Allergic asthma: a mixture of herbs would be effective in moderate to severe
A mixture of extracts of three
medicinal plants appears safe and effective for treating moderate to severe
allergic asthma, suggests a small randomized Sino-US.
Traditional Chinese medicine has a
recent interest of industrialized countries seeking treatment with few side
effects and low cost, explains Dr. Ming-Chun Wen Hospital of Weifang and
colleagues in a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical
Immunology (JACI).
After evaluating in vitro and in
animals a mixture of 14 plants in China usually prescribed to children with
asthma, the researchers developed a simplified mixture containing extracts of
three plants: Ling-Zhi (Ganoderma lucidum), Ku-Shen (root Sophora Flavescentis)
and Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhiza uralensis).
Unlike other herbal treatments used
in the world, this mixture does not contain Ma Huang, which is a source of
ephedrine, an alkaloid associated with adverse cardiovascular and neurological
disorders, the report says.
These have then evaluated from 91
patients with allergic asthma who were divided into two groups: one receiving
the mixture of plants and other corticosteroid, both products are administered
orally.
After one month of treatment,
pulmonary function, measured by forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV)
and peak flow was significantly improved in both groups, with a slight
difference, statistically significant in favor of the mixture plants compared
to corticosteroid.
Symptoms, the use of beta-2
bronchodilators and serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) were also significantly reduced
in both groups similarly. Allergic asthma: a mixture of herbs would be effective
in moderate to severe
A mixture of extracts of three
medicinal plants appears safe and effective for treating moderate to severe
allergic asthma, suggests a small randomized Sino-US.
Traditional Chinese medicine has a
recent interest of industrialized countries seeking treatment with few side
effects and low cost, explains Dr. Ming-Chun Wen Hospital of Weifang and
colleagues in a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical
Immunology (JACI).
After evaluating in vitro and in
animals a mixture of 14 plants in China usually prescribed to children with
asthma, the researchers developed a simplified mixture containing extracts of
three plants: Ling-Zhi (Ganoderma lucidum), Ku-Shen (root Sophora Flavescentis)
and Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhiza uralensis).
Unlike other herbal treatments used
in the world, this mixture does not contain Ma Huang, which is a source of
ephedrine, an alkaloid associated with adverse cardiovascular and neurological
disorders, the report says.
These have then evaluated from 91
patients with allergic asthma who were divided into two groups: one receiving
the mixture of plants and other corticosteroid, both products are administered
orally.
After one month of treatment,
pulmonary function, measured by forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV)
and peak flow was significantly improved in both groups, with a slight
difference, statistically significant in favor of the mixture plants compared
to corticosteroid.
Symptoms, the use of beta-2
bronchodilators and serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) were also significantly reduced
in both groups similarly.
Furthermore, the steroid resulted in
a significant decrease in cortisol, as expected with all drugs of this class,
while an increase was observed with the mixture of plants but with remaining
within the normal rate.
Overall, both products were well
tolerated. Gastrointestinal disorders were reported by 15.5% of patients
treated with corticosteroids, against 5.1% of those receiving the mixture of
plants.
These results suggest that the
mixture could be seen as an alternative or complementary treatment of moderate
to severe allergic asthma, the researchers conclude.
Furthermore, the steroid resulted in
a significant decrease in cortisol, as expected with all drugs of this class,
while an increase was observed with the mixture of plants but with remaining
within the normal rate.
Overall, both products were well
tolerated. Gastrointestinal disorders were reported by 15.5% of patients
treated with corticosteroids, against 5.1% of those receiving the mixture of
plants.
These results suggest that the
mixture could be seen as an alternative or complementary treatment of moderate
to severe allergic asthma, the researchers conclude.
SHARE THIS POST
