Ancient Chinese remedy may help stop swine flu

We just reported that elderberry extract may be used to fight swine flu. Now a new study suggested that a Chinese herbal medicinal plant may also be used to treat swine flu infection.

Fang-Rong Chang and Yang-Chan Wu at the Kaohsiung Medial University in Taiwan knew that the roots of a plant was used in 1918 to fight the Spanish influenza pandemic. They wanted to know if the herbal medicine would indeed help swine flu.

Ferula asafetida which is commonly known as Dung of the Devil and has been used for probbaly thousands of years grows primarily in Iran, Afghanistan and mainland China.  

The researchers purchased the plant roots from a local store and found of more than 230 natural healing compounds, some have the antiviral properties that are as potent as a prescription antiviral drug in killing the H1N1 virus.

They said in their study report published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Natural Products that the discovery may help development of new drugs against swine flu virus.

By David Liu davidl at foodconsumer dot org