Qingdao China Guide - Antiviral Herbs: Traditional Chinese Medicine TCM

Friday, 25 July 2008

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Antiviral Herbs: Traditional Chinese Medicine TCM

Note: This Article contains Chinese characters and thus requires the Asian language pack to viewed properly.

Most people with chronic illness fall into the immune system "deficiency" category and are the targets of cold and flu during every seasonal change. Their immune systems are weak, energy is low, and have trouble recovering from prolonged illness. Women with a "deficiency" condition often catch a cold before every menstrual cycle. When deficiency-pattern people catch a cold or flu, they should use either "Cold & Flu Formula" or "Wind-Cold Formula", depending upon whether their illness falls into the "Wind-Heat" type or the "Wind-Cold" catagory. Once cold or flu symptoms are gone, other formulas can be taken to strengthen the immune system and prevent recurrence of disease. Immune energy (Shi Quan Da Bu Wan) is a well-known tonic for the immune system. Chi Spleen Tonic (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan), Spleen Heart Tonic (Gui Pi Wan), Kidney Yin Tonic (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan) and Kidney Yang Tonic (Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan) are also popular formulas which tonify the immune system. Consult a Chinese medicine practitioner to determine the best formula for you.

Immune energy Formula (Shi Quan Da Bu Tang) 十全大補湯
Campanumaea pilosula, dang shen 黨參
Angelica sinensis, dang gui 當歸
Cnidium officinale Makino, chuan xiong 川芎 (日本川芎)
Paeonia albiflora Pallas, bai shao 白芍
Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, shu di huang 熟地黃
Panax Giaseng, ren shen 人參
Atractylodes ovata, bai zhu 白朮
Poria cocos, fu ling 茯苓
Glycyrrhiza glabra, gan cao 甘草
Astragalus Henry, huang qi 黃耆
Cinnamoum loureirii, rou gui 肉桂
Directions: Boil with water and use as tea.

shi quan da bu tang 十全大補湯
dang shen 3 qian, 黨參三錢
bai zhu 3 qian, 白朮三錢
fu ling 4 qian, 茯苓四錢
zhi gan cao 1 qian, 甘草一錢
shu di huang 5 qian, 熟地黃五錢
dang gui 4 qian, 當歸四錢
bai shao 4 qian, 白芍四錢
chuan xiong 1 qian, 川芎一錢
rou gui 1 qian, 黃耆四錢
huang qi 4 qian, 肉桂一錢後下

Directions: Boil with water and use as tea.
Warning: not to use this formula in cases of yinxu with heat.

Notes:
1 qian = 3.75 grams (classical weight used by overseas Chinese)
This formula has been used as a tonic formula for centuries in China. According to various reports , it is effective in certain cancer therapy.

Jian Lian Chinese Medicine Clinic & Pharmacy
19 YanErDao Lu
Telephone: +86 (532) 8589-4483
ShiNan District > Fushan Bay Area (Central Qingdao)
Qingdao, Shandong Province China

Other Useful Herbs:

Woad Root (Isatis tinctoria L., or Isatis indigotica), ban lan gen 板藍根
Woad Leaf, da qing ye 大青葉
One of the leading anti-viral herbs. In a study of over 11,000 people who were exposed to mumps, the infectious manifestation was forestalled by using a decoction of woad root. Woad root tea is the most popular herbal tea to prevent and treat flu in China.
Applications: chicken pox, chronic myelogenous leukemia, digestive tract ulcer / infection, diptheria, epilepsy, erysipelas (丹毒), gum alveolitis, hepatitis with jaundice, herpes simplex II, herpes zoster, influenza, keratitis, measles with pneumonia, meningitis B, meningococcal meningitis (流行性腦脊髓膜炎), psoriasis, middle ear infection, pink eye, ulcer of the mouth in children, SARS, sinus infections of children, tonsillitis

Forsythia Fruit (Forsythia supensa Vahl.)
lian qiao 連翹
A pointed, oval-shaped capsule with a hard shell. Because of its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and immunity-enhancing properties, forsythia fruit is widely used to treat common cold, influenza, swelling and pain in the throat, and skin inflammation.
Applications: broad spectrum antibiotic effect, lower fever, anti inflammation, protect liver, stop vomiting, help blood circulation, promote urination.

Honeysuckle Flower (Lonicera japonica Thunb.)
jin yin hua 金銀花
Named "gold-and-silver flower" in Chinese. Research indicates that this flower bud can deactivate the PR8 strain of influenza virus. The study also indicates that honeysuckle works wonderfully to treat other infectious diseases, including pneumonia and viral conjunctivitis.,
Applications: respiratory tract infection, influenza, acute infection of the tonsils, acute infection of the mammary glands, lobar pneumonia, bacterial type of dysentery, acute appendicitis, boils allergy reaction of skin.

Baical Skullcap Root (Scutellaria, baicalensis Georg.)
huang qin 黃芩
The dried root of scutellaria. It is an anti-viral agent, effective against influenza viruses. This herb and its active substance, baicalin, are used in the treatment of upper respiratory infections, either bacterial or viral.