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Kushen – Sophora Root – for Asthma

Kushen aka Sophora Root
Kushen (Sophora Root) is Used to Treat Asthma in Chinese Medecine

Kushen is the Chinese name of the root of Sophora flavescens. It is also known as Sophora Root and is a member of the pea and bean family.

Kushen has been used successfully as an herbal medicine to treat a wide variety of conditions for thousands of years.

My interest in Kushen (Sophora Root) was piqued because of two compounds found in Kushen: Matrine and Oxymatrine.

Kushen has been shown to be of significant benefit in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, eczema, fever, insomnia, cardiac arrhythmia, cancer, dysentery, inflammation, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, vaginitis, psoriasis, and conjunctivitis.

The alkaloids Matrine and Oxymatrine, as found in Kushen, inhibit histamine release, inhibit the urge to cough (antitussive), and demonstrate expectorant effects.

One study in particular shows a great deal of promise in the use of Kushen in the treatment of asthma and other respiratory disorders. 517 cases of asthmatic bronchitis were treated with Kushen, resulting in an 86.5% effectiveness rate and a 38.8% marked effectiveness rate.

Kushen can be (and usually is) consumed in extract form with other medications. Due to its generally slight side effects, and low toxicity, it is considered to be a safe and effective medication in traditional Chinese Medicine. The side effects of Kushen are evident only at extremely high dosage levels, which include dizziness, gastric upset and evidence of immunosuppression.

Kushen is found in the desert area of northern part of China, especially in Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia. It is mainly found in the desert area of Ningxia.

Kushen is readily available all over the world. It is often used in formulations containing a combination of multiple herbs, but can also be found as a full spectrum extract.

Also known as: Ku Shen, Ku-Shen, Sophora, Sophora Root

[UPDATE]: I’ve written an article about an herbal asthma treatment called “ASHMI Clear Breathing With Chinese Herbs” which describes how Dr. Xiu-Min Li of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York combines Sophora Root (aka kushen) with three other herbs to produce a natural and effective asthma treatment. It’s a good read. Take a look.

Eclectic Institute Compound Herbal Elixir

Compound Herbal Cough Elixir produced by the Eclectic Institute is recommended and used widely as a cough and asthma treatment by physicians and naturopaths worldwide.

Compound Herbal Elixir 2 oz. by the Eclectic Institute
Compound Herbal Elixir 2 oz. by the Eclectic Institute

I first heard about this herbal compound from an article I read entitled “Notes on the Herbal Treatment of Asthma.” I was researching white pine bark for an update to my “OPC Antioxidant” article and came across it by accident.

Compound Herbal Cough Elixir, in particular, intrigued me because of it’s unique mix of ingredients, especially the Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), white pine bark (Pinus strobus) and the wild cherry bark (Prunus spp.).

Here is the full list of ingredients found in Eclectic Institute Compound Herbal Cough Elixir:

  • Dried Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
  • Dried organically grown Elecampane root (Inula helenium)
  • Fresh organically grown Red Clover blossoms (Trifolium pratense)
  • Dried wildcrafted Wild Cherry bark (Prunus spp.)
  • Dried organically grown Horehound flower & leaf (Marrubium vulgare)
  • Fresh organically grown Gumweed flower & leaf (Grindelia robusta)
  • Dried wildcrafted Lobelia leaf & seed (Lobelia inflata)
  • Dried Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare)
  • Fresh Freeze-Dried Lomatium root (Lomatium dissectum)
  • Dried wildcrafted White Pine bark (Pinus strobus)
  • Fresh wildcrafted Poplar bud (Populus spp.)
  • Bitter orange essential oil
  • A base of kosher vegetable glycerin & water
  • Organic Grape Alcohol Content of 15%

According to the “Eclectic Institute,” the ingredients found in their “Compound Herbal Cough Elixir” were carefully chosen for their ability to work together simultaneously in treating your asthma symptoms, purifying your bloodstream and stimulating your immune system.

Where to buy Eclectic Institute Compound Herbal Elixir:

MSSM-002 Chinese Herbal Asthma Treatment

MSSM-002 Includes 14 Chinese Herbs for Asthma
MSSM-002 Includes a Combination of 14 Chinese Herbs

MSSM-002 asthma, rhinitis and other respiratory disease treatment is a traditional Chinese herbal combination of 14 herbs :

  • lingzhi mushroom(ganoderma lucidum), 6 g
  • licorice root (radix glycyrrhizae), 6 g
  • sophora root (radix sophorae flavascentis), 9 g
  • su zi (fructus perillae frutescentis), 9 g
  • ting li zi (semen lepidii), 9 g
  • xing ren (semen pruni armeniacae), 9 g
  • huang qin (radix scutellariae baicalensis), 9 g
  • dang gui (radix angelicae sinensis), 9 g
  • bai shao (radix paeoniae lactiflorae), 9 g
  • ge gen (radix puerariae), 9 g
  • jie geng (radix platycodi grandiflori), 6 g
  • zhen zhu mu (concha margaritifera), 6 g
  • da zao (fructus ziziphi jujubae), 5 pieces
  • sheng jiang (rhizoma zingiberis officinalis), 6 g

It was formulated and used by Dr. Xiumin Li at the Sino-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing. It is also the basis from which Dr. Li created her ASHMI Asthma Treatment herbal combination.