Um, yuk. Yes, I know. But
this tidbit of information was just too
interesting to pass up. Apparently, certain
compounds found in red wine have recently
captured the interest of researchers looking
for alternative treatments for herpes
simplex-1, the virus that causes cold
sores. It looks like our dear red wine
friend, resveratrol (Wine
and the "C" Word, Wine
& Arthritis) has been found to
block DNA synthesis, a process that must
occur for the herpes virus to replicate
itself. Put down your goblets gang, this
is not by drinking red wine, rather, it
is by applying red wine directly to the
cold sore. Researcher John Docherty, Ph.D.,
professor of microbiology and immunology
at Northeastern Ohio Universities College
of Medicine, has conducted a study on
the effects of red wine on cold sores.
While the professor believes that higher
concentrations of resveratrol than those
typically found in red wine were needed
to be effective against the virus, it
may be possible that the drying effect
of the alcohol in red wine combined with
the tiny amount of resveratrol could reduce
the length of a cold sore outbreak.
Controlling
Herpes Naturally: A Holistic Approach
to Prevention & Treatment
Michele Picozzi offers the following home
remedy recipe:
"To make this home remedy, set aside
a small amount of red wine in glass or
shallow dish. Cover and let sit overnight.
In the morning, take a dampened cotton
swab and dip into the congealed wine.
Apply lightly to lesions. Delay eating
or drinking for 15 minutes.
Apply every four hours. For best results,
do this at the first sign of an outbreak."
For more information on the subject, check
out http://www.cold-sore-remedies.com/studies.htm
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