Diaphoretic and Demulcent Plants May Help Reduce Symptoms and Duration of Flu

Flu usually refers to viral infections of the upper respiratory tract that are common and usually seasonal. The viruses spread between people by airborne respiratory droplets, commonly in the late fall and winter. Evidences suggest that cool temperatures in the fall and winter stabilize and protect viruses for longer, thus enhancing transmission.

Flu symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, nonproductive cough, fever, headache, muscle ache, and fatigue. In simple cases, the acute symptoms lessen within five days. Cough and fatigue, however, can persist. Viral pneumonia and secondary bacterial infections can be complications of flu; so ongoing fatigue and lung involvement are a red flag calling for medical evaluation, especially in the more vulnerable groups: young children, seniors, diabetics, the immune compromised (HIV, hepatitis, mononucleosis, etc.) and overworked, fatigued adults.

Plant medicines offer a unique preventive and therapeutic approach. Herbs are often able to support physiological function in the human body so as to “boost” the body’s own immune response. The best treatment for seasonal influenza is prevention.

Diaphoretic herbs such as ginger are traditional flu treatment in the very early stages of influenza, such as a scratchy throat or slight cough during flu season. Ginger can gently raise the body temperature and induce sweating, which appears to have a beneficial effect on the immune system. Ginger has shown to promote sweating when given cold or given hot, although the hot infusions were the most effective. As the most traditional herbal diaphoretics in the world, ginger powder or extract are mostly served as hot ginger tea to patient. 

Mucilaginous (demulcent) plants can soothe the mucosal surfaces of the throat, bronchi, and sinuses as well as reduce inflammation and irritation. Rhodiola Rosea is a good example. Rhodiola is a perennial herb, 10-20 cm high. Stout, conical, fleshy, brownish-yellow, the root neck with numerous fibrous roots, Rhizome short, rough-shaped, cylindrical, most imbricate scales like leaves. Rhodiola is safe and well tolerated with a large margin of safety.

Laybio is a wholesale bulk supplier of diaphoretic and demulcent plants extracts including but not limited to ginger and rhodiola. Please feel free to contact us should you have any question.

This article is not about COVID-19. Although coronavirus and flu may feel similar to those suffering from their symptoms, the novel coronavirus is not the same as the seasonal flu. There is NO EVIDENCE so far that any herbal extract can treat COVID-19. Some limited evidences suggest herbal extracts may help reduce symptoms and duration of Flu, but it should never replace the flu vaccine or medical advice from your doctor.