The Effectiveness ofSamento, Cumanda, Burbur,

and Dr. Lee Cowden'sProtocol in tiie Treatment of

Chronic Lyme Diseaseby Suzanne Arthur

Lyme Disease Research DatabaseThe annual number of new

cases of Lyme Borreliosis diseaseoccurring in the United States isunknown due to many factors,mainly underdiagnoses andmisdiagnoses. Harvard researchersand Lyme-literate physiciansbelieve that as many as 200,000new cases of Lyme occur in the USannually and that the number ofpeople infected grows each year.As reported in the Townsend Letter("What Makes Lyme Disease Tickand How Samento Eliminates It,"July 2004),' Samento was the onlyherbal antimicrobial recommendedfor treatment of Lyme Borreliosis.Nutramedix now offers manyadditional products, some of whichare currently undergoing clinicalevaluation for effectiveness inthe treatment of Lyme disease.Dr. Lee Cowden considers the useof Samento, Cumanda, Burbur,Quina, and other products to be afine-tuned antimicrobial approachthat addresses fungus and otherproblems that accompany Lymedisease (L.E. Crowden, oralcommunication, August 2006).

Dr Lee Cowden: Lyme BorreltosisMay Be the Root Cause of ManyChronic Illnesses

Although many Lyme patientshave had success with long-termantibiotics. Lee Cowden, MD,integrative medical researcher andphysician, believes many patientsbeing treated with antibiotics recovercompletely for months or years onlyto suffer a recurrence. "Lyme diseaseis an epidemic in this country," saysDr. Cowden. He believes most ofthe diseases "that are consideredincurable by conventional medicinehave some kind of Lyme component."Many chronicaily iil people haveLyme as a factor. Dr. Cowden notonly suspects Lyme bacteria as aroot cause for autoimmune diseases,he also lists neuro-degenerativediseases, cardiovascular diseases,cardiac-arrhythmias, gastrointestinaldiseases. Multiple Sclerosis, ALS,Parkinson's, ADHD, and autism. "I'vefound that if you can start workingon the Lyme and the toxins, then alot of these labels go away," he says.

Dr. Cowden says that throughthe studies he has discovered thefoilowlng:

...antibiotics do seem to workfairly well in a lot of patients.But, if they've had the illness forlonger than six weeks, the chanceof antibiotics getting rid of theinfection, in my experience, ispretty unlikely, pretty remote. So.they're basically just guaranteeingthat they'll stay on antibiotics forthe rest of their life. The problemwith staying on the standardpharmaceutical antibiotics long-term is tbat you kill off the friendlybacteria in your gut, and youcause an overgrowtb of fungus inyour gut, so then you trade oneproblem for another.

In the pilot study in 2003, we usedSamento quite a bit, and still useit. But we've found that tbere aresome other herbal therapies thathave been brought from Peru byNutramedix tbat work just as wellor better than Samento.

Cumanda is an extremely powerfulanti-Lyme treatment, as well as anexcellent anti-fungal and also isa pretty good anti-viral and anti-parasitic. So you eliminate a lot ofdifferent bugs with one therapy.It's a different philosophy than thephilosophy used by conventionalmedicine, which is one bug, onedrug. So if you bave six bugs, youhave six drugs.

TOWNSEHD LETTER - APRIL 2007 101

Chronic Lyme

Now, besides Cumanda we haveBanderol, which is a very powerfulherbal antimicrobial from Perualso through Nutramedix, andQuina, which has been usedin Peru for many centuries fortreatment for malaria, but is alsoan excellent anti-Lyme treatmentas well as a pretty good anti-fungaland anti-parasitic.

