Cold Signoff^TM (Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian) is the most common cold remedy in Chinese medicine and is to be taken at the first sign of cold (sore throat) or for imminent cold prevention. If the cold has passed the first stage, it is more effective to take Coldclear^TM
For immune function boosting in the long run, Yu Ping Feng Wan is to be used.
Sang Ju Wan is taken if cough is evident at the start of cold or for imminent cold prevention.
Ren Shen Bai Du Wan is taken when chill and head stiffness are evident as most seen in colds of the winter season.

Cold medicines are among the most common household medicines. While Americans typically store cold medicines like Tylenol in the medicine cabinet, Chinese tend to pack Chinese herbal medicines for cold and flu in their medicine cabinets.

The common cold is so common that it is a leading cause for doctor visits and missed days from school and work although it is usually mild. Over 200 viruses are the known cause of the common cold. The common cold medicines are not antiviral and do not change the cause of a cold. They merely relieve the cold symptoms (e. g., Tylenol Cold contains acetaminophen for pain/fever relief, dextromethorphan for cough suppression, pseudoephedrine for nasal decongestion respectively).

Flu, or influenza, is caused by flu (influenza) viruses and typically occurs during the flu season (November - March). Most flu remains mild but some flu can be virulent. In fact each year about 36,000 people in USA die from flu and its complications. Although the cold medicines are used to relieve symptoms from most flu cases, antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu are needed to fight the flu virus in virulent cases. Interestingly, Tamiflu is derived from a natural acid purified from a Chinese plant star anise.

In a long history of fighting against the cold and flu, the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has developed excellent herbal remedies for the common cold and flu. The most representative of them is Cold Signoff^TM (Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian). It is widely used in China for the cold and flu, especially when the first symptoms such as sore throat, cough, or running nose occur. The herbal formula contains two herbs, lonicera and forsythia, that are suggested by some research to be antiviral. If you have ever used Airborne®, a popular cold supplement in USA, you may want to know that its key active ingredients are actually lonicera, forsythia, and schizonepeta, the same ones as used in Cold signoff^TM. No wonder it works.

Cold Signoff^TM has been shown in studies to reduce the occurrence of a cold or flu as well. When you are exposed to a crowded environment where someone has the cold or flu, or when you do not want to miss an important day at work, you may take it as a preventive measure.

Another popular Chinese cold remedy is Gan Mao Ling. It works similarly to Cold Signoff in acting on the first sign of cold symptoms and in cold prevention.

Currently global concerns are growing over the bird flu or avian flu pandemic. Such concerns are surely warranted. The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic wiped out an estimated 20 - 50 million of the world population. The latest study indicated that the fatal flu virus was of avian origin and likely jumped directly from avians to human after gene mutations. The current virulent bird flu virus strain emerged in 1997 and as of Oct, 2005 has since infected over 100 people, claimed 60 lives in several Asian countries and spread to the Europe. What lacks for a pandemic is that the virus does not yet transmit from human to human. However, experts agree that it is a matter of when but not if gene mutations will allow this to happen. In fact, we may have seen the first human transmission, and even worse is that the virus variant seems resistant to Tamiflu.¹

Are we ready for the bird flu pandemic? No one thinks so. First, one can not develop a flu vaccine against something not even existing (no one knows how the virus will be mutated) (besides the annual issue of flu shot shortage). Second, no one knows if Tamiflu or other antiviral drugs will be still effective (besides the issue of the Tamiflu short supply due to the seasonal harvest of Chinese star anise). So what could we do?

Here is what the Chinese herbal medicine may come to help. You may recall SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) that was surfaced in China in the early 2003 and spread to other countries like Canada. A preventive measure the Chinese health authorities gave to the general public is to take preventive herbal formulas, which are basically the ancient Yu Ping Feng Wan (Jade Screen formula). We may never know what part the formulas had played in the prevention amid the strict temperature screen and forceful quarantine. Nevertheless, the outcome is clear as the SARS coronavirus was effectively contained and eliminated a few months later.

A major ingredient of Yu Ping Feng Wan is Astragalus. Both the formula and Astragalus are shown in studies to enhance immune defense functions. Yu Ping Feng Wan is traditionally used in China for people such as children and seniors who are susceptible to the common cold, flu, and the subsequent bacteria infection to build up resistance to the infections.

For the effective prevention of viral and bacterial infection, we would recommend the use of Yu Ping Feng Wan in people who have been easily infected by the cold or flu viruses or by the bacteria in the respiratory tract in the past. It can be used on the daily basis for a couple of months. We also recommend the short term use of Cold Signoff^TM to ward off the immediate threat by the cold viruses or flu viruses if an outbreak happens in the community.

For specific discussion on managing swine flu and the flu season, click here

All Chinese Herbs we carry are 100% natural herbal remedies. They are time-tested and safe, with no pharmaceuticals, no preservatives, no artificial colors.

References
1. Q. Mai Le et al., Avian flu: Isolation of drug-resistant H5N1 virus. Nature advance online publication; published online 14 October 2005 | doi: 10.1038/4371108a

by X. Li, Ph. D.