We like to inhabit a binary universe. Witness the Olympic games when we salute the winners and discard the losers. Freud might cast this as our desperate embrace of the idealized, omnipotent self as we distance ourselves from the bumbling, malevolent id. What does this have to do with the herb, andrographis, a traditional remedy that has been used down the ages because of its documented anti-viral and antibacterial benefits?
Randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trials, the gold standard for validating the scientific efficacy of any substance, have been carried out on common cold sufferers in Scandinavia, South America and India. All of these studies showed that patients got better while taking this herb with no untoward side-effects. The benefits of this herb are documented in ‘Immune Apocalypse.’
Recently, tragically, a young father in Queensland died from a severe allergic reaction after taking an immune boosting formula containing andrographis. Aside from an allergic reaction a number of other adverse effects have been reported including seizure, nausea, throat tightness and dizziness. Consequently, this immune product has been recalled by the TGA and it might need to include a black box warning about allergic reactions with those who have an allergic history advised to be extremely cautious when using this product.
