Positive Health Online

Abstract

DAI and colleagues, Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Peoples Republic of China write that Wu-Hu-Tang (WHT) is a Chinese formulation consisting of 7 crude drugs which has been used for the treatment of asthma for hundreds of years.

Background

Methodology

The authors studied the anti-allergic activity of an aqueous extract of WHT to discover the pharmacological basis for the ethnomedical use of the formulation.

Results

The use of WHT resulted in a significant inhibition on the homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in rats and heterologous PCA in mice, a decrease in the degranulation of mast cells of calvarial periosteum in rats, an inhibition of the release of anaphylactic mediators from sensitised lung tissues of guinea pigs and the contraction of isolated guinea pig ileum induced by histamine.

Conclusion

These data indicate that the therapeutic activity of WHT in the treatment of asthma may be associated with its inhibitory effects upon immediate hypersensitivity .

References

Dai Y et al. Anti-allergic effect of an aqueous extract of wu-hu-tang. J Ethnopharmacol 55(2): 127-32. Jan 1997.

Comment

Despite the multitude of research papers published which demonstrate the therapeutic benefits for asthma sufferers of yoga, relaxation, autogenic training, synchronised breathing and supplementation with antioxidant vitamins, the medical establishment appears to have fallen in love with diagnosing the majority of us as having asthma, and then equipping us with inhalers and steroids for the duration of our lives. This, despite the serious medical side effects and risks carried by the current orthodox asthma treatment. This comment is made at the risk of belabouring my disgust at the medical professions persistent inability to read the research literature and act upon its content. Or is it that breathing, relaxing and stretching dont have fancy price tags?