CHINESE HERBS PROVE EFFECTIVE IN THE CURE OF INLFUENZA A (H1N1)

BY VINCENT LOW

BEIJING, July 24 (Bernama)-- Chinese herbs have proved effective in the cure
of Influenza A(H1N1) in Ditan Hospital, Beijing where 88 out of 117 patients
treated for the disease only on the herbs fully recovered and were discharged.

"From our clinical tests and observation, the traditional method of
treatment left no after effects and it is safe, more over the recovery period
was shorter and the cost relatively lower as compared to Tamiflu treatment,"
said Wang Yuguang, spokesman of Ditan Hospital at a special briefing for the
media at Ditan Hospital Wednesday afternoon.

He said the advantage of using herbs on these patients was that the doctors
could prescribe different combination of herbs according to the individual's
health condition.

"Treatment cost per patient using Tamiflu is about RMB56 a day whereas using
traditional herbs it cost only around RMB12."

Ditan Hospital first started using traditional medicine in combination with
Tamiflu on H1N1 patient from May 15 to June 15, and when the method proved
effective, started treating many patients solely on Chinese herbs.

"We have even tested using the method on high risk patients since July 1,
and the results proved favourable." said Wang.

However, Wang did not reveal the herbs used to cure the patients.

Ditan Hospital is one of the two hospitals specially designated for H1N1
patients in Beijing since the pandemic started from May in China.

Built in 1946, Ditan Hospital is the highest grade hospital for infectious
diseases and comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, Beijing
Municipal Health Bureau and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and
Prevention.

The hospital had excelled in 2003 and 2004 in the fight against SARS.
Meanwhile, Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital has introduced
an Influenza A(H1N1) prevention herbal medicine pack.

The Deputy Director of the hospital, Jin Wei, told a press conference
earlier that the herbal pack contained seven little packs of four types of herbs
in combination, which were said to be effective in the prevention of H1N1.

"Just dip a small pack of herbs in a teapot of hot water and drink it like
tea, or used it as mouthwash, and it helps to prevent people for being
infected," said Jin.

She said the pack could even cure mild cases of H1N1. However if patients do
not recover after taking the herbs for seven days, they are advised to go to the
hospital for further treatment.

The combination of the herbs is as follows: Lonicera Japonica Thund-3
grammes, Isatis Indigodica- 3 gms, Mentha Haplocalyx Brip.-3 gms and Glycyrrhiza
Glabra-3 gms. These herbs are available in Chinese herbal medicine shops.

-- BERNAMA