Chinese herbal medicine against thyroiditis has a clear scientific explanation for its effects

[diogenes]

This paper examines the proven value of the herb Prunella vulgaris against Hashimoto's thyroiditis antibodies. Traditional medicine can work if it has been shown to be empirically effective in the past.

Front. Endocrinol., 16 November 2020 | doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020....

Innate Immune-Modulatory Activity of Prunella vulgaris in Thyrocytes Functions as a Potential Mechanism for Treating Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Fei Chen Akira Kawashima, Yuqian Luo, Mitsuo Kiriy and Koichi Suzuki

Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan

Department of Thyroid Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China

Prunella vulgaris (PV), a perennial herb, has been used to treat thyroid diseases in China for over 2,000 years. In particular, its therapeutic effect has been described for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, including reducing titers of autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin and T helper 17 (Th17) cells. However, the underlying mechanism for how PV exerts such effects has not been investigated. We examined the effects of PV on innate immune activation, which is thought to be one of the triggers for the development of autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

[helvella]

I really appreciate this type of paper - which might indicate a major step towards a treatment. I just can't get my head round the usual descriptions and explanations of Traditional Chinese Medicine. With its Warm/Cold, Fu, Zang, Wood and Water - and many more. All these terms might make sense to those who have studied TCM in depth, but to ignorant people like me, I can't get anywhere with it.

It is probably no easier to understand the details of this paper! But it seems to make some sense.

Knowing nothing of Prunella vulgaris, I had a very quick look and found some interesting snippets:

Prunella vulgaris (known as common self-heal, heal-all, woundwort, heart-of-the-earth, carpenter's herb, brownwort and blue curls) is a herbaceous plant in the genus Prunella.

AND

Etymology

Prunella is derived from 'Brunella', a word which is itself a derivative, taken from "die Bräune", the German name for quinsy (a type of throat inflammation), which it was historically used to cure.

Vulgaris means 'usual', 'common', or 'vulgar'

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prune...

Does quinsy affect the thyroid? Could it, in some cases, cause thyroid damage which results - eventually - in hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's or otherwise)?

[MichelleHarris in reply to helvella]

That might explain the link between people with Thyroid issues who’ve had Tonsillectomy’s. Recent post by SlowDragon. I had Quinsy for 4 yrs before Tonsillectomy x

[tattybogle in reply to helvella]

I find 'understanding' chinese medicine is a bit like looking at those images you can only see if you un-focus your eyes. First you need to know Qi , which you can feel , and know , but won't be able to find under a microscope.

But you've got to take note of a herb that heals, even if they try and drown you for being a witch . And i love that this one also 'heals' slag heaps.

Totally unrelated , but this study just reminded me of one about a Japanese mushroom and HPV virus sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

(don't know if quinsy could affect thyroid , but it can definitely make your tonsil burst and put you in hospital for IV antibiotics)

[Mostew in reply to tattybogle]

Feeling Qi is a good way of describing something we try to intellectualise

Interesting article thanks

[Hoxo]

Wow! Funnily enough Prunella Vulgaris’ common name is Self Heal. I did my uni dissertation on that plant- not in relation to health benefits but for the fact that it recolonized coal power station pulverized fuel ash tips! Interesting.

[helvella in reply to Hoxo]

Amazing how experience get re-awakened in all sorts of circumstances!

[TSH110 in reply to Hoxo]

I’m forever pulling it out of the garden borders! I might be less inclined to do so now and it’s not unattractive either, pretty purple flowers borne on spikes, neat rosettes of dark green laceolate leaves and it helps thyroid disorder - what not to like!

[tattybogle in reply to TSH110]

just looked it up , very pretty ... i want some. So far, despite neglecting the tidyness of my garden for the benefit of the bees none has appeared. Will have to go a walk and keep my eyes peeled. Also noticed there's tinctures and creams available . might just try putting some on my misbehaving skin and see what happens

[TSH110 in reply to tattybogle]

I think it really likes chalky soil, not sure if it tolerates other types. Will check for you. tattybogle its not at all fussy about soil and you can eat the leaves in a salad, have them cooked or even dry and grind up the flowers for a nice cuppa selfheal tea

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pru...

[tattybogle in reply to TSH110]

Thankyou so much , i needed some inspiration to go for a longer walk. Not that i'm advocating scrumping

I'm glad it's not fussy, plant's have to be tough to survive my boom and bust style of gardening.

[TSH110 in reply to tattybogle]

It’s tough as old boots once it gets a foot hold!

[asidist in reply to TSH110]

please let us know how it goes for you if you start ingesting (in any form)!

[Surgebinder]

Thank you for this invaluable info im always looking for new herbal/natural remedies.

I believe there is a cure for all diseases, that can probably be found in nature.

Did you know that the kakadu plum which is native to Australia has 1000% more vitamin c then oranges ?

So many wonderful things to discover in nature.

[helvella in reply to Surgebinder]

Possibly not unalloyed joy:

Organic acids in Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana): The good(ellagic), the bad (oxalic) and the uncertain (ascorbic)

era.daf.qld.gov.au/id/eprin...

[Hillwoman]

Very interesting indeed. I never realised one of self-heal's properties related to the thyroid. We live next to a wood and we've given over the bottom half of the garden to planting for wildlife. Self-heal is one of several native plants that has drifted in from the wood and settled here. It grows quite commonly by paths, but it's not sufficiently abundant enough to make a tea from the blooms or a salad from the leaves.

[Tythrop]

Just Googled "Selfheal herb. Thyroid" and lots of hits for thyroid issues

[vocalEK]

When using the plant, how do they determine dose?