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Alternative Treatments Used for the Common Cold

An ancient belief still common today claims that a cold can be “caught” by prolonged exposure to cold weather such as rain or winter conditions, which is where the disease got its name. Although common colds are seasonal, with more occurring during winter, experiments so far have failed to produce evidence that short-term exposure to cold weather or direct chilling increases susceptibility to infection, implying that the seasonal variation is instead due to a change in behaviors such as increased time spent indoors at close proximity to others. Nevertheless, some studies suggest that lower temperatures of the body of a person can make one more susceptible or prone to infection.

Many herbal and otherwise alternative remedies have been suggested to treat the common cold. However, none of these claims are supported by scientific evidence.

While a number of Chinese herbs and plants have been purported to ease cold symptoms, including ginger, garlic, hyssop, mullein, and others, scientific studies have either not been done or have been found inconclusive.

Echinacea…..
Echinacea flowerEchinacea, also known as coneflowers, is a plant commonly used in herbal preparations for the treatment of the common cold.

A review of sixteen trials of echinacea was done by the Cochrane Collaboration in 2006 and found mixed results. All three trials that looked at prevention were negative. Comparisons of echinacea as treatment found a significant effect in nine trials, a trend in one, and no difference in six trials. The authors state in their conclusion: “Echinacea preparations tested in clinical trials differ greatly. There is some evidence that preparations based on the aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea might be effective for the early treatment of colds in adults but results are not fully consistent. Beneficial effects of other Echinacea preparations, and for preventative purposes might exist but have not been shown in independently replicated, rigorous randomized trials.” A review in 2007 found an overall benefit from echinacea for the common cold.

Although there have been scientific studies evaluating echinacea, its effectiveness has not been convincingly demonstrated. For example, a peer-reviewed clinical study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that “…extracts of E. angustifolia root, either alone or in combination, do not have clinically significant effects on rhinovirus infection or on the clinical illness that results from it.” Recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in adults have not shown a beneficial effect of echinacea on symptom severity or duration of the cold. A structured review of 9 placebo controlled studies suggested that the effectiveness of echinacea in the treatment of colds has not been established. Conversely, two recent meta-analyses of published medical articles concluded that there is some evidence that echinacea may reduce either the duration or severity of the common cold, but results are not fully consistent. However, there have been no large, randomized placebo-controlled clinical studies that definitively demonstrate either prophylaxis or therapeutic effects in adults.[9][10] A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 407 children of ages ranging from 2 to 11 years showed that echinacea did not reduce the duration of the cold, nor reduce the severity of the symptoms. Most authoritative sources consider the effect of echinacea on the cold unsupported by evidence.

Vitamin C……Blackcurrants are a good source of vitamin C->
While vitamin C has not been shown to be beneficial in a normal population for the prevention or treatment of the common cold, it might be beneficial in people exposed to periods of severe physical exercise or cold environments.

A well-known supporter of the theory that Vitamin C megadosage prevented infection was physical chemist Linus Pauling, who wrote the bestseller Vitamin C and the Common Cold. A meta-analysis published in 2005 found that “the lack of effect of prophylactic vitamin C supplementation on the incidence of common cold in normal populations throws doubt on the utility of this wide practice”.

A follow-up meta-analysis supported these conclusions:

[Prophylactic use] of vitamin C has no effect on common cold incidence … [but] reduces the duration and severity of common cold symptoms slightly, although the magnitude of the effect was so small its clinical usefulness is doubtful. Therapeutic trials of high doses of vitamin C … starting after the onset of symptoms, showed no consistent effect on either duration or severity of symptoms. … More therapeutic trials are necessary to settle the question, especially in children who have not entered these trials.

Most of the studies showing little or no effect employ doses of ascorbate such as 100 mg to 500 mg per day, considered “small” by vitamin C advocates.[who?] Equally important, the plasma half life of high dose ascorbate above the baseline, controlled by renal resorption, is approximately 30 minutes, which implies that most high dose studies have been methodologically defective and would be expected to show a minimum benefit. Clinical studies of divided dose supplementation, predicted on pharmacological grounds to be effective, have only rarely been reported in the literature.

Zinc preparations…..
A 1999 Cochrane review found the evidence of benefit from zinc in the common cold is inconclusive. A 2003 review however concluded supported the value of zinc in reducing the duration and severity of symptoms of the common cold when administered within 24 hours of the onset of common cold symptoms. Nasally applied zinc gels may lead to loss of smell. The FDA therefore discourages their use.

