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The sneezin' season

Spring flowers may be beautiful to most of us, but for as many as three million people in the UK plant pollen means one thing: hay fever. Complementary medicine may offer the solution

More than ever people are turning to alternative solutions to hay fever and allergies. Discover what's available to stop the symptoms:

• Herbal remedies
• Homeopathy
• Acupuncture
• Nutritional therapy

Herbal remedies

Hay fever is usually treated with antihistamines which are the most widely used drugs for allergies because they counteract the effects of histamine, a chemical produced when the body overreacts to allergens. The herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus) has shown promise in trials in controlling hay fever and appears to be as effective as an over-the-counter antihistamine, cetirizine, but without the drowsiness which affected two thirds of those taking the antihistamine drug. Following a successful study reported in the British Medical Journal in January 2002, five out of seven further trials on different types of butterbur have shown positive results. The herb outperformed placebos, while having an equal effect to medication. Even nose congestion improved, a symptom that antihistamines usually cannot reach. It seems to work by inhibiting the inflammatory compounds caused by allergic reactions. You should not medicate yourself with untreated butterbur, as the plant contains liver-toxic substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are removed during commercial processing. Several standardised butterbur extracts are available over the counter in the UK. Bioforce Petaforce capsules contain 25mg of petasites extract and are available from health stores. Visit Bioforce (www.bioforce.co.uk) for details.

The butterbur extract, taken in tablet form four times daily, was standardized, in the original trial, to contain 8mg of petasine, a chemical component of the plant that researchers believe to be associated with antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory action. The butterbur extract used in trials was licensed for use against hay fever, with the product name of Tesalin, in Switzerland in 2003 by the Swiss-based manufacturers Zeller. However, you should not medicate yourself with untreated butterbur, as the plant contains liver-toxic substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are removed during commercial processing.

There are several standardised butterbur extracts available over the counter in the UK. Bioforce Petaforce capsules contain 25mg of petasites extract and are available from health stores (£5.99 for 30 capsules). Visit Bioforce (www.bioforce.co.uk) for details.

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