Coughing is an obvious sign of poor health and the leading reason for patient visits to doctors. Over one billion dollars are spent annually on over-the-counter (OTC) cough remedies for cough issues, yet the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) has recently reported that OTC cough expectorants and suppressants don’t address the underlying causes of the cough, and often don’t help at all. Antibiotics are also of limited value, since 95% of all coughs are viral in nature. Antibiotics may be helpful for reducing phlegm, but they can weaken the immune system. Traditional Chinese healing practices takes a different approach to cough, relying on classical formulas, some dating back to the 15th century, that remain popular today and continue to be used by millions of people throughout Asia. Significantly, a growing body of scientific research has shed light on properties of traditional herbal ingredients historically used to support lung health. Andrographis (Chuan Xin LIan, Andrographis Paniculata) Andrographis has been shown to be a safe traditional botanical for supporting upper respiratory tract health, per analysis of seven double-blind controlled trials. (1) Andrographis has been shown to inhibit RANTES secretion in inflamed bronchial cells. (2) RANTES is a chemoattractant for eosinophils, monocytes and lymphocytes that is stored in, and released by, platelets and activated T-cells. In related research:
 Andrographolide, an active ingredient in Andrographis, has been shown to be responsible for the herb’s inflammatory modulating actions, including the reduction of cytokine and peritoneal deposition of neutrophils, and modulation of lung inflammation in vivo. (3) Extracts of Andrographis exhibit potent inflammatory modulating and antioxidant actions in mouse models. (4)
Scutellaria (Huang Qin, Radix Scutellaria Baicalenses) Scutellaria root has a long history of use in China to support a healthy immune system. (5,6) In related research:
 Baicalein, a major flavonoid in Scutellaria, supports cardiovascular health. (7) Research shows that Scutellaria root modulates inflammatory activity to inhibit nitric oxide (NO), cytokine, chemokine and growth factor production in macrophages. (8) Scutellaria has been shown to inhibit histamine and leukotriene release. (9)
Gardenia Jasminoides (Zhi Zi, Gardenia Jasminoides) Genipen, an active ingredient in Gardenia, regulates inflammatory activity in mice study. (10) Geniposide from Gardenia enhances glutathione content in rat livers. Glutathione is an important immune system amino acid that helps determine modulation of immune response, including cytokine production. (11) Morus Alba (Sang Bai Pi, Radicis Cortex Morus Alba) Morus alba extracts have been shown to regulate mast cell degranulation and histamine release. (12) In a related study, a polysaccharide from Morus root has been shown to have immune-modulating activity. (13) Belamcanda (She Gan, Rhizoma Belamcandae Chinensis) An active ingredient from Belamcanda, irigenin, has inflammatory modulating properties in macrophage immune cells. (14) Asparagus (Tian Men Dong, Asparagus Cochinchinensis) Extracts from Asparagus root have been shown to modulate inflammatory actions. (15) Trichosanthes (Gua Lou Ren, Semen Trichosanthes) Trichosanthes seed extracts contain inflammatory regulating ingredients, including triterpenes. (16) Fritillaria (Chuan Bei Mu, Bulbus Fritillaria Chirrhosa) Fritillaria bulb is considered an anti-tussive herb, with imperialine identified as the major bioactive component. (17) Platycodon (Jie Geng, Radix Platycodon Grandiflorum) Platycodon root has been widely used in China for upper respiratory inflammatory issues. Active ingredients platycodon D and D3 increase mucin release in rat and hamster tracheal cells and provide useful expectorant effects. (18) In related research:
 Platycodon extracts exhibit inflammatory modulating effects on human-cultured airway epithelial cells. (19) Platycodon regulates inflammation via diverse pathways including modulation of IL-8 secretion by microglial cells. (20)
Stemona (Bai Bu Radix Stemona) Stemonines from Stemona root display anti-tussive activity in a guinea pig cough model. (21) In related research, stilbenoids, including resveratrol from Stemona root, inhibit leukotriene formation. (22) Licorice (Gan Cao, Radix Glycyrrhiza Uralensis) Glycyrrhizin from Glycyrrhiza root helps to modulate airway constriction, lung inflammation and infiltration of eosinophils in bronchial areas. (23) In related research:
 Glycyrrhiza root promotes CD4 and CD8 immune cell function. (24) A related study identifies the main anti-tussive active ingredients in glycyrrhiza root in various phases of the cough response. (25)
Safety
BronchoPhase is appropriate for all ages, including children above the age of 6. For infants less than 6 years of age Chinese herbs should be given only by an experienced practitioner.