Zinc acetate and zinc gluconate have been tested as potential treatments for the common cold, in various dosage form including nasal sprays, nasal gels, and lozenges. Some studies have shown some effect of zinc preparations on the duration of the common cold, but conclusions are diverse. About half of studies demonstrate efficacy. Even studies that show clinical effect have not demonstrated the mechanism of action. The studies differ in the salt used, concentration of the salt, dosage form, and formulation, and some suffer from defects in design or methods. For example, there is evidence that the potential efficacy of zinc gluconate lozenges may be affected by other food acids (citric acid, ascorbic acid and glycine) present in the lozenge. Furthermore, interpretation of the results depends on whether concentration of total zinc or ionic zinc is considered.

A recent study showed that zinc acetate lozenges (13.3 mg zinc) shortened the duration and reduced the severity of common colds compared to placebo in a placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial. Intracellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was inhibited by the ionic zinc present in the active lozenges, and the difference was statistically significant between the groups.

There are concerns regarding the safety of long-term use of cold preparations in an estimated 25 million persons who are haemochromatosis heterozygotes. Use of high doses of zinc for more than two weeks may cause copper depletion, which leads to anemia. Other adverse events of high doses of zinc include nausea, vomiting gastrointestinal discomfort, headache, drowsiness, unpleasant taste, taste distortion, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. Some users of nasal spray applicators containing zinc have reported temporary or permanent loss of sense of smell.

Although widely available and advertised in the United States as dietary supplements or homeopathic treatments, the safety and efficacy of zinc preparations have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Authoritative sources consider the effect of zinc preparations on the cold unproven.

Steam inhalation…
Many people believe that steam inhalation reduces symptoms of the cold. However, one double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study found no effect of steam inhalation on cold symptoms. A scientific review of medical literature concluded that “there is insufficient evidence to support the use of steam inhalation as a treatment.” There have been reports of children being badly burned when using steam inhalation to alleviate cold symptoms leading to the recommendation to “…start discouraging patients from using this form of home remedy, as there appears to be no significant benefit from steam inhalation.”

Chicken soup…..
In the twelfth century, Moses Maimonides wrote, “Chicken soup…is recommended as an excellent food as well as medication.” Since then, there have been numerous reports in the United States that chicken soup alleviates the symptoms of the common cold. Even usually staid medical journals have published tongue-in-cheek humorous articles on the alleged medicinal properties of chicken soup.

PREVENTION  :
It might seem overwhelming to try to prevent colds, but you can do it. Children average three to eight colds per year.

Here are five proven ways to reduce exposure to germs:-

*Always wash your hands: Children and adults should wash hands at key moments — after nose-wiping, after diapering or toileting, before eating, and before preparing food.

*Disinfect: Clean commonly touched surfaces (sink handles, sleeping mats) with an EPA-approved disinfectant.

*Switch day care: Using a day care where there are six or fewer children dramatically reduces germ contact.

*Use instant hand sanitizers: A little dab will kill 99.99% of germs without any water or towels. The products use alcohol to destroy germs. They are an antiseptic, not an antibiotic, so resistance can’t develop.

*Use paper towels instead of shared cloth towels.

Here are six ways to support the immune system:-

*Avoid secondhand smoke: Keep as far away from secondhand smoke as possible It is responsible for many health problems, including millions of colds.

*Avoid unnecessary antibiotics: The more people use antibiotics, the more likely they are to get sick with longer, more stubborn infections caused by more resistant organisms in the future.

*Breastfeed: Breast milk is known to protect against respiratory tract infections, even years after breastfeeding is done. Kids who don’t breastfeed average five times more ear infections.

*Drink water: Your body needs fluids for the immune system to function properly.

*Eat yogurt: The beneficial bacteria in some active yogurt cultures help prevent colds.

*Get enough sleep: Late bedtimes and poor sleep leave people vulnerable.

Research
Biota Holdings are developing a drug, currently known as BTA798, which targets rhinovirus. The drug has recently completed Phase IIa clinical trials.

ViroPharma and Schering-Plough are developing an antiviral drug, pleconaril, that targets picornaviruses, the viruses that cause the majority of common colds. Pleconaril has been shown to be effective in an oral form. Schering-Plough is developing an intra-nasal formulation that may have fewer adverse effects.

Researchers from University of Maryland, College Park and University of Wisconsin–Madison have mapped the genome for all known virus strains that cause the common cold.

