|PIC1|Spring flowers may be beautiful to most of us, but for as many as three million people in the UK the advent of plant pollen brings a new cause for concern; hay fever. And now, more than ever people are turning to alternative solutions to hay fever and other allergy-related illnesses.


Herbal remedies

Hay fever is usually treated with antihistamines which are the most widely used drugs for allergies because they counteract the effects of histamine, a chemical produced when the body overreacts to allergens. The herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus) has shown promise in trials in controlling hay fever with the added benefit of not having the side effects of standard antihistamines such as drowsiness and fatigue. Following a successful study reported in the British Medical Journal in January 2002, five out of seven further trials on different types of butterbur have shown positive results. The herb outperformed placebos, while having an equal effect to medication! Even nose congestion improved, a symptom that antihistamines usually cannot reach.

The butterbur extract, used in trials was licensed for use against hay fever, with the product name of Tesalin, in Switzerland in 2003 by the Swiss-based manufacturers Zeller. However, please do not self-medicate with untreated butterbur, as the plant contains liver-toxic substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are removed during commercial processing.

Over the counter, butterbur extract is available in the UK as Bioforce. Containing 25mg of petasites extract, Bioforce petasite capsules are available from health stores (£5.99 for 30 capsules). Visit Bioforce (www.bioforce.co.uk) for more details.

Other herbal remembies include nettle leaf; a natural antiinflammatory, feverfew; a nasal decongestant acting by decreasing mucus production and finally Elderflower & Camomile; natural antihistamines, commonly found in teas and infusions. These last suggestions also help relax and soothe the emotional problems surrounding allergies like hay fever. (Solgar Nettle Leaf Extract Vegicaps are available (£14.35 for 60 capsules))

Alternatively, a course of Echinacea (as tincture or tablets), ginseng or garlic may work by boosting the bodies natural resistance to allergens and (in the case of garlic) reduce catarrh.

Standardised herbal products available in health stores include Bioforce's Luffa Complex, which contains extracts of seven tropical herbs, including spikenard, heart seed, thyrallis, sponge cucumber and okoubaka, recommended for allergies and hay fever type conditions (£6.94 for 120 tablets or £7.49 for 50ml tincture) and American trials also suggest that rye plant extract may be worth trying as they strengthen resistance and support respiratory function too. (A standardised extract, Oralmat Drops, is available at health stores (£16.45 for 10ml))


Homeopathy
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A homeopath may recommend homeopathically potentised pollens taken daily before the hay fever season begins as a kind of inoculation. In a study in the Lancet in 1986, Dr David Reilly and his team at the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital found a preparation of mixed grass pollens effective in treating hay fever.

The most commonly recommended remedy for hay fever is Allium cepa (common onion). Ideally, you should consult a homeopath to determine which preparations best suit your individual constitution, but if you're buying over the counter, ask yourself which symptom you would most like to remove to guide you to the most appropriate remedy. Try Euphrasia if your eyes are more irritated than your nose; Natrum mur if you lose your sense of taste and smell and your nose streams; Nux vomica for sneezing; Arsenicum album for a hot, irritating nasal discharge; Pulsatilla for a blocked nose and Kali iodatum for severe symptoms.


Nutritional therapy

Perhaps the most interesting of the therapies available, Nutritional therapy, works by food and supplements to encourage the bodies natural healing. For example, it suggests the best way to effectively innoculate yourself from hayfever is to regular eat honey from your local area as the honey contains traces of the actual pollen you might be sensitized to.

Honeycomb contains propolis, which has antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties and is said to improve immunity to allergens. Chew a small square of honeycomb three times a day for three months before and during the hay fever season.

Avoid dairy products, which produce mucus and - along with eggs, chocolate, soya and legumes - are linked to food allergies, often found in people with hay fever.

Vitamin C is said to act as an antihistamine and supplements of at least 1,000mg are recommended, although no scientifically controlled trials so far support this claim.

Flavonoids, such as quercetin, also act as antihistamines and are believed to work in synergy with vitamin C, but while there is anecdotal evidence, again there is no hard evidence. However, some naturopaths and nutritional therapists advise people with hay fever to take 400mg of quercetin two to three times a day.