I guess tbe most important thingwe've learned since the pilot studyis that if you don't continue towork on getting tbe physical toxinsout of tbe body, the few remainingmicrobes that can survive theaggressive therapy witb herbalsor Pharmaceuticals, or whateveris used, those surviving microbeswill usually regrow and form acompletely new population ofLyme-related microbes in tbe bodybecause of tbe toxins stimulatingtheir regrowth. So, it's so criticallyimportant, in my opinion, to workas hard on getting the toxins out ofthe body as on working on gettingthe microbes out of tbe body. Theworst culprits usually are theheavy metals. Tbe most commonsource for heavy metals tbat Isee usually is mercury from thesilver mercury amalgam fillings inpeople's teeth.

The simple act of chewing releasesmercury back into the body, whereit stimulates the growth of Borreliaand other microbes, and where,additionally, it "blocks the release ofother toxins, including other metals,pesticides, solvents, herbicides andso on," says Dr. Cowden. He urgesLyme patients to have amalgamfillings removed "in a very cautiousand methodical way. Then, oncethe mercury is removed from theteeth, the patient must gear up thedetoxification for mercury, so thatthe mercury can be removed fromthe body over time."

Mercury is just one issue tbatpredisposes patients to microbialgrowth and poisons their systems.Other metals such as aluminum,bauxite, and copper are also foundin high levels in Lyme patients.Pesticides from household use andfrom conventionally produced meats.

and petroleum by-products fromskin care products and cosmeticsrepresent further challenges. DrCowden continues:

Once you get a lot of that toxicload out. then it becomes easyto get rid of the microbes. Theother thing we've learned sincethe study is that enzymes arecritically important in breakingup tbe fibrin that covers over thebugs and hides them from theimmune system. The fibrin is aprotein produced by the body inresponse to infectious illnesses.And those bugs can hide verywell if tbe fibrin is coating themover, but if you give a proteolyticenzyme about thirty minutesbefore food witb water only, acouple of times a day, enough ofthat enzyme gets absorbed andbreaks down the fibrin coating ontbe surface of the bug so tbat theimmune system can find them andget rid of them.

In addition to that, the fibrin thatis being produced gets plasteredup against the capillary walls.the blood vessel walls, andrestricts the movement of oxygeninto tbe tissues. So the tissuesbecome oxygen-starved, and startproducing lactic acid and go intoanaerobic metabolism and createall kinds of otber trouble fromtbat. So the proteolytic enzymeshave been very helpful to resolvethat.

I use bromelaln as a proteolyticenzyme. Bromelain is derivedfrom pineapple. And also I useCarnivora, which is derivedfrom Venus Flytrap. These twoseem to be fairly well-toleratedand not likely contaminated andnot very allergenic. A lot of theother enzymes that are on themarket are eitber contaminatedor allergenic. But those two workreally well.

We've found that if you rotateremedies, tbat you're less likelyfor the microbes to develop asensitivity or resistance to thetreatment, and [it's] less likely forthe patient to develop an allergyor sensitivity to it."

In 2001, Dr. Cowden co-developeda technique to remove toxins usingthe principle of complex homeopathyand laser, called cold laser therapy."That's been a great advance ingetting the toxins out of the body.

and the doctors I've taught how todo that are very impressed with theirresults," he says. "Unfortunately,there are so few doctors in thecountry who are trained in thattechnique tbat there are more peoplewanting it than doctors who candeliver it." Dr. Cowden currentlyleads seminars for physicians whowant to learn bow to use cold lasertherapy for faster detoxification.

Dr. Andrew Wright: Treating CFSand Lyme Disease with Samentoand Cumanda

Dr. Andrew Wright sees patientsin his private clinic in Bolton.near Manchester, UK. For the pastfifteen years be has specialized intbe treatment of Chronic FatigueSyndrome (CFS). He believes thatCFS is mainly a chronic bacterialinfection, and that Borrelia is abacteria that can cause CFS (A.Wright, oral communication, January2007). "Clinically, CFS is identical tocbronic Lyme disease in many ways,"says Dr. Wrigbt. '*I tbink there areseveral reasons why we sbould thinktbat bacterias are the main causes oftbese illnesses. The symptoms aresimilar to bacterial illnesses. Tbegene expression, in very carefullyselected CFS patients, appears tobe identical to tbat found in Lymedisease. Many patients are positivefor Borrelia. 1 do microscopy and 1find spirocbetes in many people."

