Pueraria Clear Sinus™

TCM herbal formula for sinusitis and rhinitis due to damp-heat — antibiotic; antiallergic; antihistamine; anti-inflammatory; analgesic; dispels damp-heat; removes fluid congestion; unblocks nasal obstruction; clears heat and dispels purulent infection; alleviates sinus pain

⚠️ Contraindicated during pregnancy and nursing. This formula is designed for sinusitis or rhinitis due to damp-heat with yellow and sticky discharge — for sinusitis or rhinitis due to wind-cold with clear watery discharge, use Magnolia Clear Sinus instead. Cang Er Zi (Fructus Xanthii) has been carefully dry fried at high temperature until dark brown or slightly charred — this simultaneously increases the effect (enhancing extraction of active compounds) and decreases side effects (destroying undesired glycosides). Because Cang Er Zi is metabolized by the liver and eliminated by the kidneys, individuals with pre-existing liver or kidney disease should not take this formula. California Prop 65 warning: This product contains Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei). Read and follow directions carefully. Do not use if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools, or abdominal pain because Da Huang may worsen these conditions and be harmful to your health. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea or if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Approximately 25% of all sinusitis cases are related to food allergies — identify and avoid the allergen; common allergens include milk, wheat, eggs, citrus fruits, corn, and peanuts. Some patients may experience mild stomach discomfort — reduce dosage and increase frequency (2 capsules six times daily instead of 4 capsules three times daily) or take with food. Pueraria Clear Sinus is more effective for sinus infections; Magnolia Clear Sinus is more effective for sinusitis and rhinitis due to seasonal allergies.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

* Sinusitis or rhinitis with purulent, yellow nasal discharge

* Sinus infection with headache, pain, and nasal obstruction

* General nasal problems including stuffy nose, sneezing, loss of smell, and yellow sticky nasal discharge

Background: Sinusitis is the inflammation of the paranasal sinuses with symptoms such as nasal obstruction and congestion, purulent rhinorrhea, pain, fatigue, and fever — caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infection. Rhinitis is inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane with symptoms such as nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, itching, and sneezing — usually caused by allergy, irritation, or viral infection. Pueraria Clear Sinus treats sinusitis, rhinitis, or sinus infection due to damp-heat and fluid congestion — common signs include stuffy nose, sticky yellow discharge, loss of ability to smell, and sinus headache.

Key herb-level clinical data:

— Xin Yi Hua (Flos Magnoliae / Magnolia Flower): chief herb — acrid, dispersing, decongestant properties to unblock the nasal passages; antiallergic — induces mitochondria and caspase-dependent mast cell apoptosis; antihistamine — inhibits histamine release and inflammation; antifungal against dermatomycoses; anti-inflammatory via nitric oxide production inhibition; clinically: 46 patients with chronic sinusitis — marked effectiveness in 35, moderate improvement in 8, no response in 3 (decoction once daily for 7 days); 120 patients treated with 95% effectiveness using Xin Yi Hua as chief ingredient; topical essential oil — reduces mucous secretion, inflammation, and nasal obstruction; 1,576 patients with chronic sinusitis treated topically with 86.9% effective rate

— Cang Er Zi (Fructus Xanthii / Cocklebur Fruit, dry fried): chief herb — acrid, dispersing, decongestant properties to unblock the nasal passages

— Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae / Scutellaria / Baicalin): wide-spectrum antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, Diplococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus dysenteriae, E. coli, Bordetella pertussis, Vibrio cholerae, Diplococcus meningitidis, leptospira, and various dermatophytes; baicalin potentiates ampicillin, amoxicillin, methicillin, and cefotaxime — restores effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotics against beta-lactam-resistant and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); antiviral — baicalein and wogonin boost innate antiviral immunity by stimulating cytokine production and increasing resistance to viral infection in human leukocytes; antifungal against Candida albicans in vivo; antiallergic — inhibits histamine and leukotriene release from mast cells with greater potency than Intal (cromolyn); anti-inflammatory via nitric oxide↓, COX-2↓, prostaglandin E2↓, and proinflammatory cytokines↓

— Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei / Rhubarb Root): clears heat; reduces inflammation; broad-spectrum antibiotic — most effective against streptococcus and staphylococcus species; also inhibits Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi, and Bacillus dysenteriae; active constituents: emodin, rhein, and aloe-emodin; aloe-emodin has potent antibacterial activity against MRSA; anti-inflammatory via nitric oxide production inhibition; neutralizes warming properties of chief herbs

— Ge Gen (Radix Puerariae Lobatae / Kudzu Root): dispels wind-heat; alleviates pain; antiviral against enterovirus 71 (EV71) when given before, simultaneously with, or after viral infection; headache relief

— Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi / Cinnamon Twig): harmonizes the wei (defense) and ying (nutritive) levels to dispel external pathogenic influences; antiviral against influenza viruses; antifungal — cinnamaldehyde inhibits Candida albicans growth; effective against oral candidiasis

— Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba): harmonizes wei and ying levels; anti-inflammatory — significantly decreases secretion of MCP-1 and MCP-3 (monocyte chemotactic proteins), two potent chemokines that mediate allergic nasal inflammation

— Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong / Ligusticum): relieves sinus headache; anti-inflammatory — phthalide lactones suppress TNF-α production and bioactivity

— Jie Geng (Radix Platycodonis / Platycodon): eliminates pus; resolves nasal discharge and post-nasal drip; antiallergic — inhibits inflammatory cytokines and signaling cascades in vivo and in vitro; inhibits IgE-mediated mast cell response

— Bai Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae / Angelica Dahurica): eliminates pus; resolves nasal discharge and post-nasal drip; antihistamine — inhibits histamine release and inflammation; analgesic — headache and sinus pain relief

— Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum): clears heat; reduces inflammation; neutralizes warming properties of chief herbs

— Sheng Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens / Fresh Ginger): harmonizes formula; protects middle jiao; anti-inflammatory — inhibits prostaglandin biosynthesis (similar to NSAIDs), suppresses COX-1 and COX-2, and inhibits 5-lipoxygenase to suppress leukotriene biosynthesis

— Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae / Jujube): harmonizes formula; protects middle jiao

— Gan Cao (Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae): harmonizes formula; protects middle jiao

WESTERN THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Antibacterial — Huang Qin (MRSA, 10+ species, potentiates beta-lactams); Da Huang (MRSA, streptococcus, staphylococcus, emodin, aloe-emodin)

* Antiviral — Huang Qin (baicalein, wogonin — innate immunity↑); Ge Gen (EV71); Gui Zhi (influenza)

* Antifungal — Xin Yi Hua (dermatomycoses); Gui Zhi (Candida albicans, cinnamaldehyde); Huang Qin (Candida albicans in vivo)

* Antiallergic / antihistamine — Xin Yi Hua (mast cell apoptosis, histamine↓); Bai Zhi (histamine↓); Jie Geng (cytokines↓, IgE↓); Huang Qin (histamine↓, leukotriene↓ — greater potency than Intal/cromolyn)

* Anti-inflammatory — Huang Qin (NO↓, COX-2↓, PGE2↓); Da Huang (NO↓); Xin Yi Hua (NO↓); Chuan Xiong (TNF-α↓); Bai Shao (MCP-1↓, MCP-3↓); Sheng Jiang (COX-1↓, COX-2↓, 5-LOX↓)

* Analgesic — Bai Zhi; Chuan Xiong; Ge Gen (sinus headache and pain relief)

* Decongestant — Xin Yi Hua; Cang Er Zi (unblock nasal passages, reduce mucous secretion)

CHINESE THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS

* Dispels damp-heat accumulation (Huang Qin, Da Huang, Shi Gao)

* Removes fluid congestion; unblocks nasal obstruction (Xin Yi Hua, Cang Er Zi)

* Clears heat; dispels purulent infection (Huang Qin, Da Huang, Jie Geng, Bai Zhi)

* Alleviates sinus pain and headache (Chuan Xiong, Bai Zhi, Ge Gen)

* Harmonizes wei and ying levels; dispels external pathogenic influences (Gui Zhi, Bai Shao)

* Harmonizes formula; protects middle jiao (Da Zao, Sheng Jiang, Gan Cao)

DOSAGE

Treatment: 4–6 capsules three times daily with warm water on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after meals. Maintenance/prevention: 3 capsules twice daily.

