Apparently, adults can suffer from up to 6 colds a year, some caused by viruses like the influenza or ‘flu’ virus. A patient feeling unwell with a cold or flu should always keep warm, drink plently of fluids like herb teas, and get as much rest as is possible. Viruses are transferred by sneezing so a handkerchief is advisable to stop you infecting others!
A quick tip on that note – on plane journeys, especially in the winter, you can be stuck next to someone sneezing and coughing for hours. What I always do is take a bottle of Coliodal Silver with me, a spray it in my mouth every half hour. This may sound a bit over-cautious, but one year I went to the UK by plane every month for 10 months and I nearly always came back with a cold!
Sambucol (extract of black elderberry)
In Organico Bantry we recommend different cold and flu remedies depending on the patient’s symptome, age, lifestyle etc., but one of the remedies always worth trying is called Sambucol. It’s a patented remedy developed by virologist Dr. Madeline Mumcuoglu, an Isreali scientist who observed the action of an extract of Elderberry in retarding the development of viruses of many kinds.
Elderberry (Sambucus Nigra) is commonly used as a food product for wine, pies and jelly. It’s leaves were traditionally used for pain relief and applied to wounds to promote healing. Other traditional uses include the treatment of infections and coughing. Elderberry contains many different flavoniods, indluding Quercetin, which help fight infections. Taken several times a day, elderberry extract has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of colds and flues. It may also be effective against the Herpes Simplex virus.
Recommended Dosage: 5 to 10 ml twice daily.
Contraindications: Not reccomended for people with auto-immune conditions.
If you are unwell for longer than a couple of days with a bad dose of the flu, please consult a medical practioner.
References:
1Zakay-Rones Z, Varsano N, Zlotnik M, et al. Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L) during an outbreak of influenza B in Panama. J Alt Comp Med 1995;1:361–69.
2Serkedjieva J, Manolova N, Zgórniak-Nowosielska I, et al. Antiviral activity of the infusion (SHS-174) from flowers of Sambucus nigra L., aerial parts of Hypericum perforatum L., and roots of Saponaria officinalis L. against influenza and herpes simplex viruses. Phytother Res 1990;4:97–100.
3Mascolo N, Autore G, Capasso G, et al. Biological screening of Italian medicinal plants for anti-inflammatory activity. Phytother Res 1987;1:28–31.
December 11th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Quote:
Not recommended for people with auto-immune conditions.
That doesn’t make sense to me. Sambucol is used to improve immune function, why should it not be used as treatment for asthma, hayfever etc. ???
Found it gives me great relief with my auto-immune disorders….