Herbal cure not good for asthma patients

Asthma patients using herbal remedies may make their quality of life worse and suffer from increased frequency of symptoms, a new study claims.

A study conducted by American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology observed 326 asthma patients over a 33-month period.

Of those, 25 percent reported herbal remedy use and lower adherence to use of prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS).

It was learnt that patients using herbal remedies were more likely to have been hospitalized or intubated for asthma.

Also, they had concerns about possible adverse effects of ICS and difficulty following a medication schedule.

Angkana Roy, M.D., lead author, Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, said: "Results indicate patients using herbal remedies are less likely to take their prescribed medications.

"These patients report worse asthma control and poorer quality of life than patients who follow medication plans. Underuse of prescribed medication is one of the main factors contributing to poor outcomes in asthma patients."

Also, Leonard Bielory, M.D., ACAAI Integrative Medicine Committee chair, added: "Patients interested in herbal remedies need to use them to complement treatment and not as an alternative, or they will not maximize their health and may actually hinder it as this study shows.

"Remember, asthma is a serious disease and needs to be treated that way. Always ask your allergist about medication concerns and discuss use of herbal remedies."

The study has been published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of ACAAI. (ANI)