Supplementary formulas: Ear, nose, and throat infection — add Herbal ENT. Enhance antibacterial function — add Herbal ABX. Enhance antiviral function — add Herbal AVR. Profuse yellow phlegm, post-nasal drip, dyspnea, or chest congestion — use Pinellia XPT. Underlying damp and phlegm with Spleen qi deficiency — add Pinellia Complex. Wind-heat at the exterior — add Lonicera Complex. Lung heat with cough, dyspnea, and fever — add Respitrol (Heat). Acute headache — add Corydalin (AC). Chronic headache due to deficiency — add Corydalin (CR). Nasal symptoms from environmental or toxic poisoning — add Herbal DTX. Excess heat — add Gardenia Complex. Strengthen constitution — use Imperial Tonic. Enhance immunity against allergies — take Immune + at low dose (1–2 capsules/day) during non-allergy seasons. Severe inflammation — combine with Astringent Complex.

Nutrition: Reduce or eliminate dairy products — they increase mucus production. Drink plenty of distilled water throughout the day to help drainage. Ensure adequate vitamin A (essential for healthy mucous lining of the respiratory tract) and vitamin C (prevents and treats infection). Foods that damage the Spleen should be avoided: all sugars (cake, dessert, candy, chocolate, canned juice, soft drinks, caffeinated drinks, stevia, agave, xylitol, corn syrup); raw or uncooked meats (sashimi, sushi, steak tartar); cooling foods (tofu, tomato, celery, asparagus, bamboo, seaweed, kelp, bitter melon, cucumber, watermelon, citrus, grapefruit, pineapple, banana, papaya, white radish — neutralize by cooking or adding 20 pieces of Gou Qi Zi); white rice and bread (produce dampness); seafood especially shellfish (crabs, oysters, scallops, clams, lobster, shrimp — enter the yangming Stomach channel); fermented foods (cheese, fermented tofu); dairy (milk, cream, yogurt, cheese, ice cream); lamb, beef, goose, or duck; fried or greasy foods. Avoid warm/hot natured foods that damage qi and yin: heat-producing fruits (mango, durian), stimulants (coffee, alcohol, energy drinks), and spicy/pungent/aromatic vegetables (pepper, garlic, onions, basil, rosemary, cumin, fennel, anise, leeks, chives, scallions, thyme, saffron, wormwood, mustard, chili, wasabi). Avoid artificial coloring and processed meats (lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages) — nitrites are linked to inflammation and chronic disease.

Tao of Nutrition (Dr. Maoshing Ni and Cathy McNease):

— Allergy: Ginger, onions, garlic, bamboo shoots, cabbage, beets, carrots, leafy greens, yams, and ganoderma mushroom. Drink ginger tea to induce sweating. Drink beet top tea as a water source. Avoid wheat, citrus fruits, chocolate, shellfish, dairy products, eggs, potatoes, polluted meats, and polluted air.

— Chronic sinusitis: Ginger, green onions, magnolia flower, bananas, garlic, black mushrooms, chrysanthemum flowers, mulberry leaves, and apricot kernel. Make tea from magnolia flower, basil, ginger, and green onion — drink 3x/day for at least 1 week. Combine magnolia flowers and eggs, cook and eat. Make tea from mulberry leaves and chrysanthemums, then cook rice porridge in the tea with apricot kernels. Boil tea of mint, basil, and ginger — while boiling, inhale the steam through the nose 3x/day for at least 2 months. Avoid coffee and stop smoking.

