Study: Herbal Meds Shorten Flu

Traditional Chinese herbal medicine works just as well as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) at reducing fever from H1N1 flu, a new study says. The study appears in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study included 410 previously healthy patients who were diagnosed with a mild form of the illness. Their average age was 19. They were divided into four groups. One received the herbal formula known as Maxingshigan-yinqiaosan. The second group received Tamiflu. A third group received both the herbs and Tamiflu. And the fourth group received no treatment. Researchers looked at how long it took for the fever to go away. Those who took the herbal medicine got better just as quickly as those who took Tamiflu or those who took a mixture of herbs and Tamiflu. HealthDay News wrote about the study Aug. 16.