National Institutes for Health and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2005. Traditional Chinese Herbs May Benefit People With Asthma. (Online) http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/061609.htm accessed 02-01-2010
Staff. 2006. Natural Herbs for Asthma. (Online) http://www.hebalsupplementesourcement-resource.com/herbs-for-asthma.html accessed 02.01.10
In an uncontrolled trial in India, 60% of asthma patients given 6-12 grams of turmeric powder that had been fried in ghee showed a relief in their symptoms.
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family and has been used as a coloring agent, spice and medicine for thousands of years. The active constituents are the diarylhepanoids, including curcumin, which are found in the vividly yellow rhizome.
Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory in both acute and chronic asthma conditions, and it is believed to work in a variety of biological pathways to reduce inflammation. In some models studied, curcumin showed a similar efficacy to cortisone and phenylbutazone.
