20200319: Dear CoronaVirus/ COVID-19/ China Virus/ WuFlu, Daily Thread

This article was posted on previous threads
https://sites.google.com/site/naturalimmunesystemboosters/cytokine-storm

The Effect of Sambucol, a Black Elderberry-Based, Natural Product, on the Production of Human Cytokines: I. Inflammatory Cytokines
V Barak 1, T Halperin, I Kalickman
Affiliations expand
PMID: 11399518
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11399518/?fbclid=IwAR28JNN7O3c7z0SWUMe7ceUbjXPbXR5FhzaYbfB-zKLSV5t9aP_sRDqogmQ
Abstract
Sambucus nigra L. products – Sambucol – are based on a standardized black elderberry extract. They are natural remedies with antiviral properties, especially against different strains of influenza virus. Sambucol was shown to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza virus. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, Sambucol reduced the duration of flu symptoms to 3-4 days. Convalescent phase serum showed a higher antibody level to influenza virus in the Sambucol group, than in the control group. The present study aimed to assess the effect of Sambucol products on the healthy immune system – namely, its effect on cytokine production. The production of inflammatory cytokines was tested using blood – derived monocytes from 12 healthy human donors. Adherent monocytes were separated from PBL and incubated with different Sambucol preparations i.e., Sambucol Elderberry Extract, Sambucol Black Elderberry Syrup, Sambucol Immune System and Sambucol for Kids. Production of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8) was significantly increased, mostly by the Sambucol Black Elderberry Extract (2-45 fold), as compared to LPS, a known monocyte activator (3.6-10.7 fold). The most striking increase was noted in TNF-alpha production (44.9 fold). We conclude from this study that, in addition to its antiviral properties, Sambucol Elderberry Extract and its formulations activate the healthy immune system by increasing inflammatory cytokine production. Sambucol might therefore be beneficial to the immune system activation and in the inflammatory process in healthy individuals or in patients with various diseases. Sambucol could also have an immunoprotective or immunostimulatory effect when administered to cancer or AIDS patients, in conjunction with chemotherapeutic or other treatments. In view of the increasing popularity of botanical supplements, such studies and investigations in vitro, in vivo and in clinical trials need to be developed.

Slightly hyperbolic . . . Passing along as is
Cytokine Storm and Herbs: Life or Death Information!
10/21/2015
https://www.naturalmedicinemamas.com/nmm-blog/cytokine-storm-and-herbs-life-or-death-information

UPDATED ARTICLE AS OF MARCH 2020!
Many people hear the word “Cytokine Storm” and think it is a weather prediction.
However, this storm is one that can kill you. It is a “body weather prediction”.
A cytokine storm can kill you. It occurs when a very severe viral infection (such as Swine Flu H1N1 or Bird Flu H5N1 – many people are now very worried about it based on the Coronavirus) takes control of your immune system and causes immune confusion in your body. Basically your body starts to work on overdrive and becomes really confused. This reaction called “Cytokine Storm” over activates your body to where normal feedback loops designed to calm things down fail to operate. (See the Medical Dictionary definition here.)
Your immune system becomes a runaway freight train where high fever, massive inflammation, extreme fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea dominate every minute of your existence. Did you know that MOST of the 25 million people that died in the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic died from a cytokine storm? Wow… that’s good information to know. You don’t want to be caught in a cytokine storm.
So what does this have to do with you and your family?
I know what you are thinking… “that’s great and all, but what does it have to do with me?”
It actually has A LOT to do with you, especially if you are the caretaker of your family, especially if you are using alternative medicine on a consistent basis. Educating yourself about this is EXTREMELY important.
You see, when someone in your house gets “the sniffles” there are so many wonderful ways of treating the illness through a natural route. Elderberry Syrup, First Defense, essential oils, diffusing, baths, glycerites, tinctures… In essence there are a lot of resources to use in order to combat the illness before it gets worse.
However, if someone in your care (including yourself of course) gets ill and it keeps getting worse, and worse, and worse and worse… you could be FEEDING the problem by what herbs you are using.
There are some herbs that COMBAT the Cytokine Storm and aid your body in fighting it, and there are other herbs that actually make it worse.
Here is a list of herbs that help to COMBAT Cytokine Storm (and if you keep getting more and more sick, these are the herbs to INCREASE), basically the good guys:
-Turmeric
-Elder LEAF
-Yarrow
-Cayenne
-Garlic
-Ginger
-Horseradish
-Red Raspberry
-Chinese Skullcap
-St. Johns Wort (check any interactions this might have with depression meds)
-Tea Tree Oil
-Vitamin C (lots of it! – and take it with a green spinach smoothie so your body has the iron to absorb it properly)
-Vitamin D
And remember, herbs are NOT like pharmaceutical drugs – they are NOT long term release – they are short term release. Meaning that when you are treating yourself with herbs you need to use them regularly. In the case of illness, supporting your cellular health each hour with herbs is perfectly fine!
So… How do I recognize a Cytokine Storm?
Once again, if you or anyone in your care is just starting to get sick, the risk of cytokine storm isn’t substantiated yet.
However, if these signs show up and the illness keeps escalating, then be aware that a Cytokine Storm could be upon you (Please see THIS ARTICLE for further information on cytokine storm):
-High Fever for extended period of time (102*+ for 2 full days without breaking) – See this article about the basics of fevers, gives excellent information and medical guidelines.
-Swelling and redness on the body
-EXTREME fatigue
-Nausea and diarrhea consistent for 2 full days
-Rapid resting heart rate (over 100 beats per minute)
Remember, please seek medical attention in the case of an emergency. Don’t avoid medical help when a Cytokine Storm could be upon you or anyone in your care – because it can be fatal!
Right now during the Coronavirus hysteria, it is easy to be very worried when first signs of sickness show up. Remember first to stay calm and don’t over flood the hospitals if you start getting a cough. I have received many messages from our personal doctors saying to STAY HOME unless symptoms are dramatically increasing to the point of needed hospitalization. Read this ARTICLE in order to be informed as the proper steps to take with Coronavirus in mind. Unfortunately, so many people show up at the ER because they have allowed themselves to become severely dehydrated – which can be taken care of at home!
NMM Suggestions During Illness
As always, the key to staying healthy is PREVENTION. Eat healthy, wash your hands, take daily herbs (like children’s multivitamin) to keep your body healthy.
AS SOON as a sniffle is heard in your household, get out the Elderberry Syrup and/or First Defense Cold and Flu Formulas. These formulas are wonderful as a FIRST attack on an illness. Diffuse essential oils and put Tea Tree Oil on the bottom of your feet. Sleep and douse yourself in water, drink water like crazy!
Let me just add – when I JUMP on a “flu bug” as soon as I recognize the symptoms 90% of the time it goes away within 24-48 hours. Literally.
If the flu bug escalates and gets worse within 48 hours, increase the herbs on the “good guys” list. Watch the fevers and stay hydrated. 95% of the time when a flu bug escalates, if you are smart about watching it a cytokine storm won’t appear. Just stay aware and educated.
But remember, please don’t shy away from medical help if a major problem arises. IF YOU SUSPECT occurrence of Cytokine Storm – please seek professional help!!!
You’ve got this! You can take care of your family!

Oh the Guardian, the very, well, guardian of truthiness . . . meh whatever, here goes
Anti-inflammatories may aggravate Covid-19, France advises
French minister says patients should take paracetamol rather than ibuprofen or cortisone
Kim Willsher
Sat 14 Mar 2020 11.51 EDT
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/14/anti-inflammatory-drugs-may-aggravate-coronavirus-infection

French authorities have warned that widely used over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs may worsen the coronavirus.
The country’s health minister, Olivier Véran, who is a qualified doctor and neurologist, tweeted on Saturday: “The taking of anti-inflammatories [ibuprofen, cortisone … ] could be a factor in aggravating the infection. In case of fever, take paracetamol. If you are already taking anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your doctor’s advice.”
Health officials point out that anti-inflammatory drugs are known to be a risk for those with infectious illnesses because they tend to diminish the response of the body’s immune system.
