Herbal ENT™

TCM herbal antibiotic formula — antibacterial, antiviral, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory — for ear, nose, throat, and lung infections and inflammations; clears heat in the head and upper jiao; eliminates toxins

⚠️ Contraindicated during pregnancy and nursing. Use with caution in patients with loose stools or diarrhea caused by Spleen qi deficiency — take after meals if you have a weak digestive system. Use with caution in cases of yang and qi deficiencies. If no improvement after 7 days, modification of treatment may be necessary. Patients with encephalitis or meningitis should go to the emergency room immediately — warning signs include fever, headache, stiff neck, sore throat, vomiting, and mental confusion with extreme neck stiffness and immobility when trying to lower the chin to the chest.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

* Ear infection: suppurative otitis media

* Nose infection: sinus infection, sinusitis, and rhinitis

* Throat infection: infectious parotitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, strep throat, severe sore throat, bad breath, and mouth ulcers

* Other infections: infectious mononucleosis, erysipelas, and sores and ulcerations in the oral cavity

Background: Infection of the head is relatively common as the openings in the head (ear, nose, and throat) directly connect the body to the outside world and are often the first places affected by micro-organisms. Optimal treatment requires agents to kill the micro-organisms and preventative agents that block the spread of infection. Herbal ENT is designed to treat wind, heat, and toxin invasion to the head region, leading to symptoms such as severe sore throat, redness and swelling of the face and head, difficulties opening the eyes, swollen glands, ear infection, and thirst.

Clinical notes: There is no evidence that heat-clearing herbs cause secondary infections (as is the case with antibiotic drugs). However, those with recurrent infections should take acidophilus prophylactically, especially with a history of repeated antibiotic drug use. Herbal ENT is stronger than Lonicera Complex in the treatment of wind-heat invasion — use when there is severe sore throat accompanied by other wind-heat symptoms. Multiple herbs used together increase the antibiotic effect more than tenfold compared to single herbs, and reduce the risk of resistance and mutation.

Key herb-level clinical data:

— Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) + Huang Lian (Rhizoma Coptidis): chief herbs — clear heat in the head and eliminate toxins; most potent herbal antibiotics in the formula; effective against Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus dysenteriae, Bacillus proteus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, Bordetella pertussis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Diplococcus meningitidis, Diplococcus pneumoniae, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae; antipyretic — reduce fever; anti-inflammatory — reduce swelling, relieve inflammation, alleviate pain

— Huang Lian berberine: antimicrobial activity against numerous strains of beta-lactam-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA; markedly lowers minimum inhibition concentrations of ampicillin and oxacillin against MRSA; berberine + ampicillin = additive effect; berberine + oxacillin = synergistic effect — restores effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotics against MRSA

— Niu Bang Zi (Fructus Arctii): disperses wind-heat accumulation in the head; crucial herb for sore throat; antibiotic; anti-inflammatory

— Lian Qiao (Fructus Forsythiae): disperses wind-heat accumulation in the head; crucial herb for sore throat; antibiotic; anti-inflammatory

— Bo He (Herba Menthae): disperses wind-heat accumulation in the head; crucial herb for sore throat

— Xuan Shen (Radix Scrophulariae): clears heat; eliminates toxins; benefits the throat; prevents heat-clearing and dampness-drying herbs from injuring yin; antibiotic

— Ma Bo (Lasiosphaera seu Calvatia): clears heat; eliminates toxins; especially effective for severe sore throat with difficulty swallowing

— Ban Lan Gen (Radix Isatidis): clears heat; eliminates toxins; antibiotic; antiviral — clinically used for SARS

— Jie Geng (Radix Platycodonis): soothes sore throat; expectorant — brings out sputum and prevents spread of infection deeper into the body; anti-inflammatory

— Zhe Bei Mu (Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii): soothes sore throat; dissolves phlegm

— Gan Cao (Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae): soothes sore throat; harmonizes formula; anti-inflammatory

— Chen Pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae): descends Lung qi; relieves cough; eliminates phlegm; anti-inflammatory

— Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri): disperses wind-heat; guiding herb — brings all herbs upward to the head region where the condition is most critical; antibiotic; anti-inflammatory

Clinically proven indications: common cold, tonsillitis, infectious parotitis, pharyngitis, suppurative otitis media, cough, respiratory tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary abscess, pulmonary tuberculosis, and SARS.

WESTERN THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Antibacterial / antiviral / antifungal — Huang Qin + Huang Lian (broad-spectrum including MRSA, E. coli, Pseudomonas, Staph aureus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Vibrio cholerae, beta-hemolytic strep, Diplococcus pneumoniae; berberine restores beta-lactam efficacy against MRSA); Ban Lan Gen (antiviral, SARS); Xuan Shen, Lian Qiao, Chai Hu, Niu Bang Zi (wide-spectrum antibiotic)

* Antipyretic — Huang Qin + Huang Lian (fever reduction)

* Anti-inflammatory / analgesic — Huang Qin, Huang Lian, Chen Pi, Jie Geng, Lian Qiao (swelling↓, inflammation↓, pain↓)

* Expectorant — Jie Geng (sputum↑, prevents deeper spread); Chen Pi (Lung qi↓, cough↓, phlegm↓)

CHINESE THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Clears heat in the head and upper jiao (Huang Qin, Huang Lian, Niu Bang Zi, Lian Qiao, Bo He)

* Eliminates toxins (Xuan Shen, Ma Bo, Ban Lan Gen, Niu Bang Zi, Lian Qiao)

* Disperses wind-heat accumulation in the head (Niu Bang Zi, Lian Qiao, Bo He, Chai Hu)

* Soothes throat; dissolves phlegm (Jie Geng, Zhe Bei Mu, Gan Cao, Xuan Shen)

* Descends Lung qi; relieves cough (Chen Pi)

DOSAGE

Standard: 3–4 capsules three times daily on an empty stomach with warm water. May increase to 6–8 capsules three times daily if necessary. Take with meals if you have a sensitive stomach.

