5 Natural Substances to Support Our Defenses

Some natural supplements can be of great help during seasonal changes, when there are continuous changes in temperature and you risk developing the dreaded flu symptoms more easily: cough, sore throat, cold, etc.

Products such as FLAVOXALE® (mixture based on propolis, honey and Manuka essential oil) or natural extracts such as elderberry juice and echinacea have a balsamic effect and, as we will see, can be really useful in helping to stimulate the proper functioning of the immune system. , support the functionality of the upper respiratory tract and the fluidity of bronchial secretions.

1. FLAVOXALE®

It is a unique combination of precious natural elements derived from bees that collect propolis, honey and essential oil Manuka New Zealand, which have shown ² to have beneficial qualities that help to support the immune system thanks to the natural defenses our organism, particularly in the respiratory tract.

2. Propolis

Propolis is a natural product that derives from the work of foraging bees , whose use in popular tradition has been handed down for centuries. Numerous scientific researches ¹ have shown interesting beneficial properties. To obtain this extraordinary product, bees collect resins and gums on the buds and trunks of some plants, working them with their enzymes and transforming them into propolis.

The properties of propolis were already known at the time of the Egyptians. Think that the Greeks and Romans used it to disinfect wounds! The composition of this substance is characterized by an interesting concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids , in particular galangin and pinocembrin. It is mainly used as an adjuvant in mucosal and skin infections and as a support for the immune system.

These properties have also been confirmed by recent pharmacological studies ¹ , where propolis has also been shown to be active on fungi , in particular on Candida Albicans , responsible for two frequent ailments of the child: thrush and diaper candidiasis. Other human studies ¹ confirm its usefulness as "first aid" to assist in the treatment of viral infections of the upper airways such as colds, sore throats, stomatitis, etc.

However, it should be remembered that, although propolis can be used safely, it obviously does not have the same therapeutic efficacy as an antibiotic and, in the presence of persistent or worsening symptoms, it is always better to consult a doctor.

3. Manuka honey

The Manuka honey native to New Zealand is having un'enrome famous because of its attractive benefits. Manuka honey is mainly produced in New Zealand and Australia from the sweet nectar of the manuka tree, Leptospermum scoparium , and contains unique elements that make this honey support respiratory health.

One of the most significant characteristics that distinguishes Manuka honey from others on the market is the presence of a high percentage of Methylglyoxal or MGO (MethylGlyOxal), a natural active ingredient that promotes the elimination of bacteria present in the body. In 2006, studies conducted by Professor Thomas Henle, head of Food Chemistry at the University of Dresden, showed that Methylglyoxal is directly responsible for the antibacterial activity of Manuka honey, where the potential for contrasting various types of honey emerged. microorganisms. In addition, while in the other types of honey the formation of hydrogen peroxide (commonly called "hydrogen peroxide"), which has a disinfectant and germicidal action, vanishes quickly, in Manuka honey it remains stable thanks to this component that does not degrade with heat or light and is resistant to enzymatic activity in body fluids .

4. Elderberry

Elderberry has been used for centuries in the culinary tradition and in Western herbal medicine as a flavoring and coloring agent for infusions thanks to the extract of elderberries . In support of the use of elderberry in the immunological sphere, a series of researches ³ have been conducted which have shown how elderberries can help the activity of the immune defenses, as well as provide an antioxidant action.

The flavonoids contained in elderberry juice bring relief in case of nasal congestion and help to stimulate and thin the bronchial secretion, so as to move excess mucus more easily.

5. Echinacea

L ' echinacea is one of the plants commonly used in the indigenous folk medicine in the United States and in modern herbal medicine to help adults and children find well-being in case of seasonal disorders to respiratory tract and influenza-like illness.

From the United States, the use of echinacea has expanded to Europe, particularly in Germany, where it is still frequently prescribed by doctors and pediatricians ⁴ . The action of echinacea is expressed through its ability to support the immune system's response to infections, intervening positively in case of diseases involving the upper airways, such as colds, coughs and the classic flu symptoms.

You can start taking echinacea even two or three months before the first colds arrive, stopping the regular intake of this product for a week or two and then resume, so as not to accustom the body too much to the substance and thus maintain its its effectiveness.

Sources

1. PROPOLIS

• Ivanovska N.D. et al. Immunomodulatory action of propolis. Anticomplementary activity of a water-soluble derivative. J. Ethnopharmacol. 47, 135-143, 1995.
• Mirzoeva O.K. et al. The effect of propolis and its components on eicosanoid production during the inflammatory response. Prostaglandins Leukotrienes Ess. Fatty acids 55, 441-449, 1996.
• Serkedjieva J. et al. Anti-influenza virus effect of some propolis constituents and their analogues (esters of substituded cinnamic acids). J. Nat. Prod. 55, 294-302, 1992.
• Scheller S. et al. Free radical scavenging by ethanol extracts of propolis. Int. J. Rad. Biol. 57, 461-465, 1990
• Focht J. et al. Bactericidal effect of propolis in vitro against agents causing upper respiratory tract infections. Arzneimittelforschung 43, 921-923, 1993.
• Bratter C. et al. Prophylactic effectiveness of propolis for immunostimulation: a clinical pilot study. Forsch. Komplementarmed 6, 256-260, 1999.
• Drago L. et al. In vitro antimicrobial activity of propolis dry extract. J. Chemother. 12, 390-395, 2000
• Tichy J.et al. Detection of antimicrobials in bee products with activity against viridans streptococci. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 6, 383-389, 2000.
• Martins R. S. et al. Effect of commercial ethanol propolis extract on the in vitro growth of Candida albicans collected from HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative Brazilian patients with oral candidiasis. J. Oral Sci. 44, 41-48, 2002.
• Koo H. et al. Effects of compounds found in propolis on Streptococcus mutans growth and on glucosyltransferase activity. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46, 1302-1309, 2002.
• Antifungal activity of the honeybee products against Candida spp. and Trichosporon spp. Koç AN¹, Silici S, Kasap F, Hörmet-Oz HT, Mavus-Buldu H, Ercal BD. J Med Food. 2011 Jan-Feb;14(1-2):128-34. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0296. Epub 2010 Dec 4.