The health ministry added that patients should choose paracetamol – which is known in the US by the generic name acetaminophen and commonly by the brand name Tylenol – because “it will reduce the fever without counterattacking the inflammation”.
French patients have been forced to consult pharmacies since mid-January if they want to buy popular painkillers, including ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin, to be reminded of the risks.
Jean-Louis Montastruc, the head of pharmacology at Toulouse hospital, told RTL radio: “Anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of complications when there is a fever or infection.”
The French health ministry announced on Friday evening that the number of coronavirus case in the country had increased by 800 in 24 hours. Véran said there were 3,661 confirmed cases that had lead to 79 deaths. Of the sick, 154 people are in intensive care.
Véran said in his daily briefing that the evolution and spread of the virus was “rapid and real”, but that 98% of those who had tested positive had recovered.
The Eiffel Tower, Château de Versailles, Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou are among the public attractions that have closed. The archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, said there would be no Sunday masses held in churches in the Paris region.
About 400 gilets jaunes, or yellow vests, gathered in Paris for “Act 70”, the 70th consecutive Saturday of protests since November 2018. An authorised march from Montparnasse station to Bercy, where the economy ministry is situated, is expected to go ahead. Public gatherings of more than 100 people have been banned in France, but it has been reported that demonstrations are exempt.
Schools closed across the country after lessons on Saturday, meaning 12.4 million students will remain at home. The education minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, has said they will be expected to follow the national curriculum syllabus by internet. “This coming period is not one in which the youngsters don’t have to work,” he told BFMTV.

When Not to Use Elderberry: Using a Little Discernment
https://naturallysimple.org/living/2020/02/14/why-elderberry-might-not-be-the-best-adjunct/

(This is the second in what will be a series of posts about acute illness and herbal adjuncts. If you haven’t read the introduction you might want to go back and do that. )
I’ve been struggling with how to start this next installment on viral illness and then I found the following statement on a website. You are just going to have to trust me on this I am not going to link to a site full of affiliate adds for supplements you don’t need, and my intention is not to start anything with the authors.
The article said, “Elderberry also upregulates IL-6, IL-8 and TNF, suggesting an indirect effect on viral immune response in the body. Interestingly, elderberry was shown to have this effect but not its major bioactive compound, cyanidin 3-glucoside.”
To begin with, I don’t consider that anthocyanin to be the major bioactive compound of this plant. I only use elderflower for influenza, and I consider its major bioactive constituent to be pectic polysaccharides, but that’s absolutely not important to this conversation.
Honestly, I am relieved by this statement. I am more likely to use black currants or blackberries which contain the same anthocyanins which have the same effect on viral replication[i] without upregulating the primary proinflammatory cytokines.
[Edited 2/28/2020: I also wanted to add that I received several messages from Chinese Herbal Medicine practitioners who shared that mulberries are a traditional flu remedy and were used prophylactically during the last SARs outbreak. You can read about that in this article.]
To explain why I find that preferable I am going to talk about the cytokines that are specifically mentioned in that statement.
What Are Cytokines?
Cytokines are just messenger peptides that mediate the inflammation pathways by carrying messages from cell-to-cell. Some are proinflammatory, some are anti-inflammatory, and some that can go either way depending on the situation.
IL 6 and TNF-alpha are some of the more active proinflammatory cytokines and IL-8 is specific kind of cytokine called a chemokine which are involved in chemotaxis or the recruitment of white blood cells to an area. When I was in school I remembered this for tests by thinking of them as chemical taxis.
Is Upregulating Cytokines Beneficial?
The answer to this question is not always. I will start by discussing why I wouldn’t necessarily want to upregulate IL-8 which is a chemokine involved in recruiting white blood cells to an area.
