Allergic Rhinitis Treatment: Herbs

A number of herbs--used singly or in combination with others--may be useful in treating allergic rhinitis.

There is a relatively decent amount of research about the use of butterbur and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine for allergic rhinitis.

Some herbs have a modest amount of research that demonstrates that they may be effective for treating allergic rhinitis. They include:

• Hops (water extract)
• Stinging nettle (freeze-dried extract)¹
• Rosemary, Perilla frutescens, and other herbs that contain rosmarinic acid^28,40

Other herbs are often recommended but there is not yet much research evidence for their efficacy in treating allergic rhinitis. They include:

• Barberry
• Bacopa monniera (brahmi)
• Cat's claw
• Coleus forskohlii

• Allergic Rhinitis and Butterbur
• Allergic Rhinitis and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
• Allergic Rhinitis and Ayurvedic Herbs
• Allergic Rhinitis and Homeopathy
• Allergic Rhinitis and Isopathic Remedies
• Allergic Rhinitis and Euphorbium
• Allergic Rhinitis and Galphimia Glauca

The exact effect of butterbur on allergic rhinitis is not clear. Butterbur may help by reducing the inflammation that leads to most of the problematic symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Read more about Allergic Rhinitis and Butterbur.

Traditional Chinese herbal medicine is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a complex, multi-faceted healing tradition with a long history. TCM seeks to restore balance to the body, so Chinese...

Read more about Allergic Rhinitis and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.

The Ayurvedic herbs discussed may have anti-histamine effects similar to those found in conventional anti-histamines. Anti-histamines reduce allergic symptoms by controlling the substances...

Read more about Allergic Rhinitis and Ayurvedic Herbs.

Homeopathic remedies do not work in a direct or obvious way. Homeopathic theory has some relationship to ancient healing traditions, but in many ways stands uniquely on its own ground, unrelated to...

Read more about Allergic Rhinitis and Homeopathy.

Homeopathic remedies do not work in a direct or obvious way. Homeopathic theory has some relationship to ancient healing traditions, but in many ways stands uniquely on its own ground, unrelated to...

Read more about Allergic Rhinitis and Galphimia Glauca.

1. Mittman P. Randomized, double-blind study of freeze-dried Urtica dioica in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Planta Med. 1990;56:44-47.
28. Takano H, Osakabe N, Sanbongi C, et al. Extract of Perilla frutescens enriched for rosmarinic acid, a polyphenolic phytochemical, inhibits seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in humans. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2004;229:247-54.
40. Osakabe N, Takano H, Sanbongi C, et al. Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect of rosmarinic acid (RA); inhibition of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR) and its mechanism. Biofactors. 2005;21:127-131.