Dr. Wright has treated fivehundred or more patients witbSamento, which be says is safe andwell-tolerated by most people. Hebelieves that for treatment of CFSand Lyme Borreliosis. tbe bestchoice is an integrated program if thepatient can afford it. "Often it comesdown to what patients can afford,"he says. "Many of my patients areon pensions and Social Security andcan't afford to pay for lots of herbsand supplements. They go for cheapantibiotics. Some of them get better."

Dr. Wright says that becauseSamento works very well in at leasttwo-thirds of his patients whochoose alternative therapies overantibiotics, it remains bis first choicein treatment with Lyme Borreliosis.Eighty percent of his patients whoare on the antimicrobial treatments

102 TOWNSEND LETTER - APRIL 2007

respond positively, with about sixtypercent of the patients declaredclinically cured after a period ofone or two years. He now usesother Nutramedix products as well,particularly Cumanda, Quina, Burbur,and also Amantilla.

In general. Dr. Wright says,be tries Samento first. If patientsdon't respond he puts them on Dr.Cowden's protocol. He finds thatabout half the patients who don'trespond to Samento will respond totbe protocol. Some people simply donot respond, which, as be points out,is typical for any type of treatmentincluding conventional antibiotics.

The results of Samento treatmentare varied due to patients' spectrumof tolerance, in Dr. Wright'sexperience. "In genera!," he says, "it isvery well-tolerated. It's very rare forsomeone to have to stop treatment."Some people are very sensitive andcan only begin witb one-quarter of adrop. Others bave a greater toleranceand can build up tbeir dosage morequickly, thus achieving quickerresults. "The fastest I've seen it workis in six weeks," be says.

Dr. Wright typically recommendsa dosage of five to ten drops, threetimes per day, working up to thatdosage over a period of a few weeks.Occasionally, he has put patients onsixty drops a day. In his experience, ifSamento is going to work, the patientsees a reduction in symptoms withinthree months. "Certainly. Samentocauses fewer side effects thanantibiotics, sucb as gastritis, thrushor irritable bowel syndrome, and sofortb," says Dr. Wrigbt. The only sideeffect from Samento tbat his patientshave experienced with any frequencyis diarrhea, which subsides afterabout one week.

Dr. Cowden comments on wbypatients have fewer problems withberbal antimicrobial treatmentstban witb conventional antibiotics."Fungal overgrowth can be just asbad a problem as Lyme disease," hesays. "Tbe herbal treatments we'vebeen using don't tend to cause tbatproblem, because they kill the fungias mucb as they kill tbe Lyme-relatedbacteria and protozoa, without,in many cases, killing tbe friendlybacteria in the gut."

In treating CFS and Lyme, Dr.Wright would ideally employ a"combination of therapies," he says,"including Samento, nutritionalsupplements, dietary change, stressmanagement, tbe wbole thing,because this is a holistic illness. Itbink we need to do more research,because long-term effectivenessof these therapies is yet to bedetermined."

Chronic Lyme

Jean Reist, RN: Treating LymePatients with Help from DetoxFormulas Burbur and Parsley

Jean Reist, RN, has treated overa thousand people diagnosed withLyme disease in her Pennsylvaniaclinic. Journey to Wellness (J. Reist,oral communication, December

"The problem with staying on the standard pharmaceuticalantibiotics long-term is that you kill off the friendly bacteriain your gut, and you cause an overgrowth of fungus in your

gut, so then you trade one problem for another."- Dr. Lee Cowden

A Clinicai Study CurrentlyEvaluating the Effectiveness ofSamento, Cumanda, and Burbur

In Fall 2006. pharmacist PhilipKielman of tbe Netherlands began ayear-long, randomized, double-blind,placebo-controlled study to evaluatethe effectiveness of Samento,Cumanda, and Burbur in thetreatment of chronic Lyme disease(P. Kielman, oral communication.January 2007). This is a follow-up to tbe pilot study conductedwitb Samento in 2003. The twelve-week preliminary report shows a65% reduction in symptoms in thetreatment group and a 20% reductionin symptoms in tbe placebo group.

