Immune and respiratory support – a compilation

In the midst of COVID-19 stress, one positive is that many of our most experienced herbalists are freely sharing information and protocols for immune, antiviral, and respiratory support herbs. Below is my running list that I am adding to as a I come across new information. Many of these protocols are good to have for general viral illness support and/or prevention (strengthening the immune system). 

Its important to remember that COVID-19 is a new virus that we are still learning about, and we have no basis for claims that these herbs can “treat” or “cure” the virus. That being said,  many of these herbs have a history of use for prevention, immune health, and for supporting the body during viral/respiratory illnesses. We are hearing reports from China that they have been using herbs in combination with other treatments within the hospitals (see first article below).  

It seems prudent to consider immune herbs like astragalus and mushrooms as a risk reduction strategy, especially in vulnerable populations (keep in mind they are not a replacement for good public health and personal hygiene practices).

Its also interesting to note that the Chinese herbal approach includes use of several plants that are very common, if not invasive, here – Japanese honeysuckle flowers and forsythia fruit. I am certainly viewing these plants in a different light and am grateful to have them around. I suppose I will let more of the honeysuckle stick around this year and hope to be able to offer a workshop for medicine making with them.

I do have a limited supply of many of these herbs that are listed in the links below – so please contact me if you need something!

7song: http://7song.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/An-Herbalist’s-Notes-the-on-COVID-19-Virus.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1TKck8UNTgBrvVuf0ga5lndbV1Uu7BXr7TlsfH82yoKotzr0NHLz6x9tA

Donnie Yance: https://www.donnieyance.com/herbal-remedies-for-acute-viral-infections/ and fever advice: https://www.donnieyance.com/dont-fear-a-fever-the-importance-of-working-with-not-against-the-immune-system-in-warding-off-infection/

Herbalista: https://herbalista.org/covid-19-care-center/

Michael Tierra: https://planetherbs.com/blogs/michaels-blogs/more-herbal-treatments-for-covid-19-by-michael-tierra/?fbclid=IwAR3ArF3HofRv5wdWS259w6ADOUAB9KqGf2PP6v__P_2W7YIN0opzX6I4oDM

Lesley Tierra: https://planetherbs.com/blogs/lesleys-blog/coronavirus-herbal-prevention-and-treatment/?fbclid=IwAR3RRI5ETT2pVx2tzfsHA326oUotKow4_2q4CF9mLrSAI1jYIJ1B4dkB-Bw

Leslie Alexander and the simple yet effective medicine of Salt: https://www.facebook.com/leslie.alexander.7524/posts/10218364593118743

Paul Bergner: https://www.naimh.com/coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR0t427Lowsrpnbs95tegNYlOxUH7piFmrdHzjyvuYLrCG-2cBSz8JTuDdQ

Rosalee de la Foret: https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/herbs-for-immunity.html

Sam Coffman: https://www.facebook.com/whatqigonnado/posts/10216348963261150

Stephen Buhner: https://www.stephenharrodbuhner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/coronavirus.txt.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1rnVBLbmASnrPysJIqrb1nrGuJ3DvpNuQ3qP8YOjcUMc8kHH-oV_vpGXY (note that some Buhner’s info is controversial)

TCM approaches: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32065348

Thomas Easley: https://www.eclecticschoolofherbalmedicine.com/covid-19/

A formula: BRAVE elixir for immune and respiratory health: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PNbydtICFuHE1GdU8Sbxx-wRUmZhzQDL/view?usp=sharing

An interesting snippet:  Jonathan Treasure is recommending folks discontinue CBD (unless using to manage severe condition such as seizure) due to it being a mild immunosuppressive https://twitter.com/herbological?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjc18y&refsrc=email

Lexington herbalist Andrew Bentley’s YouTube video: Outbreaks, Epidemics, and COVID-19

