Vegetable isothiocyanates reduce the frequency of colds by 50% as right now – during the corona pandemic – cold symptoms are incredibly uncomfortable.
Because in addition to the annoying complaints and the critical attention of fellow human beings, you are also plagued by uncertainty: is it COVID-19 after all? Should I get tested, can I still go to work or do I have to be in quarantine? “Besides, it is imperative in the current situation not to unnecessarily burden the immune system with a banal respiratory infection,” explains Prof. Dr Jost Langhorst, chief physician at the Clinic for Integrative Medicine and Naturopathy, Bamberg.
In addition to the well-known rules of conduct to protect against infection, antiviral plant substances such as mustard oils (isothiocyanates, ITC) from nasturtiums and horseradish can also help to prevent recurring respiratory infections.
A placebo-controlled double-blind study shows:
- The ITC mixture has been shown to reduce the frequency of colds by around 50% in long-term use.
- Due to its antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
- the phytocombination (in ANGOCIN® Anti-Infekt N) can also be used as first-line therapy for acute, uncomplicated respiratory infections.
A triple effect not only improves symptoms but also combats the pathogens and counteracts any bacterial superinfections, says Langhorst.
Vegetable Isothiocyanates have a 3-fold effect
ITCs have been used in natural medicine for centuries for infections of the respiratory and urinary tract and are now among the most well-studied medicinally effective plant substances. Their antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects have been documented in numerous international publications.
Scientific studies in the 1950s showed that ITC from nasturtiums could effectively reduce influenza viruses’ multiplication. Current in-vitro studies at the University of Giessen also show that the plant substances inhibit the reproduction of the influenza virus H1N1 and some rhinoviruses in human lung cell cultures.
A pronounced effect against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria has also been extensively proven. This also includes the most common bacterial cold pathogens and multi-resistant bacteria such as K. pneumonia or E. coli, against which synthetic chemical antibiotics are increasingly ineffective. Due to the multi-target mechanism of action of the ITC, the development of possible mechanisms of resistance to these plant substances is made significantly more difficult.
Vegetable isothiocyanates : Cold Frequency Reduced by 50%
“In addition to the plausible mechanism of action, the placebo-controlled double-blind study, which proves not only the effectiveness but also the good safety profile of the phytotherapeutic agent, speaks in favour of using the isothiocyanate combination for acute, recurring respiratory infections,” explains Langhorst, who was involved in the study as investigator Has.
The clinical research shows that the plant combination of nasturtium and horseradish reduces the frequency of colds by almost half compared to placebo: In the twelve-week study, chills occurred nearly twice because often in the placebo group as in the verum group. The infection rate in the verum group (two tablets ANGOCIN® Anti-Infekt N 3 times a day) was 13.3% and with placebo 25.6%, reflecting the pronounced effect of the phytotherapeutic agent on frequently recurring colds.
Further investigations (observational studies) with adults and children were able to confirm the effect and tolerability of the ITC combination in acute respiratory infections (sinusitis, bronchitis) compared to various antibiotics.
“Overall, there are promising study data for plant isothiocyanates, which show a broad spectrum of activity that enables rational treatment of infections of the respiratory tract and justifies their use in the case of frequently recurring colds,” the expert said.