Health Viewpoints
Angocin, an herbal medicine produced and sold in Germany, has only two active ingredients: monk’s cress powder, also known as garden nasturtium, and horseradish root powder. This medicinal has been sold and studied overseas for nearly two decades.
Research cited in the National Library of Medicine finds that its effects are comparable to those of common antibiotics, with an invaluable perk—it’s significantly safer. Even better, you can make this effective remedy at home, no prescription necessary.
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The synergistic combination of garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Garden nasturtium brims with vitamin C and minerals including potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron.
Horseradish, as a root vegetable, boasts high nutritional value itself—rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Its bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, phenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C, are responsible for its antioxidant and prebiotic functions.
Combined, these two medicinal plants have proven efficacy.
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Angocin is effective specifically against a type of antibiotic-resistant bacterial biofilm called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, commonly found in soil and water. It is the main cause of thousands of infections every year in health care settings. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can affect the blood, lungs, or other parts of the body after surgery and can cause pneumonia, fever and chills, chest pain, and other symptoms.
Used for many years in Germany, this remedy could be an important regimen for antibiotic-free treatment of infections in the United States. Volatile mustard oils are the phytotherapeutic compounds that produce Angocin’s antimicrobial power. A study published in Drug Research (Arzneimittelforschung) verifies Angocin’s broad antibacterial activities against those nasty pathogens.
Upper Respiratory Infections
Tonsillitis
The tonsils, along with the adenoids, are part of the lymphatic system and are the first line of defense of the body’s immune system.It is commonly thought that tonsils are expendable. However, tonsils stop microbes from entering through the nose and the mouth and are filled with white blood cells responsible for killing germs.
Findings published in the Journal of Biological Regulators & Homeostatic Agents (pdf) indicate that chronic exposure of the tonsils to microbes (viral or bacterial) allows the immune system to learn its adversaries. This leads to a better distribution of the correct type and number of T-cells during an infection.
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After a series of fatal outcomes from tonsillectomies in 2006 in Austria, Klaus Stelter, a German doctor and researcher, published in the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology a reminder to national and international ear, nose, and throat surgeons of their “great responsibility” when determining indications, especially in children, for tonsil removal.
He added that “actual major evidence-based studies on indications and effects [of tonsil removal] hardly exist.”
More than 500,000 of these surgeries, along with adenoidectomies, are performed each year in children under the age of 15 in the United States. Tonsillectomies are one of the most frequent and possibly unnecessary surgical procedures performed on children.
Angocin offers a much safer treatment of tonsillitis in children. Patients with contraindications or antibiotic resistance and those who don’t wish to take antibiotics could especially benefit from this natural remedy. Research published in the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology shows that mustard oils contained in the plants have antibacterial properties against gram-positive and gram-negative strains and that they have virostatic and antimycotic effects.
Sinusitis and Bronchitis
Acute sinusitis (rhinosinusitis) is the fifth most common reason for a visit to the doctor’s office.Story continues below advertisement
About 100 million patients see their health care provider for diagnosis and treatment of acute bronchitis each year. Ninety-five percent of these infections are caused by a virus for which 50–90 percent of patients are prescribed antibiotics.
Yet a 2020 study published in the American Family Physician finds no advantages to antibiotic treatment. According to the researchers, the potential benefits of the treatment don’t outweigh the harms.
Research concerning acute upper respiratory tract infections, published by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health in 2021, also warns that antibiotics are over-prescribed.
In a German study published in Drug Research (Arzneimittelforschung), 858 children and adolescents partook in research investigating the efficacy of Angocin. The results were clear: The herbal drug performed as well as standard antibiotics in the treatment of acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis, and acute urinary tract infections, with a significantly lower potential for side effects than the pharmacological approach had.
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The study also found that Angocin was effective in acute and chronic laryngopharyngitis.
