The essential oil is a strong antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, bitter, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, and tonic. It is used internally in the treatment of colds, coughs, influenza, and asthma. The essential oil is also added to various cough MK-2866 medicines as well. 5.1.12. Andrographis paniculata. Andrographis paniculata is a herbaceous plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka. It is sometimes called Indian Echinacea because it is believed to provide much the same benefits as Echinacea. Andrographolide, the major constituent of the extract is implicated towards its pharmacological activity. Studies have been conducted on the cellular processes and targets modulated by andrographolide treatment of immune cells. Andrographis was found to both reduce the symptoms and shorten the duration of colds in clinical trials.
Andrographis paniculata also reduced the cold symptoms such as fatigue, sore throat, sore muscles, runny nose, headache, and lymph node swelling. Unlike the Echinacea, Andrographis does not have any side effects. 5.1.13. Terminalia chebula Retz. Terminalia chebula, is a deciduous tree of family Combretaceae native to Southern Asia from India and Nepal east to Southwestern GSK1059615 China, and south to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It is regarded as a universal panacea. The dry nut,s peel from this plant is used to cure cold related nagging coughs. The bark/peel of the nut is placed in the cheek and this generates a huge amount of saliva as the material does not dissolve. The resulting saliva, bitter in taste, is believed to have medicinal qualities to cure cold related coughs.
Its fruits possess digestive, anti inflammatory, anthelmentic, cardiotonic, aphrodisiac, and restorative properties and are additionally beneficial in cough and colds. Terminalia chebula is an important medicine, which often promotes health through successive steps of purification and detoxification. It is known to have strong antimutagenic activity, because of its very rich content vitamin C. Also it is an established potent free radical scavenger. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 7 6. Traditional ChineseMedicine Some plants that are extensively used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and could prove useful for the management of swine flu are as follows. 6.1. Sophora flavescens. Sophora flavescens is a species of plant in the genus Sophora.
Its roots are regionally called ku shen or kushenin which is the source of flavonoids and is used as traditional Chinese medicine. Its roots also contain quinolizidine alkaloids, including matrine and its oxide, that interfere TNF alpha and IL 6, suggesting that oxymatrine may inhibit the expression of the above proinflammatory cytokines. Recent studies have shown that the plant also contains 8 Prenylkaempferol, a prenylflavonoid in its roots. The principle bioactive constituents of S. flavescens are the major quinolizidine alkaloids matrine and oxymatrine, which were reported to exhibit sedative, depressant, antitumor, antipyretic, and cardiotonic activities. Due to its antiviral action, the plant has been the focus of attention for innovative studies. The recent studies to appraise its efficacy against H1N1 infection have yielded positive outcomes.