What can cure a cold?

The common cold is caused by any one of 200 viruses - which is why finding a cure remains a medical challenge. Symptoms range from a sore throat, to blocked nose, headache and fever. There are all sorts of natural cures on the market but which ones work? Liz Bestic reports.

Echinacea
Although recent U.S. research has shown that the herbal remedy echinacea may not work for children it still remains one of the most powerful ways of boosting our immune systems and preventing colds happening in the first place.

It has been used by American Indians for hundreds of years as an immune booster increasing our defences against viruses and bacteria. Echinacea also sweeps away dead cells through the lymphatic system and dispatches white blood cells to fight off infection. It can be taken as a tincture or drunk as tea.

'One reason we believe echinacea works is because the complex sugar molecules in the extract may mimic the cell walls of bacteria so they tell the immune system to be on red alert,' explains Professor Ron Eccles, Director of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University.

He recommends going for the highest quality echinacea which has been grown on site and freshly harvested. 'You can usually tell if it's good quality because you should feel a tingling sensation on the back of your tongue,' he adds.

Garlic

Garlic was used as a cold cure by the ancient Egyptians who ensured that the slaves who built the Great Pyramids had a daily supply. The Romans were also fans and fed it to their soldiers before battle. Today it is still referred to as nature's own antibiotic.

Garlic contains a compound known as ajoene whose active ingredient is sulphur, which has been shown to have antimicrobial activity and is reported to be an effective antiviral agent. Garlic also contains a compound called allicin, one of the plant kingdom's most potent antibiotics, which makes it a vital ally in boosting the immune system.

'Plants suffer from viral, bacterial and fungal infections just like us but they don't have an immune system. They have to produce chemicals such as ajoene to prevent infectious agents from getting a grip,' says Professor Eccles. 'Again look for a good quality garlic supplement or, even better, eat it raw if you can stand it!'

Vitamin C

There is little to suggest that Vitamin C will prevent infection but quite a body of evidence that if you take more than a couple of grammes a day it will have a mild effect on the symptoms of a cold.

Vitamin C also contains ascorbate which is a great antioxidant - a substance that can reduce levels of damaging free-radical cells in the body and fight cancer. Lemons contain plenty of vitamin C and also improve your body's ability to get rid of toxins.

Once a cold has taken hold, a hot lemon drink sweetened with honey will help.

'Hot drinks are fantastic for colds because they promote mucus secretion in the airways which helps to trap bacterial viruses and soothes an inflamed throat and cough,' says Professor Eccles.

Menthol Essential oils containing menthol and eucalyptus have been used for hundreds of years in the treatment of the common cold. Menthol is a component of mint and peppermint oil whilst eucalyptus oil is harvested from the tree.

Menthol provides relief from nasal congestion by causing a cooling sensation in the nose. It can also help ease the symptoms of a sore throat and cough by a local anaesthetic action.

Some experts believe that the antimicrobial activity of essential oils such as menthol may also help prevent pathogenic viruses and bacteria from invading the airways.

'Menthol is my favourite common cold medicine and I have done quite a lot of research on it,' says Professor Eccles. 'It has wonderful properties for relieving a blocked nose and is so safe you can use it on children. It relieves a sore throat because it has a mild anaesthetic action and can help with a cough.'
Zinc

A variety of abnormalities of the immune system have been attributed to zinc deficiency, and even a mild lack of zinc reputedly causes an imbalance of white blood cells, so zinc is among the most important immune boosting vitamins.

The jury is out on zinc lozenges. Some research has shown that they can shorten the duration of common cold symptoms by several days, while other studies have shown no effect.

Zinc plays an important role in the synthesis of proteins, and zinc ions have been shown to inhibit the growth of a virus in test tube experiments.

'There is no doubt that zinc is an essential nutrient and micronutrient for the immune system and if you are short of zinc you will be prone to infection. If you are vegetarian you may be short of zinc because although it is contained in plants, it is not easily absorbed from vegetables,' says Professor Eccles.

Hot baths It may sound strange but a hot bath and particularly a hot footbath with mustard added is an excellent remedy for colds. When your feet are cold, circulation is impaired and, eventually, the blood vessels to the nose become constricted.

So if you warm up your feet, more blood gets to the nose and the blood transports white blood cells where they are needed to fight infection. A hot bath, a sauna or even eating a hot curry - anything which raises your body temperature are all good. 'Fever is one of our major defences against infection and speeds up the the immune system,' says Professor Eccles.

'The steam from a hot bath will also provide relief to the nose and will be twice as effective if you add menthol. You must keep warm afterwards, so wrap up in your pyjamas, put on a thick dressing gown and sit in front of the telly.'

Treat yourself

The most important thing when you have a cold is to look after yourself. Stress is a big factor in lowering resistance, so when you get the first symptoms, relax, have a nice hot bath, and go to bed early - sleep restores the immune system.

Before you go to bed drink a hot toddy which will act as a mild sedative. Hot lemon, a spoonful of honey and a drop of whisky or brandy, will mimic the effects of a cough syrup. One unit will do - too much and the alcohol will block the nose.

'When they detect an infection, our white blood cells release chemicals to the brain,' says Professor Eccles. 'These do three things. They switch on the fever mechanism, stop us eating and they make us feel tired and miserable. This in turn stops us moving about and forces us to sleep. Support your white cells by getting as much rest as possible.'