The Green Pharmacy for Colds and Flu

[Guest guest]

The " Green Pharmacy " for Colds and Flu

JoAnn Guest

Dec 16, 2003 15:13 PST

 

Colds and Flu

 

Cathy Wilkinson Barash, a friend of mine who lives in Cold Spring

Harbor, New York, is the author of Edible Flowers: From Garden to

Palate.

 

In a letter asking me to review her list of edible flowers before

her book went to press, she mentioned: " I have followed the advice

you gave me about echinacea when we met at the New York Botanical

Garden dinner

at Auntie Yuan's restaurant in Manhattan. "

 

My advice was to take echinacea at the first sign of sniffles, and

Barash says she hasn't had a single cold since she started following

that advice.

 

For centuries, American Indians of the Great Plains chewed echinacea

root or used it in tea to treat colds, flu and many other ailments.

 

Over the last few years, publicity in many magazines has turned

echinacea into the hottest health food store cold remedy.

 

Not too long ago, a leading health magazine heaped praise on

echinacea

as a cold remedy, quoting anecdotal evidence from several of my

herbal buddies.

 

Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical

Council in

Austin, Texas, said, " I haven't had a cold in four years thanks to

garlic, echinacea, astragalus and goldenseal. "

 

Steven Foster, noted Arkansas herbalist, photographer and co-author

of Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients, said, " I've gone two

or three years without a cold or flu by taking echinacea. "

 

And herb advocate Andrew Weil, M.D., professor at the University of

Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson and author of Natural Health,

Natural Medicine, agreed: " Some years I don't get any . . . I eat

raw garlic. I take echinacea. "

 

Universal Sniffling and Sneezing

 

The common cold, an infection of the upper respiratory tract, is

caused by any of 200 different viruses. The viral infection and the

immune system's battle against it produce the all-too-familiar

symptoms:

sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, hacking

cough and sometimes fever.

 

Colds are spread directly from person to person by coughing or

sneezing or by hand-to-hand contact. The virus gets on one person's

hands and can spread to the hands of others.

 

If your virus-contaminated hands touch your nose or eyes, you catch

the cold.

 

The virus can also live for several hours on everyday surfaces like

counters and doorknobs. Your hands can literally pick it up that way

as well. (That's a good reason to wash your hands often during cold

and flu season.)

 

The average American adult suffers two to three colds a year; the

average young child has as many as nine. That adds up to something

like

one billion colds a year.

 

If you are getting more than your fair share of colds, your immune

system may need help. Maybe the right herbs can help you as they

have me.

 

I definitely take these herbs, and I catch fewer colds than my wife

and kids and grandkids.

 

 

 

Green Pharmacy for Colds and Flu-

 

There are quite a few herbs that can help boost your immune system's

cold-fighting power.

 

Echinacea (Echinacea, various species).

 

I use echinacea, also known as coneflower, myself. There's good

research, most of it German, to show that it strengthens the immune

system against cold viruses and many other germs as well.

 

Echinacea increases levels of a chemical in the body called

properdin,

which activates the part of the immune system responsible for

increasing defense mechanisms against viruses and bacteria.

 

Echinacea root extracts also possess antiviral activity against

influenza, herpes and other viruses. In a study of 180 people with

flu,

one scientist found that 900 milligrams of an echinacea extract

significantly reduced symptoms.

 

There's one odd thing about good echinacea: Shortly after ingesting

a tea or tincture, it makes the tongue numb or tingly. Don't worry,

though:

This reaction is harmless.

 

But as effective as echinacea can be, it's no miracle cold cure.

Even if you take this herb on a regular basis, you still might catch

some colds. In fact, some herbalists caution that you should not use

echinacea every day as an immune-enhancing tonic but should take it

only when you feel a

cold coming on or when those close to you have one. I'm still

debating with myself on this.

 

Garlic (Allium sativum).

 

Eat enough garlic, and most people (along with their cold germs)

will stay away from you. I'm just joking, and there really are some

excellent reasons to use this herb to prevent colds and flu. Garlic

contains

several helpful compounds, including allicin, one of the plant

kingdom's most potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics.

 

As anyone who has ever had garlic breath knows, this herb's aromatic

compounds are readily released from the lungs and respiratory tract,

putting garlic's active ingredients right where they can be most

effective against cold viruses.

 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale).

 

Pouring a cup of boiling water onto a couple of tablespoons of

fresh, shredded ginger root to make a good hot tea really makes a

lot of sense as a cold treatment.

 

That's because this herb contains nearly a dozen antiviral

compounds.

 

Scientists have isolated several chemicals (sesquiterpenes) in

ginger that have specific effects against the most common family of

cold

viruses, the rhinoviruses. Some of these chemicals are remarkably

potent in their anti-rhinovirus effects.

