many people say that an extract of the echinacea plant helps boost the immune system's ability to fight the genital herpes infection. some say it decreases the frequency and severity of genital herpes outbreaks. researchers in the u. k. compared the effect of echinacea with that of a placebo; there was no significant difference in the number of herpes outbreaks. another study showed that an ointment containing propolis a waxy substance that honeybees make may help genital herpes sores heal. sores healed faster for people using the propolis ointment than in those using ointments containing the antiviral drug acyclovir or a placebo. researchers have also found that the herb prunella vulgaris and an edible mushroom rozites caperata (the "gypsy mushroom") contain chemicals that fight both the oral herpes virus (hsv-1) and the genital herpes virus (hsv-2). these treatments have not been approved for treating genital herpes by the fda. you can buy them in stores but they are considered nutritional supplements not drugs so they are not subjected to the same quality standards as fda-approved drugs.
are there alternative treatments for genital herpes?