Echinacea Blend 125mg Eldeberry 100mg Golden Seal 75mg Licorice Root 100mg 60 caps 1 to 2 capsules a day with food. Astragalus membranaceus. This Chinese herbal is used to treat a wide variety of viral infections. Clinical studies in China have shown it be effective when used on an ongoing basis against the common cold. Echinacea (Purple coneflower) Echinacea is one of the most popular herbal medicines in the United States and Europe. In 1994, German physicians prescribed Echinacea more than 2.5 million times. There are over 200 journal articles written about Echinacea. This herb is from the sunflower family and can be seen in many perennial gardens across the United States. Echinacea is thought to stimulate the immune system by increasing the production of and activity of white blood cells, especially natural killer cells (NK cells). Elderberry In 1992, a team of Israeli scientists headed by Madeleine Mumcuoglu (pronounced Mum-shoe-glue) set out to study the effect of elderberry on flu patients. During a flu epidemic at an Israeli Kibbutz, half of the flu patients were given an elderberry syrup, the other half a placebo. The results: within 24 hours, 20% of the patients receiving elderberry had gotten significantly better. Within two days, 75% of the elderberry group was much improved; within 3 days 90% were completely cured. Among the placebo group, only 8% of patients improved within 24 hours and it was a full 6 days before 90% of the patients were cured. Flu viruses invade cells by puncturing the cell walls with little spikes called hemagglutinin. These spikes are coated with an enzyme called neuraminidase, which helps break down the cell walls. Elderberry appears to actually disarm these spikes and inhibit the action of this enzyme -- thus preventing flu viruses from invading cells. Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) Goldenseal is a perennial herb native to eastern North America. This herb has shown to be a potent immune stimulator. It increases the blood flow to the spleen and increases the number and activity of macrophages. Macrophages are released in response to foreign substances that invade the body. These white blood cells roam around the body destroying unwanted bacteria, viruses, yeast, and tumor cells. |