Hydrangea root extract may suppress rogue immune cells in autoimmune disease

RESET an overactive immune response with this FUNDAMENTAL herb

You know the old horror movie premise…

The killer is inside your own home.

That’s kind of what having an autoimmune disease is like.

Because in cases of rheumatoid arthritis… multiple sclerosis… IBD… and more… an overactive inflammatory response can spread like wildfire throughout your body.

And while inflammation is normally a healthy defense mechanism against infections…

Those with autoimmune diseases find their immunity running in overdrive… for NO obvious reason.

The problem with CONVENTIONAL therapies for autoimmune disease is this – they shut down your ENTIRE immune system, not just the parts that are WORKING OVERTIME!

And in a sick twist, completely SUPPRESSING your immune system puts you in the crosshairs for infection.

Fortunately, there’s something that could help CURB what’s causing the attack on your healthy tissues… without leaving you even more vulnerable in the process.

2,000-year-old malaria cure

Blue evergreen hydrangea (Dichroa febrifuga) isn’t like the kind of ornamental flower you might find at your local garden store…

And THOSE plants won’t do a thing to help CURB your overzealous immunity!

THIS type of hydrangea grows in Tibet and Nepal, with flowers and berries the color of sapphire blue.

It’s the root, however, that’s used in Traditional Chinese Medicine – and has been since the Han Dynasty.

That’s nearly TWO MILLENNIA!

In that time, it’s become one of TCM’s 50 fundamental herbs, known as “chang shan.”

Traditionally, traditional Chinese docs have used it to treat malaria. That’s why they sometimes call it “feverflower root” or “Chinese quinine.”

Its anti-malarial compound is an alkaloid called febrifugine, which scientists first isolated in the 1940s.

Early pharmaceutical companies back then probably got excited when they found out that hydrangea root compounds are 100X more powerful than quinine…

And as usual, that industry wants to weaponize just ONE ingredient that’ll hit a condition with a SLEDGEHAMMER.

Not surprisingly, studies sponsored by the U.S. Army in the 1960s linked this plant chemical to liver toxicity.

But they were USING IT WRONG!

In TCM, one herb is rarely taken on its own. Traditionally, hydrangea root would be combined with other key herbs, like ginger… licorice… and jujube.

That way, it’s A LOT gentler…

But it takes A LITTLE patience to work.

In search of a “quick fix,” researchers developed a SYNTHETIC derivative of febrifugine, called halofuginone.

And I’ll admit, the research on it seems promising…

One animal study out of Harvard showed that halofuginone could reduce symptoms of autoimmune disease in mice.

That may be because it gets to the ROOT CAUSE of an overreactive immune system.

You see, there’s a particular type of immune cell… called the T helper 17 (Th17)… that can GO ROGUE.

But according to in vitro studies, halofuginone can stop those Th17 cells from being made in the first place… without harming the other types of immune cells you NEED to protect you (including the CD4+ or “helper” T cells).

And it all has to do with inflammation.

You see, pro-inflammatory cytokines produced during an immune response help differentiate CD4+ T cells into Th17 cells.

Think of it as your immune system “rallying the troops.”

Th17 cells then go running off with no commander to rein them in… and start shooting out even more pro-inflammatory cytokines (namely, interleukin-17, or IL-17).

And your healthy cells get caught in the crossfire.

By SUPPRESSING those Th17 cells, halofuginone seems to be able to make your immune system toe the line… keep the “stray bullets” of inflammation in check… and PROTECT your healthy tissues from damage.

There’s just one problem.

Halofuginone’s safety is UNPROVEN as a SYNTHETIC drug. So far, it’s been most widely used as an anti-parasitic in veterinary medicine.

It was granted “orphan drug” status in 2012, but only for certain rare diseases.

And compared to THOUSANDS of years, eight years just isn’t very long.

It’s certainly not long ENOUGH to really know how the majority of people will react to the drug – especially those patients whose immune responses have been fairly unpredictable.

Fortunately, the natural form of hydrangea root is available as a supplement in capsule or tincture form. You might find it labeled as “Rhizoma Dichroae.”

Look for one from a maker you trust and that’s been tested by a third party.

And check with a certified Chinese herbalist to see which herbs are best to combine it with.

To pulling the reins,

Melissa Young