Citricidal Grapefruit Seed Extract 1 oz Concentrate NutriBiotic

The active ingredients of the extract disorganize the cytoplasmic membrane, thereby preventing the uptake of amino acids. At the same time, there is a leakage of the cellular contents with low molecular weight through the cytoplasmic membrane. The pathogen is then inactivated. The time for this is generally shorter than that of most comparable preparations.

Grapefruit seed extract does not allow germs to build up a resistance. To date there is no evidence that any type of organism has ever built up a resistance to grapefruit seed extracts active ingredient. Due to the mode of its activity it is believed that this resistance is impossible as grapefruit seed extract disrupts the organisms cytoplasmic membrane.

What is not known is how GSE can affect the cell membranes of such a diverse group of microbes with virtually no toxicity toward animal life (The "Acute Oral Toxicity Study" performed by an independent laboratory concluded that you would have to take 4,000 times the normal adult dose to risk a 50% chance of poisoning). And to complicate matters further, since viruses do not have a cell membrane of their own, how is it that GSE can act as a remedy as it does.

The Citricidal Story

According to nutriteam.com Citricidal Grapefruit seed extract was originally developed by a German physicist and immunologist, Jacob Harish, as an antiparasitic. Dr. Harish was finally in the 1960's able to convince researchers at the University of Florida at Gainesville to experiment with the use of grapefruit extract as an alternative to then-current chemicals for the protection of fruit and vegetables. They were quickly won over with GSE's amazing ability to inhibit the growth of not only parasites, but fungi and bacteria as well.

Tests conducted by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture in the early 1980's confirmed that Citricidal grapefruit seed extract, as it was then called, was effective in inhibiting viral strains in cattle and hogs, and was approved for the USDA's Evian Influenza Eradication Program in 1984. Sadly, USDA's promise to investigate further uses for Citricidal in these areas has never materialized.

Since the mid-1980's, the production team at Citricidal worked closely with Dr. Harish, perfected the manufacturing process, opened new facilities, and pioneered the use of Citricidal beyond it's original application.

Citricidal is synthesized from the polyphenolic compounds found in grapefruit seed and pulp. Numerous reactions are involved, including distillation, catalytic conversion, and ammoniation. The active component of Citricidal is a quaternary ammonium chloride(a diphenol hydroxybenzene reacted with ammonium chloride) similiar to benzethonium chloride when analysed in accordance with USP XXII/NF XVII. (Benz. Chloride is a powerful germicidal agent, but is highly toxic to all animal life.

Residues of pesticides, fungicides and preservatives have always been a concern with regards to our product. The use of these compounds is common in the agricultural and botanical industries in the United States as well as abroad. In addition, the extraction processes involved in botanicals would not necessarily remove these compounds. Therefore, every batch of Citricidal is certified for the absence of such residues, as well as the absence of Triclosan, a common germicide and preservative. Independent labs have confirmed these results. (see United States Testing Company Report No. 405993, dated 9/8/95). The results show no trace of triclosan, while displaying very strong antimicrobial activity.

Every batch of Citricidal is tested and certified free from chemical and heavy metal contamination. And in an attempt to further improve the product, a source of grapefruit seed and pulp from Certified Organically Grown grapefruits has been secured. 
To further show the safety of Citricidal, an Acute Oral Toxicity Study was performed(see Northview Pacific Labs Report No. X5E015G, dated 7/6/95). Results showed that Citricidal is considered non-toxic by oral ingestion with an LD50 of over 5000 mg/kg of live body weight. This is the equivalent of a 200 lb. person drinking close to 1 lb. of pure Citricidal daily for two weeks, before risking a 50% risk of fatal poisoning. (There are close to 20,000 drops in one pound of Citricidal liquid. The recommended adult dose is 5-6 drops at a time.) 
According to the Association of Poison Control Centers, the AMA Physician Reporting System, and the Journal of Emergency Medicine, there have been no reports that Citricidal has ever harmed anyone. In fact, there are thousands of clinical and anecdotal reports that Citricidal has helped many, and enjoys a safety record going back more than 30 years.

Over the years, numerous and differing analytical tests have been performed to determine the active components of Citricidal. The test results have quite often varied, for the following reasons:

• a.) varying test procedures,
• b.) different chemicals used in the test procedures producing false positives,
• c.) different interpretations of test procedures resulting in false positives, and
• d.) the different background of the chemists involved, organic chemistry vs. inorganic chemistry being an issue.

The similarity in molecular weight between Citricidal and both Benzelkonium Chloride and Benzelthonium Chloride has wrongly influenced some(including drug and chemical manufacturers) to assert that Citricidal has been "spiked" with these poisons. (They are both powerful industrial disinfectants, and are even found in some consumer goods in the U.S.) But once again, independent lab tests, and a 30-year track record of safe use as a human therapeutic speak loudly against such slander. More on quaternary compounds here.