Chapter 2

Herbal Remedies for Respiratory Tract Infections

Ferah Armutcu* and Abdulkadir Kucukbayrak

Abstract

Herbal medicine is simply the science of using plants to treat or prevent medical conditions. It is one of the main modalities in traditional as well as contemporary medicine and is increasingly acknowledged due to the extensive use of herbal remedies in public and societies. As respiratory tract infections (RTI) are highly prevalent and variable, especially lower respiratory infections are a leading cause of sickness and mortality both in children and adults. There is a growing need for new treatments for such infections, particularly in the setting of worsening antibacterial resistance. Since ancient times, people who have tried herbs to treat diseases have also used them to treat infectious respiratory diseases. Many plants and herbal medicinederived natural products could be used as an alternative therapeutic potential for RTI since they have antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects. Although there are some doubts about safety and efficacy, Chinese Herbal medicines may help treat symptoms of viral respiratory disease, including COVID-19. Natural products such as plant extracts and their active compounds, directly target the processes involved in RTI and could be suitable therapeutic options with fewer adverse effects. In the meantime, it should be kept in mind that there are many factors that affect the therapeutic potential of medicinal herbs and related products, including the collection and development processing. This section aims to highlight the examples of herbal medicines that are effective against RTI and their properties and therapeutic mechanisms.

Total Pages: 46-71 (26)

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