Shuang huang lian
Related Terms
Forsythia, Kampo, lonicera, scute, TCM, traditional Chinese medicine.
Background
Shuang huang lian is a formula comprised of three herbs: lonicera, scute and forsythia. It is traditionally known as an antiviral, and is most commonly used for the treatment of respiratory infections, including upper and lower respiratory tract infections and acute bronchiolitis.
Chinese and Japanese herbs are used for treating a variety of ailments. There is currently little known about some of their side effects, mechanisms of actions or their interactions with other medications.
Theory / Evidence
In a trial comparing antibiotics to shuang huang lian for the treatment of acute bronchiolitis, cough, wheezing, and chest crackles were reduced to a greater degree in the herbs-only treatment arm compared to the antibiotics-only treatment arm.
Shuang huang lian has shown efficacy in treating lower respiratory tract infections present in AIDS patients.
Author information
This information has been edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).
Bibliography
Kong XT, Fang HT, Jiang GQ, et al. Treatment of acute bronchiolitis with Chinese herbs.Arch Dis Child. 1993 Apr;68(4):468-71.
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