Brief notes on some favorite herbs

Goldenrod at Scorpion Hollow
  • Astragalus: Immune support for winter wellness, use in soup stocks and warm drinks to stay healthy!
  • Bitters tincture: Great for folks with sluggish digestion, these get your juices flowing and therefore are best taken before a meal. Bitter flavors help prime our digestive system so that we can better absorb and digest our food. They must be tasted in order to work, so be sure to hold the tincture in your mouth and experience the flavor for the full benefit. 
  • Catnip: Has the opposite effect in humans vs. cats! Relaxing to the gut, antispasmodic, nervous system support. Specific for stress induced gastric issues.  In glycerite form its great for kids, and it can be used to help them with fevers, colic, sleep issues and upset tummy. 
  • Elderberry: Supports your respiratory and immune systems. Best to prepare with as little heat as possible to preserve all the beneficial compounds.
  • Fire Cider: Vinegar + honey concoction of spicy, pungent, decongesting, blood moving and antimicrobial herbs. Apple cider vinegar, raw honey, fresh horseradish, onions, garlic, and hot peppers make up the basic formula.
  • Goldenrod: Used internally for the respiratory and urinary systems, and topically as an anti-inflammatory. For acute respiratory issues it can work well on its own to clear mucus and inflammation in the sinuses. It is also nice in combination with red root and antimicrobial herbs for infection or with nettle for seasonal allergies.  For chronic allergies, its best used in combination with immunomodulating and liver support herbs. 
  • Holy Basil: Stress support (adaptogen), antibacterial, antiviral, mood enhancing, immune balancing, blood sugar stabilizing, supports healthy blood pressure, anti-inflammatory, brain and nervous system tonic (really its good for almost everything!) 
  • Lemon Balm: Relaxing, mood lifting, anti-viral, makes a nice glycerite that is safe for children.
  • Motherwort: Calming, supportive to the nervous  system, analgesic, antispasmodic, hypotensive, helpful for many female reproductive system conditions across the life spectrum such as post-partum pain, hot flashes and menopausal anxiety. Also calming to the heart.
  • Passionflower: Nervous system support, anodyne, hypotensive, calms the racing mind so you can sleep, helps muscle/nerve pain, teething children, nervous headaches.
  • Skullcap: Supremely relaxing nerve tonic, anti-spasmodic, helpful for restless legs, tremors, depleted nervous system, middle of the night wakefulness.
  • St. John’s Wort oil: Nerve soothing, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antiviral. Helps with nerve pain, inflamed joints and muscles, relaxation and also speeds wound and bruise healing. External use.
  • Thieves Oxymel: A blend of aromatic herbs that was used in medieval times to ward off the plague, combine with vinegar and honey for more benefit to the digestive and immune systems. Use any or all of the following antimicrobial herbs: lavender, rosemary, holy basil, lemon balm, bee balm, pineapple sage, garlic, clove, black peppercorn. Makes a good salad dressing base too!

Herbs for Anxiety – The Possibilities are Endless!

Finding herbal alternatives for common mental health concerns is one of my passions. There is surprising amount of scientific research to support the use of herbs such as passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm, valerian, hops, and kava for anxiety. Often, this research looks at these herbs alongside benzodiazepines and finds them to be just as, if not more effective. These herbs are safer as well, and come without fear of addiction or other negative side effects. While in graduate school, I wrote a short research summary on passionflower and chamomile that was published in my University’s newsletter (starting on page 3!).

Medicinal plants around the world

Ethnobotany is one of my hobbies. I love to travel and try to seek out information about the medicinal plants and flora wherever I am.

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From a Rasta farm in the hills of Westmoreland, Jamaica, featuring the highly medicinal Annona muricata fruit (soursop) and Curcuma longa root (turmeric -above the lizard). Medicinal plants are commonplace in the Rastafarian culture and regularly incorporated into each meal.

Compliance consultation

During my graduate studies, I completed an internship with the MUIH Herbal Dispensary focused on understanding the regulatory requirements for herbal topical products. My expertise is in the following areas:

  • The various categories of topical herbal products such as cosmetics, soaps, over-the-counter drugs, and pesticides
  • The regulatory requirements relevant for the categories above
  • Adulteration and misbranding as it relates to cosmetics and soaps
  • Resources and considerations for small businesses who want to make herbal personal care products

I am available for consultation on these and other compliance-related topics and can share the presentation below:

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Community Involvement

I am working on the following projects in my community:

  • Volunteering as an organizer for the Whippoorwill Festival
  • Partnering with another herbalist in my community to run the Pleasant Holler CSH (Community Supported Herbalism).
  • Creator and moderator of the Kentucky Herbalism Alliance (KHA) Facebook page and co-founder/organizer of the larger KHA community that holds monthly herbal gatherings.
  • Teaching educational workshops offered to the KHA community.
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Ganoderma tsugae observed on a backpacking trip in West Virginia, June 2017.

Botanical specifications for GMP compliance

The proper identification of botanicals is a critical piece of GMP compliance, and one that is often flagged as lacking in FDA warning letters. Below is an example of a specification sheet that I created during my graduate studies. This is a necessary part of GMP documentation to help ensure a product is free from adulteration.

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Women’s health – formulation for hormone balance

Graduate school taught me how to apply rational product design in herbal formulation through body system assessment, evaluation of herbal actions, and the application of scientific knowledge.  This project involved research on pathophysiology of a particular disease, evaluation of the existing herbal products on the market, development of a product and brochure design, and concluded with a presentation about the project. It reflects my passion for the use of herbs to promote women’s health, so you’ll have to overlook my marketing design skills!

As I look back at the product brochure, I realize that the use of the word “PMS” and the phrase “premenstrual syndrome  due to hormonal imbalance” are disease claims that are not permitted by the FDA (if I was actually selling a product). I completed this project before my compliance classes and have since learned that any marketing associated with a product, whether it be in a brochure, “liking” a Facebook post, or customer testimonial, must not contain any disease references.

Project presentation

Visiting United Plant Savers’ Goldenseal Sanctuary

This was a pivotal event in my herbal studies. I spent five days at the United Plant Savers’ Goldenseal Sanctuary in Southeastern Ohio learning from the staff of United Plant Savers about medical plant conservation and from the staff at Equinox Botanicals about their sustainable herbal products business. Whether it was camping in the field with the fireflies and frogs or digging calamus, I was totally “in my element.”

As a result of this visit, I produced a flora of 20 species of wild medical plants that were growing at the field site along with a more in-depth exploration of ecological and sustainability concerns for three at-risk species. I hope to work on this in the future and add more specific pictures for some of the key botanical features.

Lauren Kallmeyer Flora