Common Cold Unit
In the United Kingdom, the Common Cold Unit was set up by the Medical Research Council in 1946. The unit worked with volunteers who were infected with various viruses. The rhinovirus was discovered there.  In the late 1950s, researchers were able to grow one of these cold viruses in a tissue culture, as it would not grow in fertilized chicken eggs, the method used for many other viruses. In the 1970s, the CCU demonstrated that treatment with interferon during the incubation phase of rhinovirus infection protects somewhat against the disease, but no practical treatment could be developed. The unit was closed in 1989, two years after it completed research of zinc gluconate lozenges in the prophylaxis and treatment of rhinovirus colds, the only successful treatment in the history of the unit.

Resources :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_treatments_used_for_the_common_cold#Zinc_preparations
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000678.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold

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News on Health & Science

New Remedies for Swine Flu

Honeybee venom and vitamin C may protect you against swine flu, suggest Indian researchers.

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Have no access to the H1N1 flu vaccine because of its being produced by a handful of global pharmaceutical biggies? Not to worry. Try honeybee venom or a good amount of vitamin C.

That’s the word from some Indian scientists. A caveat here. These ideas put forward by independent research groups are “hypotheses” rather than findings that have emerged from rigorous scientific experiments. But they stem from the basic premise that a nudge prepares the immune system better in the eventuality of a fatal viral attack.

A team of pharmacologists at Manipal University in Karnataka proposed the idea of using honeybee venom to shore up the human immune system in its fight against the swine flu virus. Their paper, which appears in the latest issue of the journal Medical Hypotheses, suggests honeybee venom therapy as a first-line strategy to quickly vaccinate the population in the event of a widespread H1N1 flu outbreak. It can provide passive as well as active immunisation against the infection, they argue.
……..-Nishi_tribal…honeybee stinging
“Many tribal communities use the sting of a honeybee as an antidote to colds and coughs,” says Rajeev Singla, lead author of the study. Singla, who teaches at the Shri Gopichand College of Pharmacy in Baghpet, Uttar Pradesh, says that bee venom’s anti inflammatory and immune-boosting properties are already well documented in modern science.

Even if the substance offers limited protection against swine flu, it is worth investigating as it is effective against several symptoms associated with the infection such as pneumonia and oedema, they say.

The second study, by researchers at the department of experimental medicine and biotechnology at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI), Chandigarh, suggests that vitamin C can serve as a vaccine to control a H1N1 flu pandemic.

The study, scheduled to appear in the January 2010 issue of the journal Nutrition, builds upon past research to establish the efficacy of vitamin C in preventing common flu, an idea first proposed in the 1970s by Nobel Prize-winning American scientist Linus Pauling. Swine flu may be caused by a different influenza virus, but most of the symptoms associated with it are similar to those of the common cold.

The scientists explain that the viruses — there are nearly 100 of them — that cause flu enter the human body through the nasal route and attach themselves to a protein to get entry to the respiratory tract cells. Once there, the virus pushes its genetic material into the genome of the host cell. The virus thus takes over the host cell’s multiplication mechanism for its own proliferation.

But the PGI scientists think that it is possible to jeopardise the virus’s plan for replication, if adequate quantities of vitamin C are delivered to the cells in the respiratory tract.

The mixing of the flu viral genome with that of the human host cell will happen only when the latter is at a particular phase of the cell division cycle. But, Dibyajyoti Banerjee, lead author of the PGI study, says it possible to stop the infected cell from proceeding to that phase, if a high amount of vitamin C is present in the cell.“This restricts the viral genome integration in the human body,” Banerjee told KnowHow.

Delivering a high dose of vitamin C to the respiratory tract, however, is a challenge. It’s tough because no matter how big the dosage, very little of it reaches the respiratory tract, if delivered orally. That’s because of the digestion of the vitamin by the human digestive system.

To overcome this difficulty, the Chandigarh scientists propose a strategy of administering vitamin C through a combination of nasal and oral routes. “The combination of oral and inhalational delivery of vitamin C is important for attainment of high concentrations of it in the respiratory tract,” says Banerjee. The group is planning further studies to prove that this strategy will actually work, he adds.

Shahid Jameel, head of virology research at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, says it is possible to ward off many viral infections, including swine flu, by boosting general immunity. That’s because viruses depend entirely on the host for their multiplication.

As a result of co-evolution of the host and the virus, both have developed mechanisms to protect themselves.