 

Still other constituents in ginger, gingerols and shogaols, help

relieve cold symptoms because they reduce pain and fever, suppress

coughing and have a mild sedative effect that encourages rest.

 

Ginger has one more thing going for it--it's tasty. I'd say there

are a lot of good reasons to make ginger a regular part of your cold-

treatment *arsenal*.

 

 

Black cherry (Prunus serotina).

 

During their summer season, I add crushed cherries to my lemonade.

Basic

teas have been used for colds, but I prefer the fruits. They contain

vitamin C and benzaldehyde, and they taste good, too, really

improving my pink lemonade.

Black cherry is frequently used in cough drops although

I much prefer using the more potent whole herb.

Black Cherry-

Black Cherry, a member of the rose family, is a vitamin- C ­rich

addition that will make your lemonade less tart.

 

 

 

Citrus fruits and other foods containing vitamin C.

 

Like the late Linus Pauling, Ph.D., many herbalists and physicians

suggest taking 500 milligrams of vitamin C four times a day for the

relief of symptoms. Several studies done by Elliot Dick, Ph.D.,

epidemiologist at the Respiratory Virus Research Laboratory at the

University of Wisconsin in Madison have shown that it works.

(Some

people develop diarrhea after taking as little as 1,200 milligrams

of vitamin C a day, but this is rare.

If you'd like to try this therapy, cut back on the amount of vitamin

C if you develop diarrhea.)

 

 

I take vitamin C for colds, but I do it without using many pills.

 

I prefer to get mine from camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia),

the Amazonian fruit that has the world's highest vitamin C content.

 

You undoubtedly won't have access yet to this amazing fruit, but

other good sources of this vitamin include acerola, bell peppers,

cantaloupe and pineapple.

 

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra).

 

This herb contains two compounds that are active against flu

viruses.

It also prevents the virus from invading respiratory tract cells.

 

A patented Israeli drug (Sambucol)

 

that contains elderberry is active against various strains of

viruses. At Kibbutz Aza in Israel, a flu outbreak provided a good

opportunity to

test Sambucol. Twenty percent of flu sufferers who used it showed

significant relief of fever, muscle aches and other symptoms within

24 hours, and another 73 percent felt better after the second day.

 

In three days, 90 percent were reported completely cured. In a

similar group that received an inactive treatment (a placebo), only

26 percent were

improved in two days, and it took most of them six days to feel well

again.

 

Publicity from this trial sold more than 30,000 bottles of Sambucol

in Israel within a year.

 

Sambucol also stimulates the immune system and has shown some

activity in preliminary trials against other viruses,

 

such as Epstein-Barr, herpes and even HIV.

 

 

 

Sambucol has just become available in health food stores in the

United States, and you may be able to find it on the shelves at your

pharmacy or local health food store.

 

Next time I have the flu, I intend to try it. You can also make a

tea from the herb itself.

 

 

 

Forsythia (Forsythia suspensa) and honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica).

 

These herbs are the traditional Chinese approach to colds, flu and

other viruses.

 

Reviewing the research, I'm persuaded that they have real

antiviral benefits. When I feel a cold or flu coming on, I mix

honeysuckle and forsythia with lemon balm tea, which also has

antiviral

action. I find a hot tea combination of the three herbs especially

nice just before bed.

 

 

 

Onion (Allium cepa).

 

Onion is a close relative of garlic and contains many similar

antiviral chemicals. One old folk remedy for colds recommends

steeping raw onion

slices overnight in honey, then taking the resulting mixture at

intervals like a cough syrup. Of course, you could also simply use

more onions in cooking whenever you have a cold.

 

 

 

Anise (Pimpinella anisum).

 

Commission E, the body of experts that makes recommendations about

herbs to the German government, endorses aniseed as an expectorant

for

getting rid of phlegm. In large doses, it also has some antiviral

benefits.

 

You can make a tea by steeping one to two teaspoons of crushed

aniseed in a cup or two of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then

strain it.

Suggested dose: one cup of tea, morning and/or night. This should

help you cough up whatever's loose and also help you fight the cold.

(It also tastes good.)

 

 

Ephedra (Ephedra sinica).

 

Also known as ma huang or Chinese ephedra, ephedra is a powerful

decongestant. It contains chemicals, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine,

that

open up the bronchial passages.

 

Pseudoephedrine works so well that it is used in many over-the-

counter decongestants and inspired the commonly known brand name

Sudafed (an isolated pharmaceutical version of the herb with

multiple side effects).

Along with its decongestant action, however, ephedra is also a

powerful stimulant that can raise blood pressure and cause insomnia

and jitters.