Kielman says, "When we checkwith the Western Blot or ELISAand we get a negative result for thedisease, and there are no symptomsremaining, we conclude tbat it works.Of course, some people are skeptics.They will say, yes, but you can't cure100% of the people."

"But I'm a pharmacist," becontinues. "And 1 know that I can'tcure anyone with any disease, onehundred percent witb 'normal'medication. Wben you bave a 30%success rate with pbarmaceuticalmedication, everyone sbouts 'wow,that's great, we have a new drug.' Butwhen tbere is a natural product andpeople who have been given no hopewitb conventional tberapy succeedat a rate of 50% or 60%, well, 1 thinkthat's great."

2006). Nutramedix products Burburand Parsley are in ber arsenal ofberbal tberapies for treatmentbecause of tbeir effectiveness inlympb drainage, which she considerscritical in healing Lyme. Reistbelieves that tbe most essentialingredient in ber patients' tberapy isdiet and lifestyle changes.

"Lyme Borrelia will thrive intbe presence of fungal elevation.Tberefore, sugars, grains, candefinitely make tbe inflammatorysituation a lot worse. Sugars willsuppress tbe immune system.But what's more damaging, in ourexperience, is tbat Nutrasweet andSplenda are like poison, and you wantto avoid that like the plague. Splendawill actually dry up the thymus andeffect your T-cells in a way tbatyou cannot afford if you bave Lymedisease. So, stay away from those

Immune Support — Transfer FactorChtsolm's tine of productsare designed for immunesystem support Theseproducts are powerful, non-toxic, safe, natural, andsuitable for adults, chlidrenand pets.

The ChJsolm Family sendmany thanks to theLyme, CFS. andFibromyalgiacommunities forcontinued support ofour products.

ImmunFactora 1-10Beta MaximmunFactorQimmunfactor Q40immoChelXHealthy HeartPurified TouefFThybursyn

CHISITMTel:800-664'1333

Excellence in Manufacturing

TOWNSEND LETTER - APRIL 2007 103

Chronic Lyme

artificial sweeteners. Just don't do it."For her patients, Reist recommendsStevia as an alternative sweetener.

Bea Mistich: Success with HerbalAntimicrobial Tberapy

Bea Mistich of Coiorado Springs,Colorado spent nearly a decadedealingwith serious health challengesand was hospitalized and treated forpain, but not tested for Lyme diseaseuntil years later (B. Mistich, oralcommunication. December 2006).She now believes that many, if notall, the health problems that plaguedher over the course of nine yearswere caused by Lyme. During thattime, Bea underwent neck surgeryfor herniated discs: she sufferedback issues, cellulitis, depression, aswell as severe flu symptoms. She alsobelieved tbat she was experiencingstrokes.

For pain relief, Bea tried manytypes of therapies, includingacupuncture, with little success.Eventually, she received a positivediagnosis for Lyme from IGeneX inPalo Alto, California. She began acourse of Doxycyline, prescribed byher Colorado Springs physician. Inspite of an entire year of treatment,she remained symptomatic. Asher health declined, a friend whohad heard about Dr. Cowden andNutramedix products urged her tolook into it. Initially reluctant to tryyet another purported remedy, Bea

eventually considered her friend'sadvice, went to see Dr. Cowden, andbegan his protocol. Since then, Beahas become progressively healthier.

Dr. Cowden and his associatestold Bea tbat she would start to feelbetter in about two months. Shereports that she had to increasethe protocol slowly, at the rate ofone drop per every five to sevendays. Although she had doubts andfeared disappointment in the herba!therapy, she was impressed with theresults: "Within three weeks, I wasone hundred percent better. It wasincredible. It was wonderful," shesays.

