Asthma: Clinical Research on TCM

Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier - The Best Alternative Medicine

Corporate Health Improvement Program (C H I P)

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Conventional drug treatment often has side effects, so asthma patients sometimes seek alternative approaches.

In a 1996 Chinese study by Shao Changrong, 100 bronchial asthma patients received Chuanxiong Antiasthma Mixture (containing cnidium, red peony, peony, tang kuei, salvia, vitex negundo fruit, elaeagni, magnolia flower, asarum, and licorice), and 50 patients received the drug aminophylline. The herbal preparation performed somewhat better. Therefore, this herbal formula, which can be prepared by American practitioners, offers a possible alternative.

In another Chinese clinical trial, by Li Hongfen, two Xiaochuanling formulas (the first containing ma huang, apricot seed, gypsum, scute, and coptis, and the second containing codonopsis, hoelen, atractylodes, and ophiopogon) were given to 111 patients with bronchial asthma for seven days. A control group of 30 comparable patients received the conventional drug aminophylline. Results in the herb treatment group were 28.8 percent clinically controlled and 37.8 percent markedly effective, compared to 10 and 37.8 percent, respectively, in the drug group. Thus, the herbal preparation was judged considerably more effective. A study of T-cells showed that the herbal preparations increased CD4 and decreased CD8 subsets, which was suggested as the mechanism of action for inhibiting asthma. Herbs used in this study are readily available to United States practitioners, and the treatment time is short.

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From THE BEST ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: WHAT WORKS? WHAT DOES NOT? by Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier.

Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, New York.

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