Some common allergies include: itchy, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, skin itching, even some skin rashes.

Herbal remedies are a lot softer on our systems then the over the counter remedies in many cases. For itching an herb called Butterbur is highly effective. In fact it is just as effective as taking Zyrtec or Allegra. Butterbur blocks the action of histamines. Histamines inflame the body during an allergic reaction. This herb does not cause drowsiness either like many other allergy medications. For best results you should take this herb at night, as it should reach peak effectiveness in the morning, offsetting early morning histamines.

Stinging nettle was thought to be as good as, or better than, previous hay fever medications by half of the patients tested. The dose used was two 300 mg capsules taken whenever the symptoms were experienced. Stinging nettle is ideal for those who suffer from stuffy noses during allergy season. This herb has been used for centuries and has had proven effects when tested on patients. This herb is also made into a tea, that can be purchased at your local health food store. It is wonderful to help rid allergic symptoms.

Ginkgo may decrease the body’s reactions to allergens. (For those with pollen asthma, it could also help by calming the inflammation of the airways.) This herb is also ideal in memory functions as well. It has the ability to improve memory.

Luffa complex (also marketed as Pollisan) contains extracts of several different plant products, including the sponge cucumber. (Also called a luffa or loofah, this is better known as a scratchy cylinder used to scrub the ski while showering. ) Unpublished results of a trial carried out by the manufacturer suggests that 75% of hay fever sufferers find benefit from this mixture.

Quercetin is found in red wine, apples, onions, and other foods and is therefore likely to be safe as long as you don’t overdo the dose. It has been tested in the laboratory with mast cells taken from the noses of people with allergic rhinitis (mast cells are responsible for starting off the allergic reaction.) Exposure to quercetin made the cells less likely to respond to allergen. Although we are not sure if quercetin is as effective when taken by mouth as it is in a test tube, if you want to give it a try, the dose usually recommended is between 250 mg and 600 mg, taken 5 to 10 minutes before meals.

Instead of reaching for the prescription, reach for a natural alternative in herbs.

Anticancer Res. 2007 Nov-Dec;27(6B):3875-82
In vitro analysis of the herbal compound Essiac.
Seely D, Kennedy DA, Myers SP, Cheras PA, Lin D, Li R, Cattley T, Brent PA, Mills E, Leonard BJ.

Department of Research and Clinical Epidemiology, The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada. dseely@ccnm.edu

BACKGROUND

Despite the recommendation of the Task Force on Alternative Therapies of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative, little research has been published on the widely used herbal compound Essiac. We aimed to address this deficiency by conducting a series of assays to determine some of the purported activities of Essiac in vitro.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The activity of Essiac was measured using established assays to assess anti-oxidant, fibrinolytic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, immune modulation, cell-specific cytotoxicity, and impact on cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme pathways.

RESULTS

Essiac exhibited significant antioxidant activity in the ABTS assay. A 20-fold dilution of Essiac also exhibited significant immunomodulatory effects, specifically through stimulation of granulocyte phagocytosis, increases in CD8+ cell activation, and moderately inhibiting inflammatory pathways. Essiac exhibited significant cell-specific cytotoxicity towards ovarian epithelial carcinoma cells (A2780). Importantly, a 20-fold dilution of Essiac showed significant inhibition of several CYP450 enzymes, most notably CYP1A2 (37%) and CYP2C19 (24%). Essiac demonstrated dose- dependent inhibition of clot fibrinolysis.

CONCLUSION

In vitro analysis of Essiac indicates significant antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, as well as neoplastic cell specific cytotoxicity consistent with the historical properties ascribed to this compound. Importantly, significant CYP450 and fibrinolysis inhibition were also observed. This is the first comprehensive investigation of the in vitro effects of Essiac.

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