Stanford physician Catherine Blish has studied the hyperinflammatory response to severe influenza in pregnancy extensively attempting to understand why many pregnant women become extremely ill when exposed to influenza. She has stated that abnormally elevated chemokine levels common in pregnancy draw too many white blood cells to the lung. “That’s a bad thing in a lung where you need air space.” Getting the flu during pregnancy, especially pandemic strains such as those that caused the pandemics of 1918, 1957 and 2009, carries a heightened risk for pneumonia and death.”[ii]
What she’s talking about here is a cytokine storm. I have a vested interest in this story because it was this flu that killed my great-grandfather Roberts. The clinical presentation of the storms was first associated with the 1918 flu and included accounts of patients drowning because their lungs filled with fluid and blood [iii] My great-grandfather had the flu, but was then well enough to be up and working and literally dropped dead in the field. So it must have hit him fast.
In 2013 researchers examined the lung tissue of 50 victims of 2009 H1N1 who had died of cytokine storms and found they had “remarkably” elevated levels of IL-1 receptor antagonist protein,IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein 1-beta, and interferon-inducing protein-10 [iv] which undoubtedly contributed to the over recruitment of white blood cells. People with autoimmune conditions are more susceptible to this type of immune dysregulation.
These cytokine storms trigger a type of viral induced sepsis which is an acute event involving an amped up immune system response that results in a fatal pneumonia. It is usually associated with H1N1,but coronaviruses have sparked storms, as well. For what it’s worth the 2019-nCoV includes a risk of what some researchers are calling Wuhan Pneumonia which seems to be caused by some sort of cytokine storm.
Now let’s stop and think for a moment about what we have already read. Three of the seven cytokines I listed up above are those the marketing article mentioned elderberry upregulating. Researchers found specifically that areas of the lungs that had high bacterial infection also had high levels of IL-6, IL-8[v], so it doesn’t seem prudent to risk exacerbating that.
SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that is associated with these storms and subjects with severe symptoms are exhibiting elevated IL-6 levels. Detectable serum SARS-CoV-2 viral load (RNAaemia) is closely associated with drastically elevated interleukin 6 (IL-6) level in critically ill COVID-19 patients
They really don’t know why they happen. Some researchers believe it has to do with age and the elderly are currently most susceptible, but most of the victims mentioned in that 2013 paper, were in their mid 30’s. My great-grandfather was also a younger man with no health complications that we are aware of.
So if we know that an illness associated with these storms is circulating, we want to be cautious. Elderberry doesn’t have a long history of use anyway. Here is an article that speaks to herbs that were used successfully during that outbreak by Eclectic physicians.
Since the risk of cytokine storm is not common, I am going to step back a moment to talk about IL-6 and TNF-A. These are both what they call endogenous pyrogens in that they trigger a fever response as a defence mechanism to pathogens. They also act on nociceptive sensory neurons in the body to initiate the sensation of pain.
So even when working with a viral disease where there is not a known association with cytokine storm, we still want to observe the type of discomfort a person is experiencing and pick our adjuncts accordingly. There is no sense in poking a system that’s already in overdrive.
This B/Washington strain that the flu vaccination botched was a particularly hot and achy strain. Several of my clients who normally take elderberry during a cold, told me they thought their syrup was making it worse and asked if I had other ideas. This makes sense to me giving the fact that it elevates cytokines known for initiating those prodromal signs and symptoms.
So in the the name of making better more nuanced choices, you may want to take into account any health conditions that you don’t want to exacerbate. Honestly I wouldn’t recommend elderberry to a client that had any autoimmune disorder, but I am a safety girl and I have enough tricks up my sleeve to work without it.
After reading the Blish interview and the associated study I am going to start recommending that pregnant women not use it during the flu season because they are also at an increased risk of hyperimmunity.[vi]
So what about taking elderberry prophylactically?
If you just are using elderberries as tonic when there is no viral complication, is that such a big deal? There are some concerns about doing that.
We know that “excessive or persistent cytokine production results in deregulated immune activation and plays a role in both the initiation and the amplification phases of immunopathologies.”[vii] This means it is possible that prolonged upregulation of these primary inflammatory cytokines could contribute to initiating or exacerbating an autoimmune disease. I have worked with clients who believe it triggered a flare for them, although I haven’t seen that with elderberry nearly as often as I have echinacea.
TNF-α, and IL-6 are already elevated in people with rheumatoid arthritis and contribute to chronic inflammation of the synovial tissue, joint dysfunction, and consequent tissue damage in the joints. So persistent upregulation could exacerbate their symptoms of chronic inflammation.
There are no human studies that have shown long-term use is safe. There is one study that I can find where the subjects took it for three weeks, but they were looking at diabetes markers as the end result and did not assess final C-reactive protein levels or any other marker of inflammation. Because I know from experience that autoimmune diseases are really no fun, I don’t feel comfortable recommending it without knowing for sure that I am doing no harm.
What really frustrates me to me is that there are plenty of herbs out there that interfere with viral replication. Research in this area is off the charts, right now. We don’t NEED elderberry. So why is the elderberry craze persisting? Call me cynical, but I think the answer to that has something to do with marketing.
I am not saying that everyone who tries to sell you elderberry knows this stuff. It takes a long time to understand the interaction between herbs and cytokines and I still consider myself a novice. Some people out there have just latched on to the idea that just because something is natural it is safe, and they don’t necessarily have the education and experience to know better.
None of this is meant to say you should never use elderberry. I am just using it as an example to illustrate some of the questions you should be asking yourself about every herbal adjunct you use. How does it work, when shouldn’t a person use it, and are their safer alternatives?
Basically what I have decided concerning the use of elderberry is that while I can’t prove that any of these things will be a problem, I can’t prove that they won’t be. That should be a deciding factor of any risk-benefit analysis.
Edited 02 Feb. 2020
I am editing this post to share my friend Thomas Easley’s feedback that this article “maybe even underemphasizes the potential consequences of IL6 in promoting th17 and suppressing Treg differentiation. If you want to burn an infection out with your immune system use elderberry – but beware the risk of catching everything on fire!” He shared this information about IL6 as a regulator of Treg/Th17 balance.
I wanted to share this article, but I have also had a lot of messages about where to study this sort of information about herbs. If you take my local consultation class I teach the basics you need to be an informed consumer. If you want to learn clinical application, I strongly suggest checking out Thomas’ program. He will put you on the right path.
References:
[i] Ehrhardt, Christina, et al. ‘A Plant Extract of Ribes Nigrum Folium Possesses Anti-Influenza Virus Activity In Vitro and In Vivo by Preventing Virus Entry to Host Cells’. PLoS ONE 8, no. 5 (23 May 2013). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0063657. and Ikuta, Kazufumi, Koichi Hashimoto, Hisatoshi Kaneko, Shuichi Mori, Kazutaka Ohashi, and Tatsuo Suzutani. ‘Anti-Viral and Anti-Bacterial Activities of an Extract of Blackcurrants ( Ribes Nigrum L. ): Anti-Microbial Activity of Blackcurrants’. Microbiology and Immunology 56, no. 12 (December 2012): 805–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1348-0421.2012.00510.x.
[ii] Digitale, Erin. ‘Immune Response Turned up High by Flu during Pregnancy, Stanford/Packard Study Finds’. Stanford Medicine News Center (blog), 22 September 2014. http://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2014/09/immune-response-turned-up–not-down–by-flu-during-pregnancy–st.html.
[iii] Kobasa D, Jones SM, Shinya K, et al. Aberrant innate immune response in lethal infection of macaques with the 1918 influenza virus. Nature. 2007;445(7125):319–323. doi:10.1038/nature05495.
[iv] Gao R, Bhatnagar J, Blau DM, et al. Cytokine and Chemokine Profiles in Lung Tissues from Fatal Cases of 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1). The American Journal of Pathology. 2013;183(4):1258–1268. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.06.023.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] Kay AW, Fukuyama J, Aziz N, et al. Enhanced natural killer-cell and T-cell responses to influenza A virus during pregnancy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2014;111(40):14506–14511. doi:10.1073/pnas.1416569111.
[vii] Salvi V, Gianello V, Tiberio L, Sozzani S, Bosisio D. Cytokine Targeting by miRNAs in Autoimmune Diseases. Frontiers in Immunology. 2019;10. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.00015.