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Body and Being
NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTH AND BODY CARE

Monthly articles are supplied by guest writers who explore natural solutions to health and well-being issues.

Beyond echinacea

by Susan Beck, LAc, CN, PhD(c) and Marci Clow, MS, RD

• Echinacea
• Astragalus
• Yin chiao and gan mao ling
• Congestion
• In summary

(September 2005) — As cold and flu season approaches, it’s helpful to understand some of the botanical tools available to ward off colds and flu. Many shoppers are familiar with echinacea, but might not be aware of how to use it correctly. In addition, they may not be aware of other tools for activating or building the immune system, such as astragalus, yin chiao and gan mao ling.

Echinacea
Echinacea’s ability to stimulate the immune system has been well documented scientifically. Historically, echinacea was taken by Native Americans at the onset of infectious ailments, rather than used on a daily basis to prevent illness.

Modern research confirms this use. In studies where echinacea was used at the onset of symptoms, researchers observed positive clinical results. However, when two recent studies used echinacea on a daily basis for several weeks, they found it was not better than a placebo in preventing colds.

Astragalus
Unlike echinacea, astragalus has tremendous value as a preventive agent. It is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to build the immune system and ward off infectious illness.

Modern research has confirmed the antiviral, antioxidant and adaptogenic properties of astragalus. In one open study, astragalus demonstrated prophylactic effect for the common cold. And in another clinical trial, astragalus significantly increased white blood cell counts of the participants. Astragalus should not be used in the acute stage of an illness, however, unless under the guidance of a knowledgeable health care practitioner.

Yin chiao and gan mao ling
Yin chiao and gan mao ling are two of the most widely known Chinese herbal formulas for combating colds and flus. While yin chiao is traditionally used to treat the early stage of illness with symptoms such as headache, cough and sore throat, gan mao ling is more typically used if the external pathogens have become firmly entrenched in the body (as in the flu), with symptoms such as chills, high fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, and stiff upper back and neck.

Recent studies have demonstrated strong antibacterial activity of lonicera and forsythis, the two lead herbs in yin chiao. One of the principle herbs in gan mao ling, isatis, has demonstrated strong antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in laboratory studies.

(Note: Rainbow Light’s Get Well Soon formula features a combination formula of yin chiao and gan mao ling. Source Naturals offers yin chiao formula.)

Congestion
Once the common cold has set in and congestion prevails, there are several herbs and combinations that can help provide relief. Andrographis has been long known in traditional Ayurvedic and Asian medicine as an immune booster. Several double-blind clinical trials have found andrographis to reduce symptom severity in people with the common cold. For upper respiratory congestion, herbs effective as expectorants include yerba santa, horehound, platycodon, mullein and licorice.

In summary, at the first onset of a cold or flu, yin chiao and echinacea would be appropriate to use, with the addition of gan mao ling if the cold or flu settles in the body. If congestion sets in, andrographis or a combination of expectorant herbs can be effective. Astragalus is appropriate for long-term preventive use.

There are several smartly formulated wellness products available that include these herbal combinations to help boost immunity for the cold and flu season and can provide relief if necessary.

References available upon request.

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