Traditional Chinese herbal remedies for asthma and food allergy.
The increasing prevalence of allergic diseases in Westernized countries is a significant health problem. Curative therapies for these diseases are not available. There are also significant concerns regarding the potential side effects from the chronic use of conventional drugs such as corticosteroids, especially in children. Many patients with chronic allergic conditions seek complementary and alternative medicine therapies including traditional Chinese medicines. This trend has begun to attract interest from mainstream health care providers and scientific investigators and has stimulated government agencies in the United States to provide support and guidance for the scientific investigation of complementary and alternative medicine. This effort may lead to improved therapies and better health care/patient outcomes. This review presents an update on the most promising Chinese herbal remedies for asthma and food allergy.
Li
Xiu-Min
XM
Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. xiu-min.li@mssm.edu
D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000517:prevention & control; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal