Phytotherapy for the Management of Asthma

Asthma has heen defined as the occurrence of dyspneic hronchospasmodic crises that are linked to a bronchial hyperreactivity (BH).' Like autoimmune disease, asthma is a chronic disturbance of immunological function that can be controlled to some extent, hut not eradicated, hy modern drug therapy. In other words, asthma is not just the attacks (crises); asthma is a chronic disturbance ofthe immune system. The attacks are the "tip ofthe iceberg." Hence, any treatment aimed only at relaxing airways and relieving symptoms, he it orthodox or herhal, is superficial and will not change the chronicity ofthe disease. Recent research has identified many factors that may contribute to the etiology and morbidity of asthma. Traditional herbal medicine also recognizes the role of inefficient digestion, poor immunity, stress, diet, and unhealthy mucous membranes in the development ofthe disease. In order to treat asthma more effectively with natural therapies, it is necessary to have an understanding of the causative and sustaining factors that contrihute to the disorder. For each individual it is likely that the disease process has been precipitated by a unique and complex interaction of contributive events. A multi-factorial model, which allows the individualization ofthe patient, yet at the same time incorporates the most likely factors operating in asthma, will be proposed. This in turn requires the synthesis of traditional herhal understanding with the latest research findings, which is fundamental to the practice of modern phytotherapy.