by Brian Benjamin Carter, MS, LAc
Antibiotic overuse (especially for the common cold) has led to antibiotic resistance. Natural antibiotics and anti viral herbs that may boost immune system are discussed, plus the types of cold and flu, and cough and cold in a weak immune system.
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Most people don’t realize that western biomedical understanding didn’t include the immune system until very recently. The first vaccine was developed in the late 1800’s, and most of the immune system was not understood until the 1960’s. Oriental Medicine has been diagnosing and treating immune system diseases with herbs since as early as 150 | |
| A.D. when the first systematic book on externally contracted illnesses, the “Cold Damage Classic” was written. | ||
Superbacteria
Medical professionals are now concerned about antibiotic-resistant ’superbacteria.’ These superbacteria have evolved because of inappropriate medical prescriptions. Antibiotics are effective only against bacteria, not against viruses. MD’s and DO’s often prescribed antibiotics to pacify patients who refused to leave the doctor’s office without them – even when the doctor knew the antibiotic would not help. The problem is that we are running out of antibiotic drugs; there is a finite number of them. It is thought that, in the future, the more complex treatment agents such as natural herbs may be our only defense.
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 | Chinese herbs have successfully treated and caused remission of viral hepatitis and AIDS. In clinical research studies on human beings, at least 15 herbs have been shown to stimulate the immune system and destroy viruses and |
| bacteria (see next table). Chinese herbs appear to have an effect against bacteria and viruses directly, and they stimulate and strengthen the immune system (wei qi) in doing its job of ridding the body of pathogens. | ||
15 Anti-Viral Chinese Herbs Proven Effective in Human Studies
| Herb (English Name) | Chinese Name | Proven function (or disease in which it is effective): |
| Andrographis | Chuan xin lian | Viral hepatitis, encephalitis B, herpes zoster, viral influenza |
| Astragalus | Huang qi | Restores immune function in immune suppression from chemotherapy, increases IgA, IgG, and interferon production |
| Deer antler | Lu rong | Promotes lymphocyte transformation and treats leukopenia due to chronic benzene poisoning, promotes bone marrow function |
| Ganoderma | Ling zhi | Treats hepatitis, chronic bronchitis, cardiovascular disease, altitude sickness, cancer (especially Leukemia) |
| Ginseng | Ren shen | Increases resistance by stimulating adrenal gland via pituitary |
| Isatis | Da qing ye, Ban lan gen |
Encephalitis B, measles, mumps, infectious hepatitis, URTI |
| Licorice | Gan cao | In pulmonary TB, it increased ESR – arthritis and hepatomegaly from hepatitis – acute and chronic hepatitis |
| Lonicera | Jin yin hua | Severe acute pneumonia, bacillary dysntery |
| Oldenlandia | Bai hua she she cao | Peritonitis, UTI, hepatitis, chronic bronchitis |
| Phellodendron | Huang bai | Meningitis, dysentery, GI infection, conjunctivitis, UTI, candidal/trichomonal vaginitis |
| Polygonum | He shou wu | Malaria |
| Polygonum cuspidatum | Hu zhang | Lung infections, tonsillitis, hepatitis, RA, osteoarthritis |
| Salvia | Dan shen | Hepatitis, SLE |
| Siberian ginseng | Wu jia pi | Xue and qi xu – improves leukocyte count in 70% of leukopenic patients – caution when there is heat |
| Sophora | Shan dou gen | Alkaloids effective in countering leukopenia due to radiation |
| Viola | Zi hua di ding | TB |
| Oriental Medicine Concepts of ImmunityWei qi is the protective qi (what is qi?). This qi is thought to circulate in the more superficial levels (skin and muscles). In biomedical terms, it is probably not the entire immune system, but the part of it that deals with external invasions. Protective qi is controlled by Lung organ-system, and can be compromised by overwork, grief, smoking, not eating, and talking too much.
Vulnerability occurs particularly when you are tired, or from excessive environmental influences like cold, heat, dryness, and dampness- each of these is associated with a season when that pathogen is more prevalent
Types of Colds and Flu in Oriental Medicine
Sweating (or ‘exterior-releasing’) is a major therapy in OM. The type of invasion may be identified by whether or not the patient is sweating, and whether or not that sweating is leading to improvement in your health Fever is thought to be the ‘heat of battle’ between pathogenic and righteous qi. In OM, you have a fever if you feel hot, even if your thermometer shows a normal body temperature. Chills are a sign that the pathogen is winning, while fever is a sign that your body is winning. Tiredness, Qi deficiency, & Weakness These OM disease theories are not without controversy; some biomedical research has concluded that cold temperatures, for example, do not contribute to getting sick. However, since biomedicine only became aware of the immune system in the 1960’s, and OM has been treating colds and flu’s for thousands of years, I would slightly favor the application of OM. It is true that OM’s theories may be inexact at the same time that the treatments is applies according to those theories are effective. In another thousand years, once biomedical researchers and OM practitioners have tested and sifted through OM theories and treatments, we will have a stronger, more accurate, and integrated medical system. |
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