“Just like we have immunity, viruses have ways to evade immunity. Eventually, this evolutionary tug of war leads to a virus that can infect, but not cause disease,” says Jameel.

That would be an ideal situation as the infection then cannot spread to others, he concludes.

You may click & see:->
*Bee venom therapy
*Apitoxin
*Stinger
*Hornet stings
*Characteristics of common wasps and bees
*Schmidt Sting Pain Index

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

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News on Health & Science

Good Bacteria Fight the Flu

Bacteria present naturally in your body and sometimes found in food could keep cold and flu viruses at bay.
flu
According to a study, young children who drank a mixture of such bacteria, known as probiotics, had fewer colds, needed fewer antibiotics, and missed fewer days of school.

Researchers have already shown that probiotics can benefit those who are ill, and the bacteria are thought to boost the immune system‘s response to invaders.

Resources:
ABC News July 27, 2009
Reuters July 27, 2009

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Featured Health Alert

The Devil in the Milk

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Prominent food researcher Dr. Thomas Cowan has been involved in thinking about the medicinal aspects of cow’s milk virtually his entire career.
.PASTEURISED  MILK..……….RAW MILK
His studies on the subject started in earnest when he read the book The Milk of Human Kindness Is Not Pasteurized, by maverick physician, William Campbell Douglass, MD.
Cowan became convinced that a large part of the disease in this country is related to the way we handle, or rather mishandle, milk and milk products.

Raw and cultured dairy products from healthy grass-fed cows are one of the healthiest foods people have ever eaten. However, pasteurized milk products have caused more disease than perhaps any other substance people are generally in contact with….…...CLICK & SEE

However, he still felt that a piece of the puzzle was missing. Many of his patients, in spite of eating only the proper dairy products, still had illness and still seemed not to tolerate milk. Recently, he was asked to consider writing the foreword to a book called The Devil in the Milk, written by Dr. Keith Woodford, which was again an eye-opener for him.

All proteins are long chains of amino acids. Beta casein is a chain 229 amino acids in length. Cows who produce this protein in their milk with a proline at number 67 are called A2 cows, and are the older breeds of cows (e.g. Jerseys, Asian and African cows). But some 5,000 years ago, a mutation occurred in this proline amino acid, converting it to histidine. Cows that have this mutated beta casein are called A1 cows, and include breeds like Holstein.

Proline has a strong bond to a small protein called BCM 7, which helps keep it from getting into the milk, so that essentially no BCM 7 is found in the urine, blood or GI tract of old-fashioned A2 cows. On the other hand, histidine, the mutated protein, only weakly holds on to BCM 7, so it is liberated in the GI tract of animals and humans who drink A1 cow milk.

BCM 7 has been shown to cause neurological impairment in animals and people exposed to it, especially autistic and schizophrenic changes. BCM 7 interferes with the immune response, and injecting BCM 7 in animal models has been shown to provoke type 1 diabetes. Dr. Woodford’s book presents research showing a direct correlation between a population’s exposure to A1 cow’s milk and incidence of autoimmune disease, heart disease, type 1 diabetes, autism, and schizophrenia.

Simply switching breeds of cows could result in amazing health benefits.

Sources: The Bovine March 20, 2009

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Herbs & Plants

Ativisha

 

Botanical Name : Aconitum hrterophyllum
Family: Ranunculaceae
Subfamily: Ranunculoideae
Tribes: Aconiteae
Genus: Aconitum
Species: Aconitum heterophyllum

Other Common Names: Atees [E], Atees,Indian [E], Atis [E], Ativisha [E], Vajji Turki [E],

Vernacular names: sans- Ativisha ,Hin- Atish, Eng- Indian Atis

Other Names: Cao wu / Tsao wu
Parts used: Underground stem and root.
Habitat: Usually found on humus-rich soils in the alpine and subalpine zones, and in forests, 2300 – 2900 metres. India; Iran; Sanscrit; Us

Description:This plant thrives in most soils and in the shade of trees. This plant is so tough it even grows marvelously in heavy clay soils and well in the open woodlands. Most of all it prefers a moist soil which contains the characteristic of calcium carbonate, calcium, or limestone, also in the sun or semi shade. Other plants of this genus (a group of species exhibiting similar characteristics) seem to be immune to the rabbits and deer for they do not want to eat it. The Ativisha (Aconitum heterophylum) has small, yellowish-white, bulbous roots, which are shaped like a large bud about four to six times that of a jasmine bud….

click to see the pictures…..>…..(01).…..(1).……...(2)...

