Protecting the Respiratory System from Air Pollution

This is a simple combination of two herbs that are easily available, for protecting the respiratory
system from particulate matter of air pollution. It is based on a study done in Korea, titled
“Improvement of Bronchial Immune Hypersensitivity Reaction Using Extracts from
Chrysanthemum morifolium and Scutellaria baicalensis.”

The study states:
“As atmospheric pollution in Korea continues to increase because of the presence of fine
particulate matter and yellow dust, we aimed to identify functional materials derived from
natural substances that can alleviate bronchial discomfort by improving bronchial
hyperresponsiveness.

“Among the natural resources that are native to Korea, chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum
morifolium) and skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) are safe raw materials that have long been
consumed as a tea or used as herbal medicines. Previous studies have shown that chrysanthemum
and skullcap can alleviate acute lung injury.

“Our results suggest that the combination of chrysanthemum and skullcap extracts, especially at
a 7 : 3 ratio, can be used to improve bronchial health and contribute to improved public health.”

Chrysanthemum is a flowering perennial belonging to the Asteraceae family native to East Asia
and northeastern Europe. As many other members of the Asteraceae family, Chrysanthemum
flower is rich in active constituents and has been used for centuries in the Traditional Chinese
Medicine s to treat respiratory problems, lower blood pressure, and calm nerves. It is safe and
widely used, but should be avoided in cases of allergies to the Asteraceae, or daisy family.

In Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum flowers are used as tea for treating flu with fever and
headache, blurry vision, red and painful eyes, and swollen sore throat. These are typical
symptoms caused by smog and particulate matter.

Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese skullcap, Huang Qin), is one of the most popular and multi-
purpose herbs used in China traditionally for treatment of inflammation and bacterial and viral
infections; it has a strong anti-inflammatory activity and low toxicity. The bioactive components
of Scutellaria have been confirmed to be flavones. Scutellaria baicalensis has been used as an
anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agent in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases
such as bronchitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis.

Applications:
Prepare chrysanthemum tea in French press or tea pot (1 part dry flowers, 3 parts hot water),
steep 15 minutes.
Dose: 1 cup, 2 - 3x day before or between meals
To each cup tea, add ½ tsp tincture or 1 capsule of Chinese skullcap, or 1 capsule Baicalin

Function:
Respiratory infections, sinusitis
Respiratory symptoms caused by wildfire smoke, air pollution, particulate matter
Weak respiratory immunity with frequent colds and flus

This formula and many others are part of the new detoxification program offered at the Shift
Network: