IMMUNITY SUPPORT, ALL YEAR ROUND

A balanced immune system is key to protect the body from illness, all year round. The first line of defence involves a healthy lifestyle.

Several components of a healthy

lifestyle have been shown to play a key role in supportingthe immune system. Evidencesuggests that regular moderateactivity is particularly beneficial forimmune enhancement and reducingthe risk of infection.

Getting enough sleep, staying hydrated and managing stress are all components of a healthy lifestyle. Avoiding nutritional deficiencies seems the most pragmatic nutritional strategy. This can be achieved witha balanced diet, which includes a variety of fruits and vegetables. A further benefit may be gained from some supplements that support a healthy diet, helping to prepare the body's immune system to fight off unwanted infections.

The FLUGON® range contains the following vitamins and minerals to help support the immune system:

• Vitamin D3

• Zinc

• Selenium

• Vitamin C

Even though our bodies need strong immune systems all year round, they may be more compromised or at risk at certain times of the year. Winter, for instance, is the time of year when cold or flu viruses are more prevalent.

Viruses pose a considerable challenge to the body’s immune system because they hide inside cells. This makes it difficult for antibodies to reach them. Viruses attach themselves to different host cells in the body and inject their genetic material into it. The viral DNA or RNA incorporates itself into the host cell's genetic material where the virus replicates. During release, the newly created viruses are released from the host cell, which causes the host cell to break apart. It is important to realise that a viral infection does not always lead to illness. The viral infection occurs when the virus begins to replicate and multiply. The illness or disease only occurs when many body cells are damaged by the infection,which is also when the symptoms appear. That is why a strong immune system plays such a vital role – if the immune system manages to fight off the virus that entered the cells and replicated (before the host cells are damaged), the patient will not get sick(develop symptoms). The body will, however, respond in different ways to fight these foreign bodies.

The lifecycle of a virus can be divided into several major stages: attachment, entry, uncoating, replication, maturation, and release.

FLUGON®’s herbal ingredients interfere with this viral life cycle. The herbal antivirals in FLUGON® help lessen the severity of symptoms and help shorten the duration of cold or flu while reducing the speed of viral replication. The four key herbal ingredients contained in FLUGON® are:

• Pelargonium

• Quercetin

• Echinacea

• Elderberry.

PELARGONIUM SIDOIDES

Many herbal medicines used in ethnomedicine are beneficial in the treatment of infectious conditions such as respiratory ailments, cold and flu.

Locally, many such medicines are derived from the plant Pelargonium sidoides, also known as the African geranium. Interest in P. sidoides and its extract, EPs 7630, has been heightened by reports of therapeutic benefits in infectious conditions of the respiratory tract, such as TB and related diseases.

Pelargonium sidoides has strong immunomodulatory effects that increase the release of proinflammatory cytokines, which are responsible for supporting an immune response. It has also been demonstrated to have an indirect antibacterial effect through inhibition of bacterial adhesion to human epithelial cells. It interferes with the virus so it cannot attach to the surface of epithelial cells, thereby lowering the potential replication of the virus.

In numerous randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews, such as those published by the Cochrane Collaboration, Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs 7630 was shown to be effective in acute respiratory tract infections (aRTI) in all investigated age groups. Following the therapeutic use of EPs 7630 in modern phytomedicine for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, the demonstrated antiviral effects of this extract against a panel of viruses, including seasonal influenza A virus strains (H1N1, H3N2), respiratory syncytial virus, human coronavirus, parainfluenza virus and coxsackie virus, provided evidence of feasible beneficial effects in patients suffering from acute bronchitis and related infectious diseases.

In multiple studies, adverse events associated with P. sidoides were assessed as being non-serious, minor, or transitory, with the most frequent adverse events being mild gastrointestinal complaints.

QUERCETIN

Quercetin is widely found in the plant kingdom, including in oak trees (Quercus spp.), onions (Allium cepa) and tea (Camellia sinensis). Quercetin is also found in red wine, grapefruit, onions, apples, black tea, and, in lesser amounts, in leafy green vegetables and beans. It has effects on many different enzymatic systems in the body, most of them via its interaction with the calcium-regulating enzyme calmodulin.  Quercetin has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. It is known for its antioxidant activity in radical scavenging and antiallergic properties characterised by stimulation of the immune system, antiviral activity, inhibition of histamine release. Quercetin is an effective eosinophilic inflammation suppressor for diseases like allergic rhinitis and asthma. A study found that quercetin-loaded microemulsion had a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and inhibited, in a dose-dependent way, eosinophil recruitment to the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as reducing mucous production in the lungs. 

ELDERBERRY EXTRACT

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) has a long history of being used in treating colds and influenza. This folk belief has been partly validated by the results of some studies, which show that elderberries do indeed have significant benefits against cold and influenza symptoms. Elderberry’s antiviral properties are a function of its proven ability to prevent viral replication by neutralising hemagglutinin spikes on the surface of viruses. This prevents viral replication by neutralising viral surface proteins.

ECHINACEA

Echinacea is a flowering plant that grows in the US and Canada, also called coneflower.

As a herbal medicine, it has been used for centuries, customarily as a treatment for the common cold, coughs, bronchitis, upper respiratory infections, and some inflammatory conditions.

Echinacea has important immune support and anti-inflammatory properties, especially for the alleviation of cold symptoms. It interferes with the ability of the flu virus to attach to and enter epithelial cells and may prevent the replication of the virus within infected cells.

IN CONCLUSION

Nature’s cycle will run its course and viruses will continue to be with us, especially during winter. A strong immune system plays a vital role in fighting infections. FLUGON® supports immunity and helps to shorten the duration of cold or flu symptoms. Furthermore, FLUGON® is nondrowsy and can be taken daily for immune support.

This feature first appeared in the May 2021 edition of Medical Chronicle.