Efficacy and mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese medicines for treating asthma and allergy

Li, Xiu-Min MD
Brown, LaVerne PhD

Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY

Reprint requests: Xiu-Min Li, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Pediatrics Box 1198, New York, NY 10029. E-mail: [email protected]

(Supported by an educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.)

Series editors: Joshua A. Boyce, MD, Fred Finkelman, MD, William T. Shearer, MD, PhD, and Donata Vercelli, MD

Supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine grant #1P01 AT002644725-01 and #R01 AT001-14, the Food Allergy Initiative, the Rothstein family, and the Cornfield Family Foundation.

Terms in boldface and italics are defined in the glossary on page 298.

Received for publication November 3, 2008; revised December 15, 2008; accepted for publication December 19, 2008

Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology 123(2):p 297-306, February 2009.

Background

Although corticosteroids and β₂-agonists are effective in managing asthma symptoms, a curative therapy for asthma is lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), used in Asia for centuries, is beginning to play a role in Western health care as a complementary and alternative medicine modality. There is increasing scientific evidence supporting the use of TCM for asthma treatment.

Objective

This review article discusses promising TCM interventions for asthma and explores their possible mechanisms of action.

Methods

We first reviewed 5 clinical studies of antiasthma TCM herbal remedies published between 2005 and 2007. We then summarized possible mechanisms underlying their effects on the basis of data in the original articles, published abstracts, and available databases. Possible mechanisms include anti-inflammation, inhibition of airway smooth muscle contraction, and immunomodulation. Research on TCM herbal therapy for food allergy is rare, and we therefore focused on the effect and mechanism of action of food allergy herbal formula-2 on a murine model of peanut allergy and preliminary clinical study results.

Conclusion

Evidence from clinical studies supports beneficial effects of TCM herbal therapy on asthma. A number of mechanisms may be responsible for efficacy of these agents. Strong preclinical study data suggest the potential efficacy of food allergy herbal formula-2 for food allergy.