References
1. Coon JT, Ernst E. Andrographis paniculata: a systematic review of safety and efficacy, Planta, 2004 Apr. Pubmed ID: 15095142. 2. Ko HC, Wei BL, Chiou WF. The effect of medicinal plants used in Chinese folk medicine on RANTES, Ethnopharmacol, 2006 Mar 17. Pubmed ID: 16621378. 3. Xia YF, Ye BQ, Li YD, Wang JG, He XY, Lin X, Yao X, Ma D, Slungaard A, Hebbel RP, Key NS, Geng JG. Andrographolide modulates inflammation by inhibition of NF-kappa B activation through covalent modification of reduced cysteine 62 of p50, Immunol. 2004 Sep 15. Pubmed ID: 15356172. 4. Sheeja K, Shihab PK, Kuttan G. Antioxidant and inflammatory modulating activities of the plant Andrographis paniculata Nees, Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2006. Pubmed ID: 16684672. 5. Yang ZC, Wang BC, Yang XS, Wang Q, Ran L. The synergistic activity with eight traditional Chinese medicines, Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces, 2005 Mar 25;41(2-3):79-81. Pubmed ID: 15737531. 6. Ma SC, Du J, But PP, Deng XL, Zhang YW, Ooi VE, XU HX, Lee SH, Lee SF. Chinese medicinal herbs, J Ethnopharmacol 2002 Feb, Pubmed ID: 11801383. 7. Huang Y, Tsang SY, Yao X, Chen ZY. Biological properties of baicalein in cardiovascular system, Curr Drug Targets Cardiovasc Haematol Disord, 2005 Apr;5(2):177-84. Pubmed ID: 15853750. 8. Kim EH, Shim B, Kang S, Jeong G, Lee JS, Chun M., Inflammatory Modulating Effects of Scutellaria baicalensis extract via Suppression of Immune Modulators and MAP kinase signaling molecules, J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Aug 20. Pubmed ID: 19699788. 9. Lim BO., Effects of wogonin, wogonoside, and 3,5,7,2′,6′-pentahydroxyflavone on chemical mediator production in peritoneal exudate cells and immunoglobulin E of rat mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes, J Ethnopharmacol, 2003 Jan;84(1):23-9. Pubmed ID: 12499072. 10. Koo HJ, Lim KH, Jung HJ, Park EH. Evaluation of gardenia extract, geniposide and genipin, J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Feb 20. Pubmed ID: 16169698. 11. Kang JJ, Wang HW, Liu TY, Chen YC, Ueng TH. Modulation of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases, glutathione and glutathione S-transferase in rat liver by geniposide from Gardenia jasminoides, Food Chem Toxicol., 1997 Oct-Nov. Pubmed ID: 9463529. 12. Chai OH, Lee MS, Han EH, Kim HT, Song CH., Morus Alba (Radicis Cortex Morus Alba) (Sang Bai Pi) Effects of Morus alba on compound 48/80 and anti-chicken gamma globulin IgE- mediated mast cell activation, Biol Pharm Bull, 2005 Oct, Pubmed ID: 16204934. 13. Kim HM, Han SB, Lee KH, Lee CW, Kim CY, Lee EJ, Huh H., Immunomodulating activity of a polysaccharide isolated from Mori Cortex Radicis, Arch Pharm Res,, 2000 Jan, Pubmed ID: 10896055, 14. Ahn KS, Noh EJ, Cha KH, Kim YS, Lim SS, Shin KH, Jung SH. Inhibitory effects of Irigenin from the rhizomes of Belamcanda chinensis on nitric oxide and prostaglandin E(2) production in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, Life Sci., 2006 Apr 11;78(20):2336-42. Pubmed ID: 16307761. 15. Kim H, Lee E, Lim T, Jung J, Lyu Y., Modulating effect of Asparagus cochinchinensis on tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion from astrocytes, Int J Immunopharmacol. 1998 Apr-May;20(4-5):153-62. Pubmed ID: 9730251. 16. Ozaki Y, Xing L, Satake M. Iinflammatory modulating effect of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim, and its effective parts, Biol Pharm Bull, 1996 Aug;19(8):1046-8. Pubmed ID: 8874813. 17. Chan SW, Li SL, Lin G, Li P., Pharmacokinetic study and determination of imperialine, the major bioactive component in antitussive Fritillaria cirrhosa, in rat by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light-scattering detector Anal Biochem. 2000 Oct 1;285(1):172-5. Pubmed ID: 10998280. 18. Shin CY, Lee WJ, Lee EB, Choi EY, Ko KH., Platycodin D and D3 increase airway mucin release in vivo and in vitro in rats and hamsters, Planta Med., Mar. Pubmed ID: 11914958. 19. Lee JH, Choi YH, Kang HS, Choi BT., An aqueous extract of Platycodi radix inhibits LPS-induced NF-kappaB nuclear translocation in human cultured airway epithelial cells, Int J Mol Med., 2004 Jun. Pubmed ID: 15138622. 20. Jang MH, Kim CJ, Kim EH, Kim MG, Leem KH, Kim J., Effects of Platycodon grandiflorum on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated production of prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide, and interleukin-8 in mouse microglial BV2 cells, J Med Food, 2006 Summer. Pubmed ID: 16822201. 21. Lin LG, Zhong QX, Cheng TY, Tang CP, Ke CQ, Lin G, Ye Y. Stemoninines from the roots of Stemona tuberosa, J Nat Prod., 2006 July. Pubmed ID: 16872143. 22. Adams, M, Pacher T, Greger H, Bauer R., Inhibition of leukotriene biosynthesis by stilbenoids from Stemona species, J Nat Prod., 2005 Jan. Pubmed ID: 15679323. 23. Ram A, Mabalirajan U, Das M, Bhattacharya I, Dinda AK, Gangal SV, Ghosh B. Glycyrrhizin, Int Immunopharmacol., 2006 Sept. Pubmed ID: 16846841. 24. Brush, Mendenhall E, Guggenheim A, Chan T, Connelly E, Soumyanath A, Buresh R, Barrett R, Zwickey H., The effect of Echinacea purpurea, Astragalus membranaceus and Glycyrrhiza glabra on CD69 expression and immune cell activation in humans, Phytother Res., 2006 Jun 28. Pubmed ID: 16807880. 25. Kamei J, Saitoh A, Asano T, Nakamura R, Ichiki H, Iiduka A, Kubo M., Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of the antitussive principles of Glycyrrhizae radix (licorice), a main component of the Kampo preparation Bakumondo-to (Mai-men-dong-tang), Eur J Pharmacol, 2005 Jan 10. Pubmed ID: 15659306.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Kimberly Thorlakson –
due to the fact we order from the US and we are in Canada our cost is quite high therefore our retail price for our customers is significantly higher
Kimberly Thorlakson –
Joan Simpson –
Have not noticed any change. Perhaps it’s because I’ve used them for a short time. Hopefully I’ll see results soon
Joan Simpson –