Herbal teas: health benefits for daily uses and other frequently asked questions on phytotherapy

Why herbal drugs are preferred?

Herbal drugs are usually characterized by mild action and a high degree of safety even in prolonged use conditions, and due to the large number of biologically active substances, their effect on the body, as a rule, has a wide range of therapeutic activity, harmonized impact on all systems and organs.

Phytotherapeutic agents are also able to strengthen human immunity; they can be used for a long period of time (if necessary, therapy may last for 1-2 years), especially in chronic diseases, without leading to hypovitaminosis and dysbacteriosis. Herbal remedies are active against many strains of microorganisms, resistant to antibiotics. Currently are often applied combinations of herbal substances.

Preventive uses of herbal medicines have many positive aspects: medicinal plants enrich the body with various classes of organic biologically active compounds (vitamins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, essential oils and many others), micro- (selenium, zinc, etc.) and macronutrients.

Infusions, decoctions and teas – what’s the difference?

Infusions and decoctions are water extracts from medicinal plant materials, which differ in the time of heating in a boiling water bath: 15 min  for infusions and 30 min for decoctions.

Infusions are usually prepared from flowers, leaves and herbs; decoctions from leathery leaves, fruits, seeds, bark and underground organs. After that, the infusions are kept at room temperature for at least 45 minutes, decoctions – 10 minutes, then filtered, carefully squeezing the residue, if necessary, adding water to a primary volume.

The preparation of herbal teas is characterized by the fact that a weighed portion of raw material is poured boiling water, covered and infused for 10 – 15 min (sometimes 30 min), filtered, squeezed. As for the qualitative chemical composition, according to phytochemical analyses, teas do not differ from infusions, but can not replace decoctions.

Several specialists of modern phytotherapy offer as a general recommendation for the preparation of infusions and decoctions: 1 tablespoon of dried plant material per 500 ml of boiling water, which is the daily therapeutic dose for an adult.

Should herbal remedies be taken before or after meals?

The effectiveness of herbal remedies depends on the time of their use. The vast majority of herbal teas are taken 15-30 minutes before meals: for children – 15 min, adults – 20-25 min, the elderly – 25-30 min.

Exceptions comprise emmolient, expectorant and bronchodilators; as well those that affect blood pressure and central nervous system (sedative, adaptogenic); hormone-like (excluding licorice), which are consumed 1.5 – 2 hours after a meal.

What is the optimal duration of herbal medicine course?

According to the general principles of phytotherapy, continuous administration of any one herbal remedy lasting more than 3-4 weeks, with some exceptions, is undesirable. The specified period is sufficient for the course. After a break (at least 1 week), one can repeat the course, followed by additional preventive or anti-relapse courses 1-2 times a year for several years. To ensure the principle of continuity, it is necessary to develop 2-4 herbal collections, different in composition, but the similar in therapeutic activity. Alternating the use of such mixtures, side effects, overdose and other side effects are avoided.

When and how to collect medicinal plants?

The good quality of medicinal plant materials mainly depends on compliance with the terms of harvesting, optimal collection technique and drying conditions.

Medicinal plants are harvested during the growing season, when they accumulate the maximum amount of active principles. It is experimentally proven that in the aboveground parts of the plant the content of biologically active substances reaches a maximum during flowering and at the beginning of fruiting, in fruits – during full ripening, roots – after the death of the aboveground part, bark – in the period of spring sap movement.

Aboveground parts of the plant should be collected only in dry weather, in the middle of the day, when the plants dry out from the dew. Underground parts can be dug in wet weather: they still have to be washed before drying. Dusty or contaminated herbs, grown near highways and railways, as well as those damaged by insects, rust or fungal diseases should no not be harvested.

How and where to dry medicinal plants?

Drying is a method of preserving plants by optimal dehydration. Methods of drying medicinal plant materials are divided into two groups: drying with natural heat, without artificial impact (air-shade, solar) and artificial heating (thermal).

Solar drying, i.e. which is carried out using the heat of the sun’s rays, is the simplest, most economical and affordable method. It is used without harm to the roots, rhizomes and bark.

Air-shadow drying is carried out in the shade with good ventilation, in attics, where direct sunlight does not fall. The main requirements are maximum heat absorption of sunlight and good ventilation. Drying areas are usually equipped with canvas racks or metal mesh.

Is there a good substitute for daily consumption of overseas teas?

Amongst the most commonly used herbal beverages on the globe are tea (black, green, etc.), coffee, chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm, hibiscus (karkade), rooibos, Yerba mate, jasmine, rose hip, echinacea, sage, ginger, passionflower, lemon verbena and some others.

From time immemorial, the herbal portion of fireweed (Latin name – Epilobium angustifoium, Polish – Wierzbówka kiprzyca, Ukrainian – іван-чай) was used as a substitute for tea, being caffeine-free beverage, rich in polyphenolic antioxidants.

Infusion or decoction of fireweed is currently prescribed orally for peptic ulcer disease, gastritis and colitis, topically – in inflammatory conditions of the upper respiratory tract and in lotions for ulcers and wounds. Fireweed in case of gastritis and ulcers surrounds the mucous membranes, eliminates pain, cramps and inflammation, and helps regulate acidity.

For a long time folk medicine has been using fireweed for peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, oncological diseases of the esophagus, stomach, intestines, as well as inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract, neurodermatitis, eczema and for migraine, insomnia and oligomenorrhea.

For special attention deserves a new herbal tea «Harmonious» (Ukr. – «Гармонійний-Антеа»), produced by agricultural production cooperative «Antea» (antea.com.ua), which studiously cultivates and manually harvests medicinal plants in ecologically pure locations of Carpathian foothills (Lviv region, Ukraine), adhering basic principles of organic crop production: without the application of herbicides, fertilizers, growth stimulants and any other synthetic compounds. Herbal tea «Harmonious» contains fireweed herb and hazel leaf, promoting the normalization of the functions of the cardiovascular, urogenital, digestive and nervous systems, as well as strengthening the immune system and resistance of the body to the effects of adverse environmental conditions, especially during seasonal colds. It also exhibits anticoagulant, astrigent, restorative, capillary strengthening action.

Which of the affordable herbs have an antiviral effect on coronavirus infection?

Quite a few plants occur in the Eastern Europe, for which scientists have established antiviral activity against various types of coronaviruses.

For glycyrrhizin, the main active compound of licorice (Latin name – Glycyrrhiza glabra, Polish – Lukrecja gladka, Ukrainian – солодка гола) roots, German scientists (Cinatl J et al) have found the ability to inhibit the replication of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)-associated coronavirus. By Chinese medicine licorice is traditionally used in the treatment of viral respiratory infections. The plant possesses expectorant, demulcent and relieving cough effects, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-ulcer, immunotropic and boosting metabolism activities.

Herbal medicines, based on Echinacea, are traditionally used as natural immunomodulators. Herbal tea “ImmunePlus-Antea” (Ukr. – «ІмунПлюс-Антеа») is one of such examples; it helps increase the strength of the immune system and resistance to infections, prevent a cold, recover the body after an illness. Echinacea purpurea, licensed in Switzerland and some other countries as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for respiratory infections, in vitro inactivates coronaviruses HCoV-229E, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV at a concentration of <10 μg / ml (Signer et al., 2020). In addition to coronaviruses, influenza A virus (human and avian), influenza B, herpes simplex 1 and 2, rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (Hudson and Vimalanathan, 2011) are also sensitive to Echinacea purpurea drugs.

Roman Lysiuk,

Department of Pharmacognosy and botany,

Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University,

Lviv, Ukraine