Oropharyngeal Infections
Although oral health literacy has improved greatly in recent decades, dental hygiene in the United States has stayed the same. According to the National Institutes of Health’s 2022 Oral Health in America Report, tooth decay is present in 90 percent of adults aged 20 to 64, and periodontitis, or gum disease, affects almost 50 percent of adults aged 45 to 64.A 2020 study in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies argues that herbal treatment with garden nasturtium and horseradish has anti-microbial effects and can help treat oral pathogens and periodontitis. Researchers even write that the mixture offers “beneficial protective effects to prevent oral diseases such as caries, periodontitis, and periimplantitis.”
Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are one of the world’s most common infections and increasingly pose a global burden on public health.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), (pdf) each year 13,000 deaths are associated with UTIs in the United States. UTIs are 30 times more frequent in women than in men, and approximately 4 in 10 women who get a UTI will get at least one more within a six-month period.
A 2021 study in the Journal of Urology shows that “many women are fearful of the adverse effects of antibiotics and are frustrated with the medical profession for not addressing their fears and optimizing antibiotic stewardship.”
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The researchers raised concerns about antibiotics as a prophylactic treatment, as suggested in the 2022-validated guidelines published by the American Urological Association (AUA).
Although international research recommends Angocin as a prophylactic, noting the long-standing reputation of the herbal remedy, the AUA refers only to cranberry as an alternative treatment.
Even in patients with catheters, Angocin proved valuable as a “promising alternative or supplement to conventional antibiotic therapy in the prevention of recurrence in patients with catheter-associated UTIs,” according to a 2021 German study conducted on 100 paralyzed patients.
Efficacy of Angocin
The Urological University Clinic at Heidelberg University in Germany explains on its website how Angocin works.Both nasturtium and horseradish contain mustard oils (isothiocyanates)—phenethyl and allyl in horseradish and benzyl in nasturtium.
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Glucosinolates release isothiocyanates, which causes direct antibacterial, antiviral, and fungistatic effects. Also, the mustard oils are completely reabsorbed in the small intestine, so neither the development of resistance nor damage to the body’s intestinal flora has been observed so far, according to the clinic’s website. Angocin also inhibits or inactivates the synthesis of bacterial toxins and strengthens the immune system.
The effective spectrum of herbal medicine is far-reaching and proven against well-known pathogens, including:
- Bacteria: staphylococci, streptococci, Enterococci, Acinetobacter, E. coli, Proteus, Enterobacter, H. influenzae.
- Viruses: rhinoviruses, influenza, Newcastle disease.
- Fungi: candida, some mold.
Counter Antimicrobial Resistance
The CDC warns of limited treatment options for multidrug-resistant types of bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and of the increase in resistance, especially for people working in hospitals or nursing homes.Given the worldwide challenges of antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance, herbal remedies such as Angocin provide not only hope but also a serious alternative to allopathic treatments of these infections.
Foster Herbal Remedies
As outlined above, studies prove not only that herbs have medicinal qualities, but also that they are much safer than antibiotics.Consequently, some doctors of the medical community who are open to phytopharmaceuticals are calling for more research in the area of herbal medicine.
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Additional studies of herbal medicine and phytotherapeutic compounds could promote collaborations between allopathic and naturopathic doctors, as well as herbalists, which could greatly benefit patients.
No Rx Needed—Make Your Own Remedy at Home
Ingredients:- Fresh garden nasturtium
- Fresh horseradish root
- Vodka
- Wash any soil debris or bugs from plants and roots
- Cut flowers and leaves of garden nasturtium into small pieces
- Cut horseradish root into 1/4-inch pieces
- Layer in a bottle or jar
- Fill with vodka and ensure that all herbal parts are submerged
- Allow to sit for 4–6 weeks
- Shake daily
*This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
The author encourages readers to continue to visit and to be treated by their health care professionals, including physicians. The author is not acting in the capacity of a doctor, licensed dietician-nutritionist, psychologist, or other licensed or registered medical professional. Accordingly, the author is not providing health care, medical, or nutrition therapy services and will not diagnose, treat, or cure in any manner whatsoever any disease, condition, or other physical or mental ailment.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.
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