Is Penicillin Suitable To Prevent Tick Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease, a tick-borne syndrome, was first described in 1975.  Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.  There are three stages of Lyme disease.  Stage I is distinguised by erythema chronicum migrans and flu-like symptoms; stage II is distinguished by dermatologic, ophthalmologic, neurologic, and cardiac disorders; and stage III is distinguished by arthritis, a multiple sclerosis-like syndrome, psychiatric disorders, and a chronic fatigue syndrome.                                                                        

Instead of preventing Lyme Disease, it's better to say decrease your chance of getting Lyme Disease.  The Mayo Clinic suggests that when walking in wooded or grassy areas, wear shoes, long pants tucked into your socks, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat and gloves. Try to stick to trails and avoid walking through low bushes and long grass.   I found no where that penicillin is used to prevent Lyme Disease.

As for the actual treatment of Lyme Disease, penicillin and tetracycline have been prescribed during stage I to accelerate the ending of stage I symptoms.  For patients with early Lyme disease, tetracycline appears to be the most effective drug, then penicillin, and finally erythromycin. 

An older study, done in Stockholm Sweden in 1994 found that Oral doxycycline is an adequate and cost-effective alternative to IV penicillin for the treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis, which is considered stage II.

According to the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida, tetracycline or doxycycline appears to be more effective than penicillin in preventing the development of late Lyme disease.  Cefotaxime may be more effective at increasing complete recovery rates and at improving symptoms of neuropathy in people with late Lyme Disease states BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.   

A study done over 10 years ago compared patients treated with prednisone alone and it was found that the duration of meningitic syndrome was significantly shorter in those given penicillin, therefore determining that a high-dose of intravenous penicillin is effective therapy for neurologic abnormalities of Lyme disease.

In the penicillin group of drugs, there are many kinds of penicillin.  Side effects common among the kinds of penicillin are black or hairy tongue; mild diarrhea; nausea or vomiting; pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site. 

As for experiments in New Haven, CT. at the University of New Haven, they compared the effect of the herbal supplements, Samento and Banderol, with the drug doxycycline.  According to WebMD, doxycycline is the drug of choice for treating early Lyme disease in people ages 8 and older. But it should not be given to pregnant women or to people who are allergic to tetracyline.

The results from the University showed that doxycycline (250 μg/ml) was very effective in eliminating the spirochetal form of Borrelia burgdorferi, but it significantly increased the round-body forms. Comparing this doxycycline data with that of the herbal extracts, Banderol and the combination of Samento and Banderol (1:300) were more efficient in eliminating both the spirochetal and round-body forms of B. burgdorferi in vitro.

RECOMMENDED READING