Grapefruit Seed Extract

Botanical Name

Cautions

Description

The Grapefruit is a hybrid, believed to be native to Jamaica (see Foods section). It is sometimes confused with the pomelo, a larger fruit. The grapefruit tree can grow to heights of almost thirty feet, producing large, round, yellow fruits with flesh that is pale yellow or bright pinkish red. An extract is taken from the seeds of the grapefruit; and, of all the herbs, this one is perhaps the only true "antibiotic", which literally means anti-life.

History

Its name is derived from the Greek Kedromelon.

The species name, paradisi, indicates that some thought the fruit came from "paradise".

Its English name indicates the way the fruit grows, in clusters like grapes.

Key Actions

Key Components

Medicinal Parts

Leaves, seeds, fruit peel

Grapefruit seed extract and garlic are the two most powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics available for use. One study showed that of the 794 bacterial strains and 93 fungal strains, a commercial preparation of grapefruit seed extract was effective against 249 Staphylococcus species, 77 Enterobacter species, 86 E. coli strains, 22 Klegsiella species, 18 Proteus species, 77 yeast fungi, and 22 mold fungi strains.

GSE has shown to be active against a very large number of microorganisms in vitro and has been found effective in cleaning hospital equipment, swimming pools, drinking water supplies, in veterinary practice, and against multiple species and strains. Some organisms include: Helicobacter pylori, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Giardia lamblia, Diplococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycobacterium spp., Campylobacter, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Proteus, Cholera, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Legionella pneumoniae, herpes simplex 1, influenza A2, measles, and many others, including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Traditional uses

GSE is becoming more common in industrial applications as an environmentally friendly cleanser and antiseptic. It can sterilize cooking pots and surgical instruments. GSE has been found to be more powerful as a cleaning disinfectant than standard hospital preparations. One study showed it to be 100% effective compared to 98% for commerical hospital preparations and 72% for rubbing alcohol. By putting 30-40 drops in a quart of distilled water, it can be used to spray on bandages, to clean hands, or disinfect anything from the linens to instruments to the whole room.

A diluted extract is an invaluable water purifier when travelling in foreign countries.

Extensive animal studies has shown that high levels can be tolerated in the treatment of acute disease in farm stock, including viruses, parasites, bacteria, and fungi. The usual dose for animals is one drop of extract per one kg (2.2 pounds) of body weight.