An Herbal Cure for Peanut Allergy?

[HuckleB]

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=171

"Peanut allergy is uncommon but devastating. Even a tiny trace of peanut can cause an anaphylactic reaction and death. That’s why labels specify “produced on shared equipment with nuts or peanuts” or “produced in a facility that also processes nuts.” There is no effective treatment: patients have to rely on avoiding peanuts and carrying emergency epinephrine injectors. Parents of peanut-allergic children live in fear that their child will be inadvertently exposed at school or at a friend’s house. Wouldn’t it be great if we could fix it so they could eat peanuts with impunity?

There is a ray of hope. Studies are underway on a Chinese herbal medicine (FAHF-2) that shows promise. I generally shy away from Chinese herbal remedies, because they are marketed without adequate testing and the products are not quality controlled. The typical course of events is (1) a preliminary study or a history of use in China, (2) marketing in the U.S. with overblown claims.

This is different.

FAHF-2 has been tested in a mouse model in well-designed studies at reputable U.S. institutions (Mount Sinai and Johns Hopkins). Research was funded by private foundations and government grants (not by manufacturers or business interests) and published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. As far as I can find, it’s not being marketed in the U.S. No claims are being made for it. It hasn’t been tested in humans. The NCCAM has funded the first clinical trial with an estimated completion date of December 2009.

The researchers had been studying a mouse model of allergic asthma and had had some success with another herbal formula. This prompted them to look into peanut allergy. Food allergy is not described in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) literature, but there was an herbal formula called Food Allergy Herbal Formula -1 (FAHF-1) that had been used in Asia for prevention of allergies and asthma. It contained ling zhi, an herb that had anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy properties, and wu mei wan, which had been used to treat gastrointestinal symptoms. It also contained 9 other herbs.

..."

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Yes, this piece is two years old. Unfortunately, I could not find a newer example of studying an herbal remedy in such a science-based manner. That doesn't mean there aren't more recent good examples like this, but since this example is fair I thought it would be offering up. Anyway, I'd like to see other herbal remedies studied similarly in the future.

:hi:

[Zoeisright]

1. NIH is studying CAM (complementary and alternative medicine):

http://nccam.nih.gov/

This is a good resource for double-blind research studies on herbs and alternative medicine.

Edited to add more info about FAHF-2:

http://nccam.nih.gov/recovery/IRdigestive.htm

[HuckleB]

3. Yes, I know.

So far the studies haven't been exactly stellar. And, unfortunately, much of their studying is already being used as treatment, sans the type of evidence that should be in place beforehand.

[Warpy]

2. Maybe it's because the only real cures

are time for people who naturally grow out of it and a careful program of medically supervised desensitization for people who do not.

The latter is only partially successful.

If anyone has a severe peanut allergy, carrying an Epipen is a lot more sensible than taking Chinese herbs, although doing both is not out of the question.

[HuckleB]

4. You are more than likely correct.

But peanut allergy just happens to be the focus of this study, which is more of an example than anything else, in my little mind.