2. MANUKA HONEY

• The Composition and Biological Activity of Honey: A Focus on Manuka Honey.
  Alvarez-Suarez JM^1,2, Gasparrini M³, Forbes-Hernández TY^4,5, Mazzoni L⁶, Giampieri F⁷.
  Foods. 2014 Jul 21;3(3):420-432. doi: 10.3390/foods3030420.
• Antibacterial activity of Manuka honey and its components: An overview, Matthew Johnston,¹Michael McBride,¹Divakar Dahiya,¹Richard Owusu-Apenten,² and Poonam Singh Nigam^1,*, AIMS Microbiol. 2018; 4(4): 655–664. Published online 2018 Nov 27. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2018.4.655
• Manuka honey and methylglyoxal increase the sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus to linezolid.
  Hayes G¹, Wright N¹, Gardner SL¹, Telzrow CL^1,2, Wommack AJ², Vigueira PA¹.
  Lett Appl Microbiol. 2018 Jun;66(6):491-495. doi: 10.1111/lam.12880. Epub 2018 Apr 19.
• Therapeutic Manuka Honey: No Longer So Alternative, Dee A. Carter,^1,*Shona E. Blair,²Nural N. Cokcetin,²Daniel Bouzo,²Peter Brooks,³Ralf Schothauer,⁴ and Elizabeth J. Harry², Front Microbiol. 2016; 7: 569. Published online 2016 Apr 20. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00569
• ‘Potential of Manuka Honey as a natural polyelectrolyte to develop biomimetic nanostructured meshes with antimicrobial properties.’
  Elena Mancuso (corresponding author), Chiara Tonda-Turo, Chiara Ceresa, Virginia Pensabene, Simon Connell, Letizia Fracchia and Piergiorgio Gentile (corresponding author). Frontiers, 2019.

3. ELDER

• Anti-influenza activity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) GolnooshTorabian^ab PeterValtchev^ab QayyumAdil FaribaDehghani^ab The University of Sydney, School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia, Centre for Excellence in Advanced Food Enginomics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
• Bratu M, Guiu L, Samarineanu M, Gaidergiu I et al (2003) A fruit extract of Sambucus nigra L. leads to immune co-stimulation Proceedings 1st Int Symposium on ‘New Sources in the Pharmaceutical Industry’ 5-8 June, Costanza, Switzerland, Paper in press
• Porta S, Wonisch W, Wintersteiger R et al (2003) Effects of Bioflavonoids of Sambucus nigra upon oxidative and stress state of Humans Proceedings 1st Int Symposium on ‘New Sources in the Pharmaceutical Industry’ 5-8 June, Costanza, Switzerland, Paper in press
• Zakay-Rones Z, Thom E, Wollan T, Wadstein J (2004) Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in treatment of influenza Aand B virus infections J Int Med Res 32(2) 132-140

4. ECHINACEA

• "Echinacea for Preventing and Treating the Common Cold" in JAMA, volume 313 on page 618. Clin Infect Dis. 2005 Mar 15;40(6):807-10. Epub 2005 Feb 18 "Treatment of the common cold with echinacea: a structured review." Caruso TJ¹, Gwaltney JM Jr.
• Clin Ther. 2006 Feb;28(2):174-83. "Echinacea in the prevention of induced rhinovirus colds: a meta-analysis." Schoop R¹, Klein P, Suter A, Johnston SL.
• Clin Infect Dis. 2004 May 15;38(10):1367-71. Epub 2004 Apr 26. "Echinacea purpurea for prevention of experimental rhinovirus colds." Sperber SJ¹, Shah LP, Gilbert RD, Ritchey TW, Monto AS.
• Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2018 Apr 29;2018:5813095. doi: 10.1155/2018/5813095. eCollection 2018."Self-Care for Common Colds: The Pivotal Role of Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Echinacea in Three Main Immune Interactive Clusters (Physical Barriers, Innate and Adaptive Immunity) Involved during an Episode of Common Colds-Practical Advice on Dosages and on the Time to Take These Nutrients/Botanicals in order to Prevent or Treat Common Colds." Rondanelli M¹, Miccono A¹, Lamburghini S¹, Avanzato I¹, Riva A², Allegrini P², Faliva MA¹, Peroni G¹, Nichetti M¹, Perna S¹ .