Revealing Nature's Best Anti-inflammatory Herbs For Control Of Chronic Inflammation

The age old Chinese and Ayurveda medicine offer an alternative solution to inflammation relief. In fact, many medicinal herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine for thousands of years have anti-inflammatory properties. Based on years of research on inflammation-related diseases and anti-inflammatory drugs and herbs, I find that anti-inflammatory herbs are under recognized and underutilized in combating chronic inflammatory illnesses.

To develop safe and meaningful anti-inflammatory products for unmet health needs, I devote several years to search for best anti-inflammatory herbs that could deliver safe inflammation relief for various health conditions. It is believed that the selection of nature's best anti-inflammatory herbs should be based on:

--Long and outstanding efficacy records from traditional medicine

--Abundant pharmacological studies published in medical journals

--Solid evidence from clinical studies using advanced tools of modern medicine

--Well-established safety records

The following herbs have been included in the list of Nature's Best Anti-inflammatory Herbs:

Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Herb - Scute

Scute (Scutellaria baicalensis, Huang qin) has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to take care of inflammation, infections, allergies, cancer, and headaches. It has been broadly researched in modern medicine with more than 1200 articles referenced in PubMed.

Scute has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-viral, anti-allergic, and anti-tumor properties. It is one of the most commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in Eastern and Western medicines.

The bioactivity of this herb is owing to the radical scavenging activities of the flavone components. The key active ingredients controlling inflammation include baicalein, baicalin, and wogonin.

Based on published scientific and clinical research, Scute and its active ingredients

--Inhibit a broad spectrum of inflammatory mediators including cyclooxygenase-2, leukotriene B4, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-alpha, 12-lipoxygenase and prostaglandin E2.

--Reduce the production of nitric oxide and free radicals. Up to now, more than 60 flavonoids have been found in the root of Scute.

--Suppress cancer cell growth and provoke death of cancer cells. New results indicated that flavone components of Scute are toxic to tumor cells, but non-toxic to ordinary cells.

--Diminish diabetic oxidative stress, the root cause of diabetic macro- and micro-vascular complications. When combined with anti-diabetic drugs, Scute elevates liver antioxidant enzymes, increases insulin levels, and lowers triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

--Protect DNA from cancerous mutations, enhance repair of damaged DNA.

--Inhibit type I and II hyper-sensitivity reactions in asthma and allergies. A recent screening of over 2000 plants, Scute has been identified as one of the top two herbs that showed most potent anti-histamine effects.

--Protect nerve cells from injury and damage through multiple paths, i.e., activating genes that regulate brain cell survival, increasing cerebral blood flow through angiogenesis and neurogenesis, reducing neurotoxic species and pro-inflammatory mediators generated in the brain as a result of normal and abnormal brain aging.

--Display a broad spectrum of antiviral and anti-HIV activities.

--Block access of immune cells and reduce inflammatory responses that are connected with atopic dermatitis/eczema.

--Suppress UVB-induced MMP-9 and VEGF, the causal factors of skin irritation & damage.

Age-old Anti-inflammatory Herb - Coptis

Coptis (Coptis chinensis, Chinese goldthread, huang lian) has been documented as one of the oldest Chinese medicine. According to Chinese pharmacopoeia, Coptis is one of the strongest herbs to clear heat, dry dampness, and toxins.

Coptis has been used as a core ingredient for treating inflammatory illnesses such as intestinal and lung infections. It is also one of the main ingredients in skin remedies for psoriasis, eczema, acne, abscess, and neurodermatitis.

Coptis has been comprehensively researched in modern medicine with more than 2600 studies published in PubMed. Pharmacological effects of Coptis consist of broad spectrum of anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory activities. Other than its anti-inflammatory properties, it is also a vasodilator and has anti-pyretic, anti-diarrhea, anti-ulcer, and anti-tumor effects.

Based on scientific and clinical studies, Coptis and its active ingredients

--Inhibit abundant inflammatory mediators and cell surface molecules involved in inflammatory responses.

--Enhance insulin sensitivity, increase expression of insulin receptors, lower blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

--Reduce formation of free radicals and oxidative stress, prevent oxidative damage and radiation-induced injury.

--Suppress neuroinflammatory responses, provide protective effect in various neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, depression, schizophrenia and anxiety.

--Exhibit anti-proliferation and anti-cancer activity through various mechanisms.

--Prevent glucocorticoid-induced bone loss by inhibiting bone resorption and improving bone formation.

--Induce apoptosis of hyper-active immune cells, suppress auto-immune responses.

--Control maturation of fat cells, prevent obesity and anti-psychotic drug-induced weight gain.

Amazing Anti-inflammatory Herb Tumeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has been used in Ayurvedic medicine and in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It is widely used in traditional medicine to treat biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic wounds, hepatic disorders, rheumatism, and sinusitis. The active component of Turmeric is curcumin, which regulates numerous targets including transcription factors, growth factors, cell cycle proteins, inflammatory cytokines, enzymes, and cell surface adhesion molecules.

Turmeric has received considerable interest as a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of various cancerous diseases, arthritis, allergies, Alzheimer's disease, and other inflammatory illnesses.

Based on scientific and clinical studies, turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin

--Induce cellular antioxidant defenses and protect cells from oxidant challenge and aging.

--Protect neurons and reduce neuron loss, improve learning and memory deficits by protecting the nervous system against oxidative stress.

--Prevent seizures and protect against seizure induced memory impairment.

--Improve insulin sensitivity and reduce glucose levels.

--Slow down degradation of joint cartilage and promote chondrocyte metabolism in osteoarthritis.

--Reduce cancer cell growth and metastasis in lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer.

--Enhance wound healing by increasing collagen production and improving tissue structure and function.

--Protect skin from UV damage by inhibiting matrix degrading enzymes, key regulators of collagen degradation and photoaging.

--Prevent chronic ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated skin damage including changes in skin thickness and elasticity, pigmentation and wrinkling.

Curcumin has poor water solubility and poor absorption through intestine. To overcome these limitations, a large quantity or formulation with other ingredients is recommended.

Dr Yi Shi, founder of Innovative Drug Discovery and 3Rskincare.com is well recognized in inflammatory disease research. Dr Shi has conducted numerous research projects and published over 40 research articles in medical journals. For nearly a decade, Dr Shi has led collaborative efforts to develop natural anti-inflammatory remedies and 3R Skincare System for chronic conditions.

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