 

In fact, within the last few years, a number of people died from

abusing this herb when they overdosed in a misguided attempt to get

high, and

the Food and Drug Administration has taken measures to remove

ephedrine supplements from the market.

 

Because of ephedra's stimulant action and those unfortunate

fatalities, this herb is controversial, and some herbalists

discourage using it at all.

 

To me, ephedra is still the herbal decongestant of choice.

 

It is safe when used responsibly,

 

but because of its many potential side

effects, I hesitate to recommend it without this proviso: Before

taking ephedra, please discuss it with your doctor. To be on the

safe side, start with a weak tea.

 

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis).

 

Both antiseptic and immune stimulating, goldenseal reportedly

increases

the blood supply to the spleen, an organ that's the staging area for

the fighting cells of your immune system.

 

The major healing component in goldenseal, berberine, activates

special

white blood cells (macrophages) that are responsible for destroying

bacteria, fungi, viruses and tumor cells. Several related chemicals

in the herb appear to help the berberine do its job.

 

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

 

Licorice contains antiviral compounds that induce the release of

interferons, the body's own antiviral constituents. Licorice also

has a

pleasantly sweet taste that offsets the bitterness of several of the

other cold herbs (goldenseal and willow), so it's good in

combination with them.

 

Marsh mallow: The herbal plant (Althaea officinalis)

 

and other mallows. Marsh mallow has been used for thousands of years

as a

soothing herb for cold-related cough and sore throat and other

respiratory conditions. Marsh mallow roots contain a spongy material

called mucilage that soothes inflamed mucous membranes, perhaps

because

of anti-inflammatory and antiseptic compounds that the plant is

known to contain.

 

Commission E endorses marsh mallow, hollyhock and other mallows for

cough and sore throat.

 

Most members of the mallow family, including okra and roselle (the

red in Red Zinger tea), contain soothing mucilage.

 

This son of Alabama suggests that you try--at least once--adding a

lot of okra to your chicken soup.

 

It adds something extra to the soup's cold-relieving benefits.

 

 

 

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus).

 

A tea made with mullein flowers provides throat-soothing mucilage

and also has an expectorant effect. The plant reportedly contains

compounds

that inhibit flu viruses. I have had good success with mullein leaf

teas as well.

 

Seneca snakeroot (Polygala senega).

 

Commission E recommends seneca snakeroot as an expectorant for

reducing

upper respiratory phlegm. To make a tea, use about one teaspoon per

cup of boiling water. (This herb is also recommended for treatment

of bronchitis and emphysema.)

 

Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra).

 

Finally, the Food and Drug Administration got something right. It

has

declared slippery elm a safe and effective throat and respiratory

soother. Slippery elm was a medical mainstay in this country for

more than 150 years and was long listed in the nation's official

guides to therapeutics.

 

The bark contains large quantities of a mucilage that acts

as an effective throat soother and cough suppressant.

 

 

 

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale).

 

Commission E suggests using two to three teaspoons of dry watercress

to

make a tea for treating cold-related runny nose and cough. Or try an

ounce of fresh watercress--it makes a great addition to a salad.

 

Ginger and watercress make a piquant combination. For colds in

summer, when fresh watercress is abundant, I'd suggest combining

them.

 

 

 

Willow (Salix, various species).

 

Willow bark is an herbal source of aspirin; the compound salicin,

which

is found in willow, is a chemical precursor of modern aspirin that

has a virtually identical effect.

 

Commission E recognizes willow bark as a pain reliever and anti-

inflammatory fever reducer that helps relieve

many cold and flu symptoms, including sore throat, fever, headache

and other aches.

 

Many herbalists recommend the bark of the white willow (S. alba),

but it doesn't contain much salicin--only 0.5 to 1 percent on a dry-

weight basis.

 

Other species contain much more herbal aspirin. These include

violet willow (S. daphnoides), crack willow (S. fragilis) and purple

osier (S. purpurea).

If possible, use these more salicin-rich willows.

 

But in a pinch, you can use white willow. It takes only about a

half-teaspoon to a teaspoon of dried herb made into a tea to provide

100

milligrams of salicin, which should be enough to relieve the aches

related to colds. Remember, though, that if you're allergic to

aspirin, you probably shouldn't take aspirin-like herbs, either.

 

Also remember that you should not give either aspirin or its natural

herbal alternatives to children with colds.

 

 

Garlic-and-onion chicken soup.

 

I heartily agree with the folkloric tradition that hot, spicy

chicken soup is good for colds and flu. Just make sure you use lots

of garlic

and onions. And along with your vegetables, throw in some ginger and

hot red pepper.

 

Good food--and good medicine.

 

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/41/34.cfm

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

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