-IBIS-1.7.6-
tx
eyes/ears/nose/throat
rhinitis/common cold
Botanicals

primary herbs

Abies canadensis: catarrh with pallid, relaxed mucosa (Felter HW, Lloyd JU. 2)
Achillea millefolium: diaphoretic
Asclepias tuberosa (toxic): use carefully, for breaking a cold (NCNM Botanicals)
Allium sativum: anti-microbial
Artemisia absinthium: hot tea, several cups per day (Weiss RF. 228.)
Baptisia tinctoria: (Beuscher N, et al. Planta Med. 1989 Aug;55(4):358-363; Beuscher N, Kopanski L. Planta Med. 1985 Oct;(5):381-384; Egert D, Beuscher N. Planta Med. 1992 Apr;58(2):163-165.)
Beta vulgaris: stimulant, enhances resistance, need large amounts of juice over time (Weiss, p. 232)
Commiphora myrrha: anti-microbial
Echinacea angustifolia or purpurea: enhances resistance, stimulates lymphatic vascular system (Weiss RF. 229; Melchart D, et al. Phytomedicine 1994;1:245-254; Schilcher H. 1997, 43-45; Dorn M, et al. Compl Ther Med 1997;5:40-42; Melchart D, et al. Arch Fam Med 1998;7:541-545; Grimm W, Mueller HH. Am J Med 1999;106:138-143.)
Eucalyptus spp.: catarrh (Felter HW, Lloyd JU. 735; Schulz V, et al. 1998, 146-147.)
Eupatorium perfoliatum: enhances resistance to infection (Weiss RF. 229.)
Filipendila ulmaria: Meadowsweet contains salicylates; used historically to break fevers and promote sweating during a cold or flu. (Zeylstra H. Br J Phytotherapy 1998;5:8-12.)
Grindelia spp.: allergic rhinitis
Hydrastis canadensis: internally and as a nasal wash to mucosal tissues; berberine and canadine exert a demonstrated antimicrobial and immune-stimulating effect (Felter HW, Lloyd JU. 1027; Bradley PR (ed.) 1992, 119-120; Murray MT. 1995, 162-172.)
Mentha piperita
Myrica cerifera
Nepeta cataria
Pilocarpus jaborandi (toxic): atrophic rhinitis: increases secretions (Ellingwood F. 467.)
Salvia officinalis: apply oil over sinuses, drink infusion 1-2 cups a day (NCNM Botanicals)
Sambucus spp.: hot infusion
Sanguinaria canadensis: burning, itching, tickling of nasal passages with super-abundant secretion (Felter HW. 616)
Sticta pulmonaria: acute coryza with profuse watery secretion (Felter HW, Lloyd JU. 1836; Priest and Priest, 95.)
Stillingia sylvatica: deficient secretion, mucous membranes red and tumid or
glistening (Ellingwood F. 376.)
Verbascum thapsus: rhinitis, allergic rhinitis


complementary herbs

Allium sativum + Citrus limon (lemon) + Capsicum frutescens (NCNM Botanicals)
Echinacea spp. + Hydrastis canadensis + Commiphora myrrha. Decoction or tincture (NCNM Botanicals)
Echinacea spp. + Usnea spp. + Ligusticum porterii: equal parts; decoction or tincture (NCNM Botanicals)
Zingiber officinale + Citrus limon (lemon) (NCNM Botanicals)
• may add flavoring agent: oils of Mentha piperita, Cinnamonum zeylanicum; honey


footnotes

Bradley PR (ed.) British Herbal Compendium, Vol. 1. Bounemouth, Dorset, UK: British Herbal Medicine Association, 1992.

Beuscher N, Scheit KH, Bodinet C, Kopanski L. [Immunologically active glycoproteins of Baptisia tinctoria]. Planta Med. 1989 Aug;55(4):358-363. [Article in German]
Abstract: Chromatographically purified fractions of aqueous-ethanolic extracts from Baptisia tinctoria roots contained a strong lymphocyte DNA synthesis-stimulating activity. Electrophoretic analysis of these fractions revealed four distinct protein bands with molecular masses of P1 = 58 kD; P4 = 31 kD; P5 = 26 kD; and P6 = 14 kD. They contained carbohydrate as determined by periodic acid Schiff staining. An estimation of the approximate amount of sugar was done by using human transferrin as a reference, this method revealed the following values: P1 = 27%; P4 = 12%; P5 = 14%; and P6 = 8%. The mixture of proteins and every single band were immunoreactive with a polyclonal antiserum against Baptisia proteins determined in immune and dot blots, respectively. Electrophoretically purified proteins were characterized by tryptic cleavage and determination of their amino acid content. They contained several common amino acids, predominantly aspartic acid, glutamic acid, threonine, and alanine. The content of glucosamine and/or galactosamine was less than 0.2 Mol-per cent. The four proteins revealed pI values between 5.3 and 4.7. Protein P 4 was immunochemically related to phytohemagglutinin but, in contrast to PHA-P, it exhibited no hemagglutinating activity and no leucagglutinating activity like PHA-L.

