Avoid Echinacea with Influenze -- it increases cytokines

[steven johnson]

The deaths in young people in the 1918 flu were thought to be due to overactivation of the cytokine system. There are a number of agents which activate the cytokine system and the current wisdon is that these things should be AVOIDED in the event of flu symptions:

Echinacea
Elderberry juice/Sambucal
Micro Algae
Honey
Kimchi


Herbal preparations have pharmaceutical effects in many cases and they should be taken seriously.


http://knol.google.com/k/marilu/influenza-outbreak-with-pandemic/3ucb52ipr3cl8/3#

http://www.groundreport.com/Health_and_Science/Avoiding-The-Flu-And-Remaining-Healthy-Afterwards

[kestrel91316]

1. No honey in my tea????

[MercutioATC]

2. Not if you contract H1N1 2009.

However, I haven't seen any hard results that this bug creates a cytokine storm like the 1918 bug did...so you may be OK with honey in your tea even if you DO get it.

[kestrel91316]

11. I'm 52 anyway, not a likely candidate for cytokine storm.

[Ian David]

3. Is there something popular in Mexico that increases cytokines? n/t

[steven johnson]

5. Peyote and Mexican Blue Elderberry increase cytokines

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-4320897_ITM

http://www.herbsphere.com/elderberry.htm

Indeed, Throw any elderberry stuff down the drain. It has killed thousands and was responsible for hundreds of the Mexico City deaths. It causes Cytokine Storms in people who havethe flu and take Elderberry medicine in any form like Sambucol.
ELDERBERRY TINCTURE FOR SWINE FLU

[Ian David]

6. Not sure how credible your source is, but it's worth considering. Thanks! n/t

[Ian David]

4. Actually, the site your linking to is also filled with crackpot nonsense

Not sure if ANY of this is correct, but it's worth looking into.

[steven johnson]

7. Here are the PubMed references -- if you insist..

I think the cytokine activation data is well established. The real issue, in my mind, is the "cytokine storm" hypothesis for the increased deaths in young people in Mexico and in the 1918 influenza epidemic.

Isr Med Assoc J. 2002 Nov;4(11 Suppl): 919-22.Links

Comment in:
Isr Med Assoc J. 2002 Nov;4(11 Suppl): 944-6.
The effect of herbal remedies on the production of human inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.Barak V, Birkenfeld S, Halperin T, Kalickman I.
Immunology Laboratory for Tumor Diagnosis, Department of Oncology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. [e-mail]

BACKGROUND: Some herbal remedies are sold as food additives and are believed to have immune-enhancing properties. OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of five herbal remedies--Sambucol Black Elderberry Extract, Sambucol Active Defense Formula and Sambucol for Kids (with known antiviral properties), Protec and Chizukit N (containing propolis and Echinacea, claimed to be immune enhancers)--on the production of cytokines, one of the main components of the immune system. METHODS: The production of four inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and IL-6 and IL-8) and one anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) was tested using blood-derived monocytes from 12 healthy donors. RESULTS: The Sambucol preparations increased the production of five cytokines (1.3-6.2 fold) compared to the control. Protec induced only a moderate production of IL-8 (1.6 fold) and IL-10 (2.3 fold) while Chizukit N caused only a moderate increase in IL-10 production (1.4 fold). Both Protec and Chizukit N caused moderate decreases in IL-1 beta, TNF alpha and IL-6 production. Lipopolysaccharide, a known activator of monocytes, induced the highest levels of cytokine production (3.6-10.7 fold). CONCLUSIONS: The three Sambucol formulations activate the healthy immune system by increasing inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines production, while the effect of Protec and Chizukit N is much less. Sambucol could therefore have immunostimulatory properties when administered to patients suffering from influenza (as shown before), or immunodepressed cancer or AIDS patients who are receiving chemotherapy or other treatments.

PMID: 12455180

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12455180?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed">PubMed

Actually, in influenza A, the mice research showed "The data show that the oral treatment with the extract induced a statistically significant increase in the survival rate, prolonged the mean survival time and reduced lung consolidation and virus titer." But this is not influenze B, Bird Flu or H1N1 nor are these humans.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12391552?ordinalpos=7&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Here are the PubMed references for the increased cytokine levels with the various supplements.

Elderberry juice (Sambucal) - AVOID - Increases production of cytokines TNF-a and IL-6. This substance is very effective against the common flu but may not be desirable for the H5N1 virus. Increases in these cytokines may trigger a lethal cytokine storm. (Isr Med Journal2002 Nov;4: 944-6)
Micro Algae (Chlorella and Spirulina) - AVOID - Increases production of cytokine TNF-a. (Pubmed PMID 11731916)
Honey - AVOID - Increases production of cytokines TNF-a and IL-6. (Pubmed PMID12824009)
Chocolate - AVOID - Increases production of cytokines TNF-a and IL-6. (Pubmed PMID 12885154, PMID 1091792
Echinacea - AVOID - Increases production of cytokines TNF-a and IL-6. Although it is often used for normal flu, research shows that it may increase the chance of cytokine storms for H5N1. (Pubmed PMID 15556647, 9568541)
Kimchi - AVOID - Increases production of cytokines TNF-a and IL-6. (Pubmed PMID15630182)


How to Beat the
Cold & Flu Season>

Here is an abstract the latest review on complementary medicine and influenza treatment.

Am J Med. 2007 Nov;120(11): 923-929.e3. Links
Complementary medicine for treating or preventing influenza or influenza-like illness.Guo R, Pittler MH, Ernst E.
Department of Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, Exeter, United Kingdom.

The objective of this review was to assess the evidence for the effectiveness of complementary and alternative therapies for preventing or treating influenza or influenza-like illness, including avian influenza. Systematic literature searches were conducted in 5 databases until June 2006; other data sources included bibliographies of located articles, manufacturers of commercially available preparations, and experts in the field. Randomized clinical trials, controlled against placebo or active comparator, were included. Decisions on inclusion, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment were performed independently by 2 reviewers. Fourteen randomized controlled trials testing 7 preparations were included. For Oscillococcinum, P. quinquefolium extract, Sambucus nigra, and the herbal combination Kan Jang, 2 or more trials reporting some encouraging data were identified. In conclusion, the effectiveness of any complementary and alternative therapy for treating or preventing seasonal influenza is not established beyond reasonable doubt. Current evidence from randomized controlled trials is sparse and limited by small sample sizes, low methodological quality, or clinically irrelevant effect sizes. For avian influenza, no data are currently available. These results strengthen conventional approaches for seasonal influenza.

PMID: 17976414

PubMed

[Ian David]

8. Thanks.

See Also:
http://www.kanyethis.com/?s=http://www.groundreport.com/Health_and_Science/Avoiding-The-Flu-And-Remaining-Healthy-Afterwards&t=PubMed

[pnwmom]

9. CHOCOLATE!!!!!

Oh, no!

x(

[eShirl]

10. I thought elderberry was supposed to work by making cell walls less penetrable by virii?

now I am confused