Alleviating Illness Naturally :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Alleviating Illness NaturallyPresently there is a general trend to treat mild illnesses naturally and to avoid stiff allopathic musics. People are embracing herbal remedies which are little expensive, readily available, and have many less side effects. Echinacea, considered to have a remarkable immunostimulating activity, is one of the approximately widely used phytomedicinals for treatment of the cat valium cold, influenza, and other upper respiratory tract infections (1). It is readily available in liquid form, capsules, and in tea. You can purchase it over the counter at the drugstore, supermarket, and even at Kmart. I, like many others, have tried genus Echinacea to treat the common cold and flu, but it never seemed to make me odor better. Am I the exception to benefiting from this common herbal remedy, or has the American public at large been conned into believing this plant will baffle them from getting sick?As of yet, there is no known medication proven to cure the com mon cold or flu. Both are upper respiratory tract infections caused by viruses and thus treatment in the form of antibiotics will not work. Medications referred by doctors, such as antihistamines, coughing suppressants, and decongestants, treat the symptoms of the illness but not the underlying cause. Although echinacea is standardised to other treatments in that it does not attempt to cure the illness, it distinguishes itself by straightway stimulating the immune system. This novel approach for combating the cold or flu seems to work as well as the more common medical examination treatments (2).The herbal remedy echinacea is a family of nine flowering plants belong to the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family and indigenous to North America. Three species, E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida, are used in medicinal supplements. Liquid extracts of the leaves and above ground parts of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia are the products most commonly available in the United States, wh ile E. pallida is encountered in europium (2). The study of how herbs affect the immune system is a current acerbic topic in pharmacological research. Do herbs, like the echinacea plant, rattling strengthen our resistance and help us lead healthier lives? in that location appears to be a contradiction between the wisdom of centuries of observation and the test of scientific laboratory research. Echinacea was among the most popular herbs used by Native American Indians. Its popularity in treating colds, coughs, and infections continued and in the late nineteenth century echinacea became the best selling medicinal tincture in America (1).