Herbal Enchinanea Enhances the Immune Response Against H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus

Influenza, also known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus.

There are 3 types of flu influenza: A, B, and C. the influenza virus A and B are considered seasonal flu that causes sniffling, aching, coughing, and running and stuffy nose and fever to over 20% of the general population.

Influenza virus types C tends to cause mild upper respiratory infections, similar to those of cold.

Healthy individuals who have influenza are usually recovered within one week.

However, people with the immature and weakened immune system such as young children under age 5, adults older than age 65 residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and diabetes are not only associated with the risk of influenza but also increase the risk of influenza deadly complication.

Infection is a condition that caused the invasion of stimuli and micro pathogens, including viral infection.

A viral infection is a disease caused by the successful entering and multiplying of a virus in the body.

Anti-viral effects are an act of certain substances to cause the destruction of a virus.

In the acute phase of viral infection, depending on the types of viruses, the viruses after entering the body start to attack the specific host cells. The cold and flu virus will attack the cells in the respiratory system and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, will attack the white blood cells of the immune system,

The viral infection o\has been known to carry over some different stage, after successfully attaching to the host cell, the virus to release its mRNA into the host cell, leading to the recruit of the host cell's enzymes to accelerate the viral multiplying, then breaking free from the host cell to start the cycle all over again.


H9N2 is a subtype of the species Influenza A virus. The H9N2 influenza strain had caused illness in several children aged nine months to 5 years in Hong Kong with the latest occurring in December 2009, according to statistics.

Echinacea also is known as purple coneflowers, is a flowering plant of the genus Echinacea, belongings to the family Asteraceae, native to eastern and central North America. The herb has been used in traditional and herbal medicine to treat or prevent colds, flu, infections by stimulating the immune function, etc.

On finding a potential phytochemical for the treatment of viral diseases, researchers examined the effect of Immulant® (IMU) (a commercial product based on Echinacea and Nigella sativa) on stress-induced by dexamethasone (DEX) in chickens vaccinated (VAC) against the H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV-H9N2).


The study included vaccinated chickens (at 10 days of age) that were injected daily with DEX for three days pre-vaccination and for three days pre-challenge and orally administered 1% IMU for 6 weeks post-vaccination (PV), following by the challenge of intranasal AIV-H9N2 at 28 days PV.

According to the analysis of the results of serum, blood, tracheal and cloacal swabs and tissue samples were collected in the 1st and 4th weeks,* The formula showed significant changes (P ≤ 0.05) in oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and reduced glutathione), hematological and immunological parameters, final live weights, relative organ weights and histopathological lesions between the VAC+DEX group and the VAC group.

* IMU significantly increased protection rates post-challenge, HI antibody titers and heterophil phagocytic activity, and decreased DEX-induced stress and virus shedding titers.

In other words, IMU inhibited the initiation and progression of AIV-H9N2 in the induction of infection through several antiviral mechanisms.

After talking about other factors into account, researchers said, "oral administration of 1% IMU for six weeks can enhance the immune response after AI-H9N2 vaccination and reduce the pathogenicity of infection in stressed chickens".



Taken altogether, herbal Enchinanea used alone or combined with other medicines may be considered adjunct therapies in the treatment of AIV-H9N2 infection, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of tocopherols in the form of supplements should be taken with extreme care to prevent overdose acute liver toxicity.


Natural Medicine for Fatty Liver And Obesity Reversal - The Revolutionary Findings To Achieve Optimal Health And Lose Weight

How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters
Contrary To Professionals Prediction, Floaters Can Be Cured Naturally

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You. How-To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Back to Kyle J. Norton Homepage http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca


Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Comparative immune response and pathogenicity of the H9N2 avian influenza virus after administration of Immulant®, based on Echinacea and Nigella sativa, in stressed chickens by Eladl AH1, Arafat N2, El-Shafei RA3, Farag VM4, Saleh RM5, Awadin WF. (PubMed)