Horehound Could Relive Respiratory Symptoms Due To Common Cold and Influenza
By Dae Sun Hong, L.Ac.
“You look at the scientific data and the evidence. And the scientific data … on trials that are valid, that were randomized and controlled in the proper way, all of those trials show consistently that hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or Covid-19,” and he added, “the evidence you’re talking about … is anecdotal evidence.” “It was not done in a controlled clinical trial.”
This is what Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, mentioned during the press conference regarding President Donald Trump’s opinion of chloroquine.
Anecdotal evidence is defined in Merriam-Webster’s English dictionary as “evidence in the form of stories that people talk about what has happened to them.” It is not scientifically proven, but people just believe it would work. It also is understood that it could not be used due to a lack of scientific data.
If it is not scientifically proven, is it considered ineffective?
Acupuncture and herbal medicine practitioners like us are familiar and often heard from Western practitioners or healthcare insurance companies saying acupuncture treatment is not proven or using herbal medicine for the symptom is not proven for treatment effect.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been used for thousands of years, and their safety and efficacy have been proven. Our medicine should be understood as a systemic and cumulated knowledge of practicing medicine. Most of the side effects of our medicine have been recognized as rare, and there is a few fatal side effects from our medicine.
Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no consideration for applying herbal formulas for the symptom. The history of applying acupuncture and herbal medicine to treat infectious diseases is long; even now, scholars studying Asian medicine have added scientific data.
Viral infection was recognized in early human history, and during the Ming dynasty, many scholars set their principles to understand, diagnose, and treat symptoms originating from viral infection.
Asian Medicinal Point of View of Viral Infection
In Asian medicine, there are four factors regarding viral infection. The first factor is the weather. Infectious diseases cannot be found if the weather is predictable and stable. But if the weather changes unpredictably, it increases the chance of spreading infectious diseases.
The second is environmental sanitation which prevents the widespread of infectious disease. The third is personal hygiene and isolation of the general population from the infected person. The third factor is raising and maintaining healthy qi through herb or diet. The last factor is socioeconomic status. It could be easily understood that developing countries have more infectious disease patients than wealthier countries.
Herbs enhance Immune function
The older are at high risk after COVID-19 infection. The risk increases for people in their 50s and increases in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. It might need to be hospitalized, intensive care, or a ventilator for breading for the older. The preexisting symptom could be one reason. But decreased physical activity, muscle mass, and cognitive function are related to lowering the body temperature and directly related to functional aspects of the immune system. As the body temperature lower, the immune function will also be decreased.
Relieving the symptoms of COVID-19 and boosting the immune system could be achieved by warming the body with ginger, cinnamon, and fennel which are effective and affordable.
Ginger has the function of warming the lungs and reducing coughing and nausea. Diarrhea, stomachache, and nausea are common symptoms that are infected by COVID-19, and ginger could be used to reduce uncomfortable symptoms. National Institute of Health, NIH also recognized that ginger’s phytochemicals reduce inflammation and cholesterol and prevent nausea. If the ginger is used as a tea form, I recommend adding lemon, which increases the benefits of ginger tea drinking.
Cinnamon helps kidney’s function and warm the body, and it has been used to reduce pain and recognize its function in reducing glucose levels.
Fennel is the most famous western herb that warms the body and helps indigestion after eating cold foods. Horehound is frequently used for various respiratory symptoms, and especially, it was used for hepatitis, malaria, parasites in the gut, and irregular menstruation. Horehound has similar indications as chloroquine which was developed to treat malaria and as a helminthic. Horehound tends to lower blood pressure and glucose level. So, a patient on those medication needs to be cautious.