Lifestyle: Avoid allergens that may trigger sinusitis and rhinitis. Apply saline solution to the nose 3–4 times daily to reduce nasal congestion. Strengthen the immune system by increasing exercise, reducing worry and stress, and developing a normal sleep pattern. Steam inhalation is helpful to drain sinus infections. Rinse the nostrils with cold saline water to desensitize the nose to temperature and common allergens — repeatedly suck in and blow out the cold saline water for 1–2 minutes every morning.

CASE STUDIES

— 37-year-old male (M.B.): Forehead pain for 3 days; thick yellow mucus; fever 102°F; sinus pain on palpation; sinusitis; wind-heat. Pueraria Clear Sinus + Herbal ABX 4 capsules 3x/day. Result: fever cleared in 1 day; pain decreased in 2 days; sinuses resolved within 1 week.

— 28-year-old male (L.T.): Allergies, sneezing, occipital stiffness, sinus headache along Stomach and Gallbladder channels; clear copious phlegm; wiry big pulse left, slippery big pulse right; wind-cold allergies with phlegm dampness. Pueraria Clear Sinus 4 capsules 3x/day. Result: allergies resolved within 1 week; continues to take whenever experiencing allergic reaction.

— 60-year-old male (M.C.): Cough and nasal congestion with yellow discharge; sinusitis and bronchitis; on antibiotics, antihistamines, and cortisone; episodes every 2–3 months; exterior wind-heat with phlegm heat. Pueraria Clear Sinus + Herbal ABX. Result: sinusitis and bronchitis cleared; discharge lessened and color became clear.

— Robustly healthy female: Flu symptoms — sore throat and yellow mucus; wind-heat. Lonicera Complex + Pueraria Clear Sinus + acupuncture + vaporizer facial steaming. Result: effective after 3–4 days at larger dosages. Practitioner noted Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin could be used for more severe cases with heat and toxins.

— 28-year-old male: Dizziness, sinus drainage, ringing in the ears, bitter taste in the mouth, night sweating for ~5 weeks; dry tongue with red tip and greasy yellow coating; pulse 80 bpm, fast and superficial; Kidney and Spleen/Stomach deficiency; fluid in the ears (Western diagnosis); nasal obstruction due to heat. Pueraria Clear Sinus + Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan. Result: dizziness resolved within 2 days; patient noted herbal formulas worked much better than antihistamines.

— 42-year-old midwife: Sinus infection for 10 days — yellow-green discharge, severe pressure and pain in sinus cavity and ears, lymph node swelling and pain; phlegm heat in Lung and toxic heat in throat. Pueraria Clear Sinus 4 capsules 3x/day + Herbal ABX 4 capsules 3x/day. Result within 1 day: much less pain and marked decrease in swelling. Felt "all better" by day 3. Practitioner called formulas "very amazing and powerful."

— 33-year-old male: Frontal headaches with yellow nasal discharge; no body aches or fever; rapid pulse; phlegm heat and wind-heat. Pueraria Clear Sinus 6 capsules 3x/day for 10 days. Result: phlegm and headaches resolved.

Related Reading

Also see: Magnolia Clear Sinus – for sinusitis and rhinitis with clear watery discharge from wind-cold | Herbal ABX – to enhance antibacterial function | Herbal AVR – to enhance antiviral function | Herbal ENT – for ear, nose, and throat infection | Lonicera Complex – for wind-heat at the exterior | Pinellia XPT – for profuse yellow phlegm and post-nasal drip | Pinellia Complex – for damp and phlegm with Spleen qi deficiency | Respitrol (Heat) – for Lung heat with cough, dyspnea, and fever | Gardenia Complex – for excess heat | Herbal DTX – for nasal symptoms from environmental poisoning | Immune + – to enhance immunity against allergies | Imperial Tonic – to strengthen overall constitution | Astringent Complex – for severe inflammation | Respiratory Health & Lung Support Collection.