Part of the root crosses over and is milkey white with four black dots like banana seeds. The root is best harvested in the autumn as soon as the plant dies down and is dried for later use. This plant has many green leaves and grows as a greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species. The main place this herb is found is in sub-alpine and alpine regions; Himalayas from Indus to Kumaon.

Cultivation details:-
Thrives in most soils and in the light shade of trees. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist soil in sun or semi-shade. Prefers a calcareous soil. Grows well in open woodlands.

Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits and deer.

A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby species, especially legumes.
Propagation:-
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can be stratified and sown in spring but will then be slow to germinate. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer.

Division – best done in spring but it can also be done in autumn. Another report says that division is best carried out in the autumn or late winter because the plants come into growth very early in the year.
Harvesting:The root is best harvested in the autumn as soon as the plant dies down and is dried for later use. This is a very poisonous plant and should only be used with extreme caution and under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Therapeutic Uses:
Today Aconitum heterophyllum is used in cases of diarrhea, liver disorders, hemorrhoids, edema, dysentery, inflammatory infections with cough, cold, flu, or dyspepsia and is a mild diuretic. It stimulates the flow of breast milk in nursing mothers and when taken regularly by nursing mothers, helps prevent colic in their babies. It is also used to treat headaches caused from eating excessive amounts of greasy foods, thirst associated with fever, yellowish sclera (white outer coat enclosing the eyeball), nausea, vomiting, throat pain, and lung and eye inflammation. The root is also used for treating digtestive disorders such as anorexia, piles, diarrhea, vomiting and worms. It is said to help revitalize sexual desire and reduce obesity. The fried root is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac, astringent, cholagogue, febrifuge, and tonic. It is used in India in the treatment of dyspepsia, diarrhea and coughs. Used in Tibetan medicine, where it is said to have a bitter taste and cooling potency. Also used to treat poisoning from scorpion or snake bites, the fevers of contagious diseases and inflammation of the intestines. This herb is just wonderful in many afflictions. The scientists and pharmacists have also found that Acontum hterophyllum has also been useful in the following diseases; Abdominal Distention, Amenorrhoea, Amnesia, Anorexia Nervosa, Bronchitis, Colic, Common Cold, Dysmenorrhoes, Fevers, Flatulence, Flu and Halitosis (bad breath).

The seeds of this plant are also used in medicine, mainly as a stimulant, aromatic, emmenaguogue, galactagogue, stomachic, carminative, antipyretic and anathemmatic. Along with antispasmodics they relieve period pain. They are also useful in indigestion (especially stress-related), hyperacidity, hiccup and abdominal pain in children and adults. Chewing the seeds removes bad breath. Research has also established that the essential oil has antibacterial properties, which inhibit the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria.

Powdered root mixed with honey is effective for children suffering from cough, coryza, fever and vomiting.

Root is considered to be aphrodisiac, digestive, valuable febrifuge, bitter tonic and useful in throat infections, abdominal pain and gastralgia .

They are useful in dysentery, stomach disorders, fever, malarial fever, vomitings, haemorrhoids, haemorrhages, internal inflammatory conditions, They are highly recommended in diseases for children.

According to  Ayurveda :
It is katu, ushnaveerya, tikta; beneficial in deranged kapha and pitta;antipyretic, antidysenteric and antidiarrhoeal, expectorant, antidotal and antiemetic.
Medicinal Uses: Analgesic; Antiinflammatory; Antiperiodic; Aphrodisiac; Astringent; Cholagogue; Febrifuge; Tonic.

The dried root is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiperiodic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cholagogue, febrifuge and tonic. It is used in India in the treatment of dyspepsia, diarrhoea and coughs. It is also used in Tibetan medicine, where it is said to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency. It is used to treat poisoning from scorpion or snake bites, the fevers of contagious diseases and inflammation of the intestines.

Precautions:The whole Aconitum heterophyllum plant is highly toxic, even simple skin contact can cause numbness in people with sensitive skin. In large doses, this herb can cause constipation. Toxic overdoses will cause parasthesia, dry mouth, bradycardia, and in extreme cases, coma. Aconitum heterophyllum is a very poisonous plant and should only be used with extreme caution and under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. As always, when you buy a product alwyays follow the instructions.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
http://www.ayurvedakalamandiram.com/herbs.htm#ativisha
http://www.herbalremedies.com/aconitum-information.html

http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Aconitum+heterophyllum

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