Beuscher N, Kopanski L. [Stimulation of immunity by the contents of Baptisia tinctoria]. Planta Med. 1985 Oct;(5):381-384. [Article in German].

Dorn M, et al. Placebo-controlled, double-blind study of Echinacea pallidae radix in upper respiratory tract infections. Compl Ther Med 1997;5:40-42.

Egert D, Beuscher N. Studies on antigen specifity of immunoreactive arabinogalactan proteins extracted from Baptisia tinctoria and Echinacea purpurea. Planta Med. 1992 Apr;58(2):163-165.
Abstract: In a series of experiments the cross-reactivity of antibodies raised against arabinogalactan proteins from Baptisia tinctoria and Echinacea purpurea was studied in order to prove the antigen specificity of the extracted glycoproteins/polysaccharides. Using the antigen-antibody reaction in a competitive ELISA it was evident that antibodies against glycoproteins from Baptisia tinctoria were specific because none of the other antigens like those from Echinacea purpurea, Thuja occidentalis, arabinogalactan from larch, LPS from E. coli 055:B5, and from Salmonella typhimurium were able to inhibit the antigen-antibody reaction. The same results were obtained from ELISA experiments with Echinacea purpurea. From these studies it was concluded that the antigenic regions of immunoreactive proteins from both medicinal plants show structural differences.

Ellingwood F. American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 11th ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1919, 1998.

Felter HW, Lloyd JU. King’s American Dispensatory, 18th ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1898, 1983.

Grimm W, Mueller HH. A randomized controlled clinical trial of the effect of fluid extract of Echinacea purpurea on the incidence and severity of colds and respiratory infections. Am J Med 1999 Feb;106(2):138-143.
Abstract: PURPOSE: Fluid extracts of Echinacea purpurea are widely used for the prevention and treatment of colds and respiratory infections, although the clinical efficacy of this agent has not been proven. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 109 patients with a history of more than 3 colds or respiratory infections in the preceding year were randomly assigned to receive 4 mL fluid extract of Echinacea purpurea or 4 mL placebo-juice twice a day in a double-blind manner. (One patient withdrew his consent before taking the first dose of the allocated medication; thus, only 108 patients were included for analysis.) The incidence and severity of colds and respiratory infections were determined during 8 weeks of follow-up, based on patient reported symptoms together with findings on physical exam. The severity of each infection was graded by the investigators. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. RESULTS: During the 8-week treatment period, 35 (65%) of 54 patients in the Echinacea group and 40 (74%) of 54 patients in the placebo group had at least one cold or respiratory infection [RR = 0.88; 95% CI (0.60, 1.22)]. The average number of colds and respiratory infections per patient was 0.78 in the Echinacea group, and 0.93 in the placebo group [difference = 0.15; 95% CI (-0.12, 0.41), P = 0.33]. Median duration of colds and respiratory infections was 4.5 days in the Echinacea group and 6.5 days in the placebo group (95% CI: -1, +3 days; P = 0.45). There were no significant differences between treatment groups in the number of infections in each category of severity. Side effects were observed in 11 patients (20%) of the Echinacea group and in seven patients (13%) of the placebo group (P = 0.44). CONCLUSION: Treatment with fluid extract of Echinacea purpurea did not significantly decrease the incidence, duration or severity of colds and respiratory infections compared to placebo.

Melchart D, Linde K, Worku F, et al. Immunomodulation with echinacea. A systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Phytomedicine 1994;1:245-254. (Review)

Melchart D, Walther E, Linde K, et al. Echinacea root extracts for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections. Arch Fam Med 1998;7:541-545.

Murray MT. The Healing Power of Herbs. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1995, 162-172.

Schilcher H. Phytotherapy in Paediatrics. Stuttgart, Germany: Medpharm Scientific Publishers, 1997.

Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy, Third ed. Berlin, Germany: Springer Verlag, 1998, 146-147.

Weiss RF. Herbal Medicine. Gothenhburg, Sweden; Beaconsfield, England: Beaconsfield Publishers, Ltd., 1988.

Zeylstra H. Filipendila ulmaria. Br J Phytotherapy 1998;5:8-12.