Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airways, or bronchial tubes, in the lungs. During an asthma attack, inflammation causes your bronchial tubes to constrict, making it difficult to breathe, and your body produces excess mucus that can block airways. Asthma sufferers often rely on bronchodilators to open airways during severe attacks, and on steroids or other drugs to reduce chronic inflammation over the long term. Herbal anti-inflammatories are an alternative long-term treatment for chronic asthma.
Licorice
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), also called gan-cao in traditional Chinese medicine, is a major ingredient in Asian medical formulas for asthma. A study in the 2009 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that licorice root contains flavonoids that inhibit the secretion of eotaxin-1, a signaling molecule that's involved in inflammation and allergic reactions in the bronchial airways.
Pinellia Root
Pinellia root (Pinellia ternata), also known as ban-xia, is an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for eliminating dampness and phlegm. It's a constituent of many traditional Chinese herbal formulas and is also an ingredient in Japanese and Korean herbal medicines. A study published in the 2009 issue of Mediators of Inflammation found that the combination extract of pinellia and Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) effectively regulated the CCR3 receptor, which plays a role in activating inflammation in the airways. Raw pinellia root is toxic.
Xia-bai-san
Xia-bai-san is a traditional Chinese medical formula that includes white mulberry (Morus alba), licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), goji berry (Lycium barbarum) and rice grain sprouts (Oryzae germinatus). Xia-bai-san extracts have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat bronchial disorders. A study in the 2009 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that xia-bai-san works by suppressing a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling molecules involved in the inflammatory process in the lungs. The researchers conclude that xia-bai-san may be a useful treatment for asthma and other inflammatory lung disorders.
Boswellia
Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) is an ayurvedic medicinal herb used in India to treat arthritis, coughs and asthma. The resin, which contains boswellic acids, is aromatic and has anti-inflammatory properties. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, boswellic acids have fewer negative side effects than conventional steroid drugs, currently used to treat asthma. A study in the 2006 issue of Planta Medica found that boswellic acids act on the pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling molecules, associated with the immune system. They also can inhibit the enzymes that activate leukotrienes, molecules that trigger inflammation in asthma and bronchitis.
References
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Licorice flavonoids inhibit eotaxin-1 secretion by human fetal lung fibroblasts in vitro; Jayaprakasam B, Doddaga S, Wang R, Holmes D, Goldfarb J, Li XM; February 2009
- "Mediators of Inflammation"; Pinellia ternata, Citrus reticulata, and their combinational prescription inhibit eosinophil infiltration and airway hyperresponsiveness by suppressing CCR3+ and Th2 cytokines production in the ovalbumin-induced asthma model. Ok IS, Kim SH, Kim BK, Lee JC, Lee YC; 2009
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Xia-bai-san inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and nuclear factor-kappa B in human lung cells. Lee KH, Yeh MH, Kao ST, Hung CM, Chen BC, Liu CJ, Yeh CC; July 2009