Like most Lyme patients, Beawas well aware of the magnitude ofeffect that her illness was having onher loved ones. "My husband threwa party on my birthday recently andannounced to our friends the party'wasn't necessarily just to celebrateBea's birthday,' as he said, 'it's tocelebrate getting my wife back andgetting ber healthy again.' It wasgreat."

Johnny Asia: Speeding Recoveryfrom Long-Term Illness AfterSwitching to Natural Protocol

Johnny Asia is healing from Lymedisease after a long struggle, mademore challenging by tbe fact that he isa professional musician (J. Asia, oralcommunication, November 2006).For a time, memory loss, rheumatoidarthritis, profound muscle twitching,and crippling fatigue robbed bimof his ability to perform and earn

Suzanne Arthur writes for regional and nationalpublications, specializing in alternative medicine andsustainability issues. She is the founder and editorof the Lyme Disease Research Database, online atwww.lyme-disease-research-database.com.

a living. Johnny says his healingprogress intensified when he startedusing herbal alternatives Samento,Cumanda, and Quina.

In 1995, Johnny knew he was veryill but was informed by a doctor whowas not Lyme-literate that he didnot bave Lyme disease. Eventually,Johnny did receive a positivediagnosis and was treated with a two-week course of antibiotics. In spite ofhis doctor's pronouncement that bewas then Lyme-free, his symptomsdid not resolve, but plagued him formany years. Because he believedwas Lyme-free. Johnny could notunderstand the persistent symptoms.Discovering that be was experiencingmany symptoms of Lyme, he realizedthat he might have chronic Lymedisease.

In his research, he came acrosspositive reports about Samento frompeople whose symptoms were simiiarto his. After beginning treatmentwith Samento and other nutritionalsupplements, he experienced theHerxheimer reactions created by tbedie-off of toxins. After a few months,his headaches subsided. The eyelidtwitching stopped completely.Beginning in mid-2006, Johnnybegan Dr. Cowden's protocol and isnow taking Samento, Cumanda, andQuina. He expects to be symptom-free within a year.

How is Lyme Disease Contractedand Spread?

The question of how Lyme iscontracted and spread only seemsto invite more controversy within agrowing population of Lyme sufferersseeking answers. However, one thingis becoming clear. "Only a very smallpercentage of those bave contractedLyme disease through a tick bite,the way conventional medicinethinks." warns Dr. Cowden. Dr.Wright agrees. "It's not necessarilytransmitted solely by ticks," he says."There is evidence for otber meansof transmission in the researchliterature." He lists congenital andsexual transmission. "I tbink theincidence of Borrelia is much higherthan just Lyme disease," he adds.

Master Herbalist, Stephen HarrodBuhner, author of Healing Lyme:Natural Healing and Prevention of

104 TOWNSEND LETTER - APRIL 2007

Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections,^reports that although transmissionthrough a tick bite is still believedto be the most common way ofcontracting tbe disease, "littleresearch has been conducted onother routes of transmission." Hestates, "spirochetes are passednot only through tick bites but alsothrough other mechanisms. Oncethey infect peopie, they can be foundin breast milk, in tears, in semen, andin urine. Babies have been infected intbe womb."

Buhner says tbat, while gatheringresearch for his book, he expectedto find that non-pharmaceuticalalternatives were not included inany mainstream medical discussionabout treatment of Lyme disease.But he was surprised by somethingelse he discovered, which is "thata significant amount of reputableresearch is being ignored by themainstream medical community."

ResourcesHealth care professionals canrequest product samples fromNutramedix, LLC, Suite 301. 900East Indiantown Road, Jupiter,Fiorida 33477; 800-730-3130 or 561-745-2917: Fax 561-745-3017; Email:info@nutramedix.com : Website:www.nutramedix.com.

