Phytocort — Possible Natural Alternative to Corticosteroids

Stumbled across this in my travels as I may have an auto immune condition secondary to stealth infections.

Though, this is written in the context of asthma treatment, I wondered if it could be applied to any of you who suspect immune dysregulation/inflammation.


Recognizing that the side effects of prednisone and other corticosteroids make them unsuitable for use by many patients, particularly children, Xiu-Min Li, M.D., of the Department of Pediatrics at New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine, reviewed Chinese herbal remedies for possible alternatives. His findings, published in the July 2007 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, concluded that one traditional Chinese remedy works particularly well in the treatment of asthma.

He closely examined studies that compared the efficacy of a Chinese herbal compound designated ASHMI, or anti-asthma herbal medical intervention, with that of prednisone in treating asthma. ASHMI is made up of gang-cao, or radix glycyrrhizae; ku-shen, or radix sophorae flavescentis; and ling-zhi, or ganoderma. These studies concluded that the Chinese herbal compound “may offer benefits comparable to standard corticosteroid therapy without undesirable side effects.” The side effects can include weight gain and the suppression of adrenal function. Do not take ASHMI or any herbal remedy before consulting your doctor.

ashmi is marketed as phytocort.