The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7402 p629-630, 635-636
27 May 2006

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Difficulty breathing? Just get eating

Lindsey Cooper and Brian Lockwood explore the evidence that a diet rich in certain nutrients and antioxidants can be of benefit for patients with allergic disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and allergic rhinitis

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SUMMARY

There are many diseases affecting the pulmonary system. The main disorders of respiratory function are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergic rhinitis and cough. These disorders can result from a number of different factors: changes to the airway smooth muscle tone, vascular congestion of the upper respiratory tract and mucus plugging. Airway smooth muscle tone affects the airway resistance and depends on a balance of various neurohumoral efferent pathways. In respiratory disorders the condition of the mucosa and the activity of the glands contribute towards increased airway resistance, with other mediators playing crucial roles.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be used alone, or in conjunction with conventional treatment, to cure a whole range of symptoms. A US survey of practitioners specifically addressed CAM and its use in asthma and it showed diet and nutritional approaches were the most prevalent CAM therapies prescribed by both conventional physicians and CAM practitioners. In recent years, medical professionals have been approached by patients, especially those with asthma, who have claimed an improvement in their health due to these unorthodox practices.

CAM use by patients with asthma was described by a survey conducted in the UK. The majority of patients (59 per cent) had tried at least one type of CAM. Most patients, in particular those with severe asthma, perceived CAM to be helpful and thought it could form an integral part of their therapy. CAM is also used by 33 per cent of children with asthma in the UK. The major applications for nutraceuticals in this area are in asthma and COPD.