Huang Lian Su as an irragation for sinusitis?

February 20, 2006

Hi, just a student dabbler here in TCM herbs, would dissolving some

huang lian su tablets in a saline nasal rinse contribute an

anti-infective property? I've seen this herb indicated as a mouth

rinse, or topically for boils, internally of course for traveller's

diarhhea, but not for the purpose of a bacterial sinusitis treatment.

Other than being awfully bitter, I don't see the harm in it, but is

there any clinical use for the herb in this regard? Thanks--Melissa

February 21, 2006

I wouldn't dissolve huang lian su to use as a nasal rinse, just for

the fact that I wouldn't want to introduce big particles into the

sinuses, and don't know how well the pills would actually dissolve.

I would say that you could use a fairly dilute cooled decoction of

huang lian- I have used a formula containing huang lian (and a few

others)as eardrops, and it is very effective against infection.

-- In , " eegphalanges "

<eegphalanges wrote:

>

> Hi, just a student dabbler here in TCM herbs, would dissolving some

> huang lian su tablets in a saline nasal rinse contribute an

> anti-infective property? I've seen this herb indicated as a mouth

> rinse, or topically for boils, internally of course for traveller's

> diarhhea, but not for the purpose of a bacterial sinusitis treatment.

> Other than being awfully bitter, I don't see the harm in it, but is

> there any clinical use for the herb in this regard? Thanks--Melissa

>

February 22, 2006

Melissa,

I remember going to a public lecture a few years back by a local

herbalist Christopher Hobbs and he was discussing Huang Lian Su. He

told the group that he was on the verge of going to an MD for a sinus

infection but instead crushed and dissolved some Huang Lian Su

tablets into saline solution, sprayed it up his nose, and that the

infection was cleared.

....just so you know you're not the only one thinking along those lines!

-Danny

>> Hi, just a student dabbler here in TCM herbs, would dissolving some

>> huang lian su tablets in a saline nasal rinse contribute an

>> anti-infective property? I've seen this herb indicated as a mouth

>> rinse, or topically for boils, internally of course for traveller's

>> diarhhea, but not for the purpose of a bacterial sinusitis treatment.

>> Other than being awfully bitter, I don't see the harm in it, but is

>> there any clinical use for the herb in this regard? Thanks--Melissa

>>

>

Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various professional services,

> including board approved continuing education classes, an annual

> conference and a free discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine.

>

February 23, 2006

If they're ground to powder it's OK, you can do a rinse cycle after if it

feels nasty, but, apart from the mechanical benefit of moving mucous you

want something to stay in contact with the problem areas to be absorbed and

do the work, and doing a retention sinus lavage is a fairly acrobatic

proposition. The nasal environment is much more tolerant of chunky stuff

than the ear. But be warned that the bitter taste will linger for the whole

day, sometimes beyond, truely the gift that keeps on giving. Make sure you

still use a saline base, and if you mix your own you can add 1 part baking

soda to 2 parts salt, buffers the pH as well as the salinity and makes for a

slightly smoother ride.