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'King of
Bitters': Alternative remedy in the news
Staff writer
Viruses like the common cold and influenza have mutated over time, creating an ongoing concern for humanity, which continues to seek better ways of preventing pandemics through the development of more effective vaccinations and treatments.
Conventional, modern medicine often seems to be one step behind the evolution of viral strains, so it’s at times like these that traditional practitioners of Thai herbal medicine choose to showcase their theories.
Various forms of herbal medicines and treatments can become popular overnight successes in Thailand. Over recent weeks, the Thai herb fa talai jon (andrographis paniculata), which is also known as ‘the King of Bitters’, has been generating a lot of interest among the public, for example.
Anchalee Juthaphutti, deputy director of the Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, says the herb can potentially relieve common cold and flu-like symptoms, which mark the early stage of Influenza A (H1N1). Anchalee says that use of the herb has been shown to help people fully recover from a common cold, while some patients with H1N1 have reportedly been able to quickly recover by turning to the herb as a form of treatment.
Medicinal properties
Fa talai jone grows in a tropical climate in moist shady areas and can reach a height of anything from 30-110 cm. The plant has smooth leaves and white flowers with rose-purple spots on the petals. The herb is extremely bitter in taste throughout, hence the nickname - the 'King of Bitters'.
The herb has long been used in India to help relieve diarrhea in children, as well as being used to treat colds, coughs, diarrhea, fever, or a sore throat.
The herb includes andrographolide, which is known to possess a variety of pharmacological properties. The constituent is said to be able to prevent a virus from attaching itself to healthy cells and halt the growth of the virus protein. The plant is also said to help boost immunity and reduce cell inflammation, according to Anchalee. Pharmaceutical studies
The herb has been used in Thailand by practitioners of folk medicine for decades and was registered at a national level on the National Drug list in 1999.
Since the early 1990s, several pharmaceutical studies and research into the herb’s therapeutic efficacy have been conducted in Thailand and Sweden. These revealed that the herb helped to relieve several symptoms, such as a sore throat, runny nose, fatigue and muscle pains in patients suffering with the common cold.
According to Anchalee, all the studies conducted so far suggest that patients who receive a correct dosage of andrographolide were able to recover from an upper respiratory infection faster than those who received a lower dosage.
Anchalee says that the findings encouraged the World Health Organization (WHO) to suggest use of the herb in patients with a common cold. An article on 'Herb Andrographidis' can be found in the WHO's Monographs of Selected Medicinal Plants, which was published in 2002.
Anchalee said that several studies indicate that the herb can stimulate the body’s immune system.
If a patient takes a series of (appropriate) doses of the herb as soon as he or she feels flu-like symptoms, the patient should be able recover from them in a day or two, according to Anchalee. The herb does not fully reveal its efficacy if taken two to three days after the symptoms appear, she says.
Anchalee noted that studies carried out on patients with influenza had not revealed any critical evidence that the andrographolide had helped them to recover.
If the symptoms do not go away two days after a patient takes the herb, Anchalee suggests the patient go to a medical clinic as soon as possible. Physicians would prescribe anti-viral drugs such as oseltamivir to those who are infected with Influenza A (H1N1), or with other appropriate treatments for other types of infections.
Typical usage
Although fa talai jone capsules have been available for over a decade,
public awareness regarding this traditional remedy has only recently
developed following the broadcast of a number of television news
programs during the middle of June, shortly after it was first reported
that the country's first case of H1N1 had been discovered.
This has brought about a surge in popularity, emptying the shelves of many drug stores.
The capsules are manufactured by a handful of traditional medicine
manufacturers, including Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, one of the
best known traditional practitioners and manufacturers of herbal
medicines.
The amount of powder found in each capsule varies from 300 to 500
milligram depending on the brand and the labels recommend two to four
capsules per day.
Anchalee says the following
calculation may help patients to decide how many capsules to take. If
trying to treat flu-like symptoms, Anchalee suggests between
1,500-3,000 milligrams, four times a day (after three meals and before
bedtime). She suggests consumers make sure they purchase any herbal
treatments from reliable manufacturers, which feature labels detailing
medical facts and other reliable information regarding the content of
such products.
Although it is possible that the capsules can last for up to two to
three years, Anchalee says consumers should only purchase products that
have been manufactured fairly recently, pointing out that the efficacy
can decline after anything from one to four years following the date of
manufacture.
Side effects and risks
Some users may experience a stomach ache, diarrhea, pain around the
waist region or even dizziness. If this happens, stop taking the
treatment and consult a physician. Use of the herb over a long period
of time may lead to numbness in the limbs.
The herb is definitely out of bounds for patients with history of
rheumatic and hepatitis caused by streptococcus group A infection, sore
throat symptoms caused by bacterial complications, including
streptococcus group A infection, and pregnant women or those conducting
breast feeding with their child.
Home remedy
Although fa talai jone herbal capsules are available over the counter,
Anchalee says, Thais can easily grow the plant at home. Cultivating the
plant doesn't require much care and the freshness of the herb would
yield improved efficacy.
The plant is at its most fertile in terms of producing andrographolide
just before its young flowers are ready to bloom. The productive part
of the plant is from the ground up to about 15 cm from the top. Chop a
handful of clean leaves and mix them with a liter of water and drink a
glass of the liquid three or four times a day before each meal,
Anchalee suggests.
Anchalee says herbal medicines have therapeutic efficacies that have
been proven by earlier real world successes, as well as in modern
clinical laboratories. She believes they can provide a positive
impression among those willing to open their minds and try an
alternative remedy.
Lifestyle
Whether it's traversing the relatively cosmopolitan “urban free-for-all” that is Bangkok, with its trendy malls, urban wellness centers and posh fitness centers, or perhaps traversing the wild trails outside city limits, explore activities to suit your lifestyle.
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