Clinical experiences with chlorophyll preparations with particular reference to chronic osteomyelitis and chronic ulcers.
Carpenter B. 1949 Am. J. Surg. 77(2):167-171
Background: The author of this article points out the qualities of an “ideal” healing agent as an introduction to the properties of chlorophyll-containing solutions. Dr. Carpenter describes the ideal agent as one that “acts as an antagonist to bacterial flora” i.e. has anti-bacterial properties. The ideal solution must, at the same time, promote the local tissues i.e. be safe for the skin and facilitate the healing process. The physician goes on to review the scientific literature that documents chlorophyll as both an anti-bacterial and pro-growth substance. The remainder of the article describes his experience using the product on serious diseases of skin and bone. One such disease, osteomyelitis, is an infection of bone that is notoriously difficult to treat.
Clinical Trial: American physician, Earnest Carpenter, documented his clinical experiences treating patients with osteomyelitis and deep skin ulcers. He initially started his research using a combination of penicillin and chlorophyll-containing plant extract and found impressive results. He then sought to test the effect of the chlorophyll-containing solution alone. He describes clinically impressive effects. For example, when he applied the chlorophyll solution to a group of 25 patients with grossly infected, foul-smelling skin defects, 23 of them healed. Notably, the foul smell disappeared first, followed by rapid proliferation of healthy tissue. He then applied the plant extract to 23 people with decubitus ulcers (bedsores in the lower back associated with prolonged bed rest and poor healing). Despite selecting a group of patients with extremely difficult decubitus ulcers (multiple weeks of prior treatment with no effect), the chlorophyll solution decreased the size of each respective ulcer within two weeks of starting treatment. In four out of six patients, the longstanding, treatment-resistant wound healed completely. Fifty-four patients with persistent osteomyelitis healed when chlorophyll was added to standard medical and surgical treatment.
Conclusion: A chlorophyll containing solution extracted from plants was able to promote and achieve healing in stubborn skin ulcers and bone infections. This plant extract exhibits both antibacterial and human tissue promoting properties, making it rather ideal in the treatment of infected skin lesions.