Supplementary formulas: Common cold or influenza with sore throat — combine with Lonicera Complex. Sinus infections — use with Magnolia Clear Sinus or Pueraria Clear Sinus. Respiratory tract infections — add Respitrol (Heat) or Respitrol (Cold). Yellow or greenish phlegm — use with Pinellia XPT. More damp and phlegm — add Pinellia Complex. Enhance antibiotic effect — add Herbal ABX. Enhance antiviral effect — add Herbal AVR. More inflammation — add Astringent Complex. High fever and excess heat — add Gardenia Complex. Headache — add Corydalin (AC) or Corydalin (CR). Severe infectious mononucleosis with swollen lymph nodes — add Resolve (AI). Severe suppurative otitis media — add Gentiana Complex. Constipation — add Gentle Lax (Excess).

Nutrition: Consume cool or cold foods: watermelon, lotus nodes, melon, seaweed, cranberries, celery, cucumber, cactus, and winter melon. Drink plenty of water and urinate often. Increase vitamin C and B complex supplementation. Increase nourishing cooling roots: Mexican yam, yam, radishes, potatoes, carrots, melons, cucumbers, beets, turnips, malanga, celeriac, taro, and rutabaga. Avoid spicy/pungent/aromatic vegetables (pepper, garlic, onions, basil, rosemary, cumin, fennel, anise, leeks, chives, scallions, thyme, saffron, wormwood, mustard, chili, wasabi). Avoid spicy, fried, or greasy foods.

Tao of Nutrition (Dr. Maoshing Ni and Cathy McNease) — Chronic sinusitis or rhinitis: Recommended foods — ginger, green onions, magnolia flower, bananas, garlic, black mushrooms, chrysanthemum flowers, mulberry leaves, and apricot kernel. Avoid coffee and stop smoking.

Tao of Nutrition — Sore throat: Recommended foods — carrots, olives, daikon, celery, seaweed, licorice, Chinese prunes, cilantro, and mint. Drink plenty of water and gargle with warm salt water. Avoid alcohol, smoking, pollution, sleeping with the mouth open, and stimulating, spicy, or fatty foods.

Lifestyle: Build a strong immune system — when not suffering from infection, exercise regularly, take a short cold shower following a hot shower, and ingest tonic herbs. Adequate rest is essential for recovery — stay away from wind by wearing more clothing; rest and recover in a separate room to prevent spreading germs; ventilate the room frequently while keeping the patient warm. Stop smoking and drinking, which weaken the immune system. Steam inhalation heals the throat, nasal passages, and bronchial tubes — during the acute phase, inhale steam vapor for 15 minutes three times daily; during the chronic phase, inhale steam vapor for 15 minutes before bed.

CASE STUDIES

— 26-year-old female (H.K.): Sore throat, fever, slight sweating, sinus and chest congestion, headache, and thirst; active individual in an inhospitable climate; wind-heat obstructing the upper jiao with qi stagnation. Herbal ENT prescribed. Result: all symptoms vanished after 1 week.

— 45-year-old female (S.F.): Pain in left ear worsening with manipulation, pain during swallowing, runny nose; redness and inflammation of the ear canal, yellow thick mucous, redness of the throat; damp-heat in the upper jiao; Western diagnosis: upper respiratory infection. Herbal ENT prescribed. Result: relief of symptoms after 1 week — more rest without pain, improved breathing.

— 36-year-old male (A.G.): Fever, chills, sore throat, malaise, ear pain, sinus congestion; allergic to sulfur drugs; superficial rapid pulse, swollen tongue with red tip; toxic heat; Western diagnosis: laryngitis. Herbal ABX + Herbal ENT prescribed. Result: all symptoms resolved after 2 bottles. Patient continued using Herbal ABX periodically.

Related Reading

Also see: Lonicera Complex – for common cold or influenza with sore throat | Magnolia Clear Sinus – for sinus infections | Pueraria Clear Sinus – for sinus infections | Respitrol (Heat) – for respiratory tract infections | Respitrol (Cold) – for respiratory tract infections | Pinellia XPT – for yellow or greenish phlegm | Pinellia Complex – for damp and phlegm | Herbal ABX – to enhance antibiotic effect | Herbal AVR – to enhance antiviral effect | Astringent Complex – for more inflammation | Gardenia Complex – for high fever and excess heat | Corydalin (AC) – for headache | Corydalin (CR) – for headache | Resolve (AI) – for infectious mononucleosis with swollen lymph nodes | Gentiana Complex – for severe suppurative otitis media | Gentle Lax (Excess) – for constipation | Immune Support Collection.