San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Going on the offensive to ease cold symptoms with herbs
Q: I know a lot of people who have had colds lately. When I start to sneeze or have a runny nose, I take elderberry in capsules or syrup. I also take andrographis, astragalus and echinacea.
Why these remedies work, I haven’t a clue. But I have found they have to be from a reputable herb company or they may not work. With these herbs, I have stopped many a virus trying to make in-roads into my respiratory system.
A:
Modern medicine has not been very successful in combating the common cold. There are no drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to speed healing of this condition.
Data suggests, however, that echinacea has antiviral activity (Virology Journal, Sept. 9, 2020). So do elderberry and andrographis. Echinacea, andrographis and astragalus also appear to stimulate the immune system (Alternative and
Complementary Therapies, Feb. 1, 2018).
We would love to see randomized clinical trials testing these herbs against viral infections. However, there are a lot of obstacles to this type of study (Pharmaceuticals, July 2011). Many different viruses cause “cold” symptoms, and it is difficult to figure out which one may be responsible for an individual’s misery. Moreover, as you have noted, the quality of herbal supplements can vary.
You can learn more about
ways to prevent and treat such viral infections in our eGuide to Colds, Coughs & the Flu. This online resource may be found under the Health eGuides tab at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q: My feet turn red and burn at night so I cannot fall asleep. I have tried going to bed with an ice pack or applying cream, but nothing has helped. My podiatrist could offer no help.
A:
It can be challenging to diagnose why feet burn. However,
one common cause is peripheral neuropathy. Please ask your physician if this nerve disorder may be contributing to your discomfort.
Check with her about supplements such as alpha-lipoic acid, benfotiamine and acetyl L-carnitine. These are sometimes helpful (Cureus, June 8, 2022; Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, April 2022; Nutrients, Oct. 23, 2020).
Q: Somehow, I never contracted COVID, but I did get all the shots and boosters.
Since receiving my first vaccine, the cold sores that I used to get on my lips two to four times a year for the past 30 years have completely vanished.
So have my plantar warts, which I’ve had for even longer. They resisted multiple treatments, including surgical removal. Now they are gone.
But I’ve not seen any mention of similar experiences. Is my experience unique?
A:
Shortly after people started getting COVID vaccinations, some began reporting that they’d had long-lasting warts disappear. There are some case reports in the medical literature as well ( JAAD Case Reports, January 2023).
Another reader had a different experience: “I just got over COVID, for which I took Paxlovid for three days. I now see that all my warts are gone!
“That is the only positive thing that came out of the illness. I had two vaccines and a booster in the past year, which didn’t faze the warts.”
On the other hand, we discovered a number of case reports that COVID vaccination had reactivated herpes simplex eye infections (Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, July 2022).