It is not berberine which is an EPI, berberine has antimicrobial properties and is present in many different plants. The EPI part is another natural element (5'Methoxyhydnocarpin-D) which is mainly present in the leaves and not the more commonly used root. Many Goldenseal supplements which are sold are the root rather than the leaf. Berberine extract is also available.
Baicalein in Chinese Skullcap has EPI properties but OTTOMH I cannot remember what efflux pumps it inhibits. It also has quite strong antihistmine effects and anti inflammatory effects so might be beneficial for CFS for those other reasons.
Synergy in a medicinal plant: Antimicrobial action of berberine potentiated by 5'-methoxyhydnocarpin, a multidrug pump inhibitor
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine can prevent biofilm formation and is used in some drugs to do so. Boswellic Acid (frankincense) can also combine with NAC to reduce biofilm formation. NAC might be why some people have problems when taking it because it might be affecting the biofilms and increasing large food molecule entry into the blood stream. I stopped using NAC except for when attempting to destroy the infections. I use L-Cysteine for Glutathione rather than NAC as it does not seem to be so troublesome when taken on a daily basis.
Regarding the Interfase vs plus. One thing I dislike about it is that it is not very specific about the individual enzyme amounts. If the plus is half the price for you, which it is for me then I would go with the plus version due to the big price difference but it does mean using more caps. I doubt that the difference would be 2:1 in enzymes between the two types, it should be a little below that ratio IMO. I also do not use one or two caps and think that they underestimate the quantity needed. Mature and long standing biofilms will require a much more agressive attack against them. I used quite a number when I last used them, I forget how many because it has been quite some time ago approx August last year, it was around 8 to 10 plus serrapeptase and nattokinase. I also broke the caps open and mixed with water so that they were sure to affect where I wanted.
That might be worth trying yourself because of where Candida tends to set up home. It does tend to share a biofilm with gram negative bacteria. Most people fighting candida use antifungals when they need to be fighting bacteria not realising that the yeast is spreading/seeding from the stomach.
I dislike taking antimicrobials which are not quickly absorbed and localised in their effect. Colloidal silver is the main one that I use but even that is not very effective against biofilm protected organisms. A simple CS generator can be made with a few simple components such as a current regulating diode and power supply. Making a simple magnetic stirrer from an old PC fan is also possible to keep the price down. Guides and ideas on doing that can be found on youtube.
Colloidal Silver Document, reviews and ideas on making a generator
I do have some berberine powder but very rarely use it. I dislike anything with potentially prolonged antibiotic effects in the digestive system. I do not know for certain whether it can affect the commensal bacteria but I suspect that it can like any antibiotic substance which is not quickly absorbed.
I have not noticed Glutamine raising blood sugar. I am a T1 diabetic so would notice it. However as I mentioned I rarely use it now, I favour Glutamic Acid converted to Glutame to stimulate my brain/nervous system reacted with Magnesium Carbonate. Glutamate tends to balance the calming/sedating effects of the other amino acids. None CFS who eat large protein meals do tend to sleep afterwards due to the sedating effect of the amino acids. I try and counter this with glutamate, aspartic acid and BCAA. Magnesium carbonate is very versatile and can be converted into highly absorbable Magnesium salts fairly easily when mixed in water, it fizzes and turns clear. It's very inexpensive too so great VFM just not quite as convenient as the expensive capsules. I take large amounts of reacted magnesium every day, mag ascorbate, mag gycinate, mag malate, mag citrate and many other Mag amino complexes. The biofilms will steal quite a lot of it for their maintenance and I have some very large biofilms in places where there should not be any ie not the colon.
Sorry I did not reply to your post previously but it slipped my mind. Basically I forgot.
Yes they do, they can make a big difference. A multifaceted approach is needed for best effect using QSI, EPI, enzymes and antimicrobials. There can be a considerable amount of microorganisms, they outnumber you by a very large margin and they do not get tired. There will always be a very large number which are at work following those chemical messenges. Stopping their commincation helps considerably, therefore their chemical messages are a key part to beating them. Quorum Sensing encompasses many different processes that microorganisms carry out by signalling. A specific number of organisms inside a biofilm will cause them to release one chemical message to leave the biofilm and spread to other areas. Another will make them strengthen the biofilm. Quorum sensing controls virulence and probably other lesser things which I am not aware ATM. Therefore you should begin to understand that blocking this communication can prevent them from doing unwanted things.
Even with this they can take some beating. Persister cells if not destroyed can rebuild the colony and biofilm. Those can be very difficult to destroy. My most successful attempt so far against the CFS microorganisms produced a strong discomfort which was fairly close in intensity to the one where I did destroy a large portion of another biofilm. I use that as a guide. That one did heal but not yet back to how it would of been before the infection. Unfortunately I could not of destroyed the persister cells so their biofilm colony was reformed.