For comprehensive scientificinformation about Nutramedixproducts and Lyme disease, visit thefollowing two websites hosted byBionatus Laboratories in Ecuador:www.nutramedix.ee and www.samento.com.ee.

For information about tbe authorof this article and for access toaudio interviews with Lyme-literatephysicians on the Lyme DiseaseResearch Database, please go tohttp://www.lyme-disease-research-database.com.

Notes1. Walker M, Walker RS. What makes Lyme

disease tick and how Samento eliminatesit. Totunsend Letter. July 2004.

2. Buhner, SH. Healing Lyme: NaturalHeating and Prevention of LymeBorreliosis and Its Coinfections. WhiteRiver Junction, Vermont: Chelsea GreenPublishing; 2005.

Dr. Cowden's Lyme Protocol

Nutramedix Products in Dr. Cowden's ProtocolBrief Descriptions

Adrenal Support replenishes the adrenal glands restoring normal function.

Amantilla Relax relieves stress and anxiety and aids sleep.

Algas Metal Detox mobilizes heavy metals out of the interior of the cells.

Burbur Detox aids detoxification of the liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and theground matrix.

Carnivora is a proteolytic enzyme that dissolves the fibrin coating around harmfulmicrobes, helping the immune system identify and eradicate them.

Chlorella binds heavy metals and boosts the immune system.

Cumanda is an anti-inflammatory, broad-spectrum antiviral, antiparasltic,antibacterial, and antifungal, effective against Borrelia burgdorferi and the co-infections.

Magnesium Malate helps maintain normal cardiovascular, muscle, nerve, bone, andcellular function.

Parsley Detox-aids detoxification of the liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and theground matrix.

Pinella Brain/Nerve Cleanse eliminates neurotoxins.

Quina is an anti-inflammatory, broad-spectrum antibacterial and antiprotozoal,effective against Borrelia burgdorferi and the co-infections.

Samento is an immune system modulator, anti-inflammatory, broad-spectrumantibacterial, effective against Borrelia burgdorferi and the co-infections.

Trace Minerals Relax restores depleted mineral stores in the body, helps correcttissue acidity, aids in relaxation, aids in hydration, and enhances the effect of theantimicrobials.

Lyme Borreliosis (Lyme Disease) ProtocolUsed by William Lee Cowden, MD

Causes: Borrelia burgdorferi bacterial infection and usually one or more of thefollowing microbial infections; Eriichia, Babesia, Bartonella, Mycopiasma, Coxiella,etc. Heavy metal toxicity (usually mercury) plus pesticides, herbicides, petroleumbyproducts, and plastics make the patient more susceptible to these toxins.

For the first three days, do only the following:• Mix the following four products together in at least a one-half cup (4 oz./120ml) of

water and take three times daily immediately before mealtimes (whether eating ameal or not): BURBUR - 10 drops, AMANTtLLA - 10 drops, PINELLA - 10 dropsand TRACE MINERALS - 15 drops. Continue this for the entire protocol unlessthe patient feels fairly well. If so, then the noontime dose can be eliminated.

Then add the following to the protocol:• Mix the following three products together in at least a one-half cup (4 oz./120mi)

of water and take twice daily 30 minutes before breakfast and supper: PARSLEYDETOX - 10 drops, TRACE MINERALS - 15 drops and CUMANDA - start withone drop adding a drop with every dose until reaching 30 drops. It should takeapproximately 15 days to reach the full dose of 30 drops. At the same time, takeCARNIVORA- 4 capsules. If a dose of Carnivora is missed, it can be taken atbedtime when the other products are taken.

• Mix the following tow products together in at least a one-half cup (4 oz./120ml)and take twice daily after mealtimes (whether eating a meal or not): ADRENALSUPPORT - 20 drops and BURBUR DETOX - 10 drops. If feeling toxic (headache,muscle ache, nausea, joint ache, etc), take 10 drops of Burbur or Parsley in wateror under the tongue every ten minutes until feeling better and then resume theprotocol. >.

TOWNSEND LETTER - APRIL 2007