocks the penetration of HSV and strengthens the immune system

Through these different mechanisms of action, the plant substances attack the infection on several levels and complement each other instead of repeating the same effect. Studies indicate that combined use has a multi-layered antiviral potential.

Recommended dosage

Treatment with Artemisia and oregano for HSV or HPV should always be considered on an individual basis. As a general rule, 3 x 2 Artemisia and oregano capsules containing 600 mg of leaf powder each can be taken daily for several weeks. Vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids are also recommended.

For cold sores, Artemisia gel can be applied directly to the blisters several times a day, but capsules should also be taken.

Effects of Artemisia on the HPV cycle and oncogenesis

Effects of Artemisia and oregano on HSV infections

References:

[1] C. James et al., “Herpes simplex virus: global infection prevalence and incidence estimates, 2016,” Bull. World Health Organ., vol. 98, no. 5, pp. 315–329, May 2020.

[2] K. J. Looker et al., “The global and regional burden of genital ulcer disease due to herpes simplex virus: a natural history modeling study,” BMJ Glob. Health, vol. 5, no. 3, p. e001875, Mar. 2020.

[3] H. Sung et al., “Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries,” CA Cancer J. Clin., vol. 71, no. 3, pp. 209–249, May 2021.

[4] L. Rahangdale, C. Mungo, S. O’Connor, C. J. Chibwesha, and N. T. Brewer, “Human papillomavirus vaccination and cervical cancer risk,” BMJ, vol. 379, p. e070115, Dec. 2022.

[5] C. L. Trimble et al., “A first-in-human proof-of-concept trial of intravaginal artesunate to treat cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2/3 (CIN2/3),” Gynecol. Oncol., vol. 157, no. 1, pp. 188–194, Apr. 2020.

[6] A. Mondal and U. Chatterji, “Artemisinin represses telomerase subunits and induces apoptosis in HPV-39 infected human cervical cancer cells,” J. Cell. Biochem., vol. 116, no. 9, pp. 1968–1981, Sept. 2015.

[7] T. Efferth, M. R. Romero, D. G. Wolf, T. Stamminger, J. J. G. Marin, and M. Marschall, “The antiviral activities of artemisinin and artesunate,” Clin. Infect. Dis., vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 804–811, Sept. 2008.

[8] J. F. S. Ferreira, D. L. Luthria, T. Sasaki, and A. Heyerick, “Flavonoids from Artemisia annua L. as antioxidants and their potential synergism with artemisinin against malaria and cancer,” Molecules, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 3135–3170, Apr. 2010.

[9] S. Ham et al., “Luteolin induces intrinsic apoptosis via inhibition of E6/E7 oncogenes and activation of extrinsic and intrinsic signaling pathways in HPV-18-associated cells,” Oncol. Rep., vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 2683–2691, June 2014.

[10] C. Parra, P. Muñoz, L. Bustos, F. Parra, M. J. Simirgiotis, and H. Escobar, “UHPLC-DAD characterization of Origanum vulgare L. from Atacama Desert Andean region and antioxidant, antibacterial and enzyme inhibition activities,” Molecules, vol. 26, no. 7, p. 2100, Apr. 2021.

[11] X.-L. Zhang et al., “Phenolic compounds from Origanum vulgare and their antioxidant and antiviral activities,” Food Chem., vol. 152, pp. 300–306, 2014.

[12] A. Astani, M. H. Navid, and P. Schnitzler, “Attachment and penetration of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus are inhibited by Melissa officinalis extract,” Phytother. Res., vol. 28, no. 10, pp. 1547–1552, Oct. 2014.

[13] G. Mazzanti et al., “Inhibitory activity of Melissa officinalis L. extract on Herpes simplex virus type 2 replication,” Nat. Prod. Res., vol. 22, no. 16, pp. 1433–1440, 2008.

[14] J. Reichling, S. Nolkemper, F. C. Stintzing, and P. Schnitzler, “Impact of ethanolic lamiaceae extracts on herpesvirus infectivity in cell culture,” Forsch. Komplementmed., vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 313–320, Dec. 2008.

[15] E. Ortega-Collazos et al., “Balneotherapy (mud-bath therapy) with a peloid enriched with rosmarinic acid enhances clinical outcomes and innate immune benefits in elderly patients with osteoarthritis: A pilot study,” Appl. Sci. (Basel), vol. 14, no. 24, p. 12017, Dec. 2024.

[16] J.-Y. Weng et al., “Reducing lipid peroxidation attenuates stress-induced susceptibility to herpes simplex virus type 1,” Acta Pharmacol. Sin., vol. 44, no. 9, pp. 1856–1866, Sept. 2023.