ALLERDEFEN® Allergy Medicine: 'Why these conditions' and 'why this formula'?

Posted by Beck Keogh on October 17, 2023

Welcome to our new blog series, where we will cover each of our products in a little more depth.

In these posts, we aim to provide visibility on the conditions that the medicine treats and the way in which the formula addresses these.

Our founder, Paul Keogh, who has over 30 years of experience as a Naturopath and Medical Herbalist has shared his insights into the formulas.

The first formula we'd like to dive into is ALLERDEFEN® Allergy Medicine. Did you know that around 20% of Australians suffer from Hayfever, eczema and dermatitis or hives?

Why these conditions?

Hayfever (allergic rhinitis) affects up to 4.9 million Australians each year and approximately 1.6 million Australians suffer from atopic or allergic skin conditions like mild eczema and dermatitis, or hives.
The combined prevalence of these conditions in Australia is around 20 percent, with suffers commonly experiencing multiple conditions, especially as they age.
Studies suggest that the incidence of these conditions will increase over the coming decades.
Although most children grow out of their mild eczema and dermatitis, a few may experience it throughout their life, and some will go on to develop allergic rhinitis in adulthood.
Inflammation is a common characteristic of allergic rhinitis, mild eczema and dermatitis, and hives.

Why this formula?

For more than 1,800 years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has used the same combination of herbs (known as Xiao Chai Hu) to relieve the symptoms of what is known in the West as hayfever, mild eczema and dermatitis, and hives.
Most ingredients in ALLERDEFEN ®are anti-inflammatory and Ginseng improves immunity.
Core Botanicals ® extraction methods takes the fuss out of preparing traditional Chinese medicines, so you get all the benefits without having to boil up (decoct) dried herbs and drink the resulting tea.
ALLERDEFEN ® is a convenient, pleasant tasting, concentrated, liquid herbal medicine with a divided daily dose of 40 mL; equivalent to 3 cups of the same TCM combination, prepared by decoction.

Here is a summary of the therapeutic benefits of ALLERDEFEN® Allergy Medicine as listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. All these statements are permissible in marketing for adults and children over 2 years of age. Not to be used for children under 2 years of age without medical advice.

A traditional Chinese medicine called Minor Bupleurum Combination, used for the management of hayfever (allergic rhinitis), mild eczema and dermatitis, and skin hives (urticaria).

Baical Skullcap is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to decrease/reduce/relieve symptoms of allergic rhinitis commonly called hayfever:

Decrease/reduce/relieve post nasal drip
Decongestant/relieve nasal congestion
Decrease/reduce/relieve sneezing
Relieve runny/dripping nose
Relieve itchy throat
Relieve itchy eyes
Relieve eye redness
Decrease/reduce/relieve watery eyes or excessive lacrimation

Pinellia and Baical Skullcap are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to decrease/reduce/relieve symptoms of mild eczema and dermatitis:

Decrease/reduce/relieve skin dryness
Soothe/relieve skin inflammation
Antipruritic/Relieves itchy skin
Decrease/reduce/relieve skin redness

Red Date and Baical Skullcap are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to decrease/reduce/relieve symptoms of skin hives including itching, redness and swollen welts.

Korean Ginseng is traditionally used in Chinese medicine to help stimulate a healthy immune response and promote immune defence.

Herbs with supporting energetic properties*:

Bupleurum and Baical Skullcap are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to clear/expel damp-heat from the gallbladder and large intestines
Bupleurum is traditionally used in Chinese Medicine to sooth Liver Qi
Pinellia and Ginger are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to harmonise the middle-burner (spleen and stomach)
Red Date, Korean Ginseng and Liquorice are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to tonify/nourish/strengthen/replenish Qi

* Herbal energetic properties are included here for reference only and do not imply a TCM diagnosis. If a consumer is unsure whether this medicine is right for them, they should talk to a TCM practitioner or healthcare professional.

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Insights from Our Q&A with Paul Keogh: The Wisdom Behind Core Botanicals®

Introduction:

A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of hosting a live Q&A session with Paul Keogh, the founder of Core Botanicals^® and our valued retail partners. Paul's extensive experience in herbal medicine, spanning over 35 years, has made him a trusted source of advice and innovation in this field. The session was a deep dive into Paul's journey, the philosophy behind his formulations, and the unique approach that sets Core Botanicals^® apart.

We’d like to make these sessions a regular part of our calendar, with different themes that impact the natural health industry. Here are some of the key highlights and insights from our enlightening conversation and we hope to see you at the next one!

Highlights and Insights:

The Art of Formulating:

Paul emphasised the importance of understanding that not all herbal products are created equal. He explained that the quality and effectiveness of herbal formulations depends significantly on who manufactures them and the importance that is placed on sourcing quality materials.

This insight underscores the meticulous approach we take in developing our products, ensuring that each formulation is crafted with precision and care.

Holistic Approach to Health:

Paul emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to health, which is central to his practice. Unlike conventional medicine that often targets only the symptoms, Paul’s method focuses on understanding and addressing the whole person and their unique context. Drawing inspiration from ancient traditions like Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, this approach aims to tackle the root causes of health issues rather than just the symptoms.

Paul explained, "It's about understanding the interaction between the herb and the patient. The concept of energetics pushes us to dig deeper, encouraging a more thorough investigation to better understand and facilitate the healing process."

Bridging Traditional and Modern Medicine:

Paul discussed how he blends traditional herbal wisdom with modern scientific approaches in his work. He highlighted the influence of Peter Holmes’s research on the energetics of Western and Eastern herbs, which deepened his understanding of herbs beyond just their pharmacological properties. By combining this traditional knowledge with scientific validation, Core Botanicals^® offers products that are both effective and rooted in time-tested wisdom.

Paul explained, "I still take an analytical approach to herbal medicine. While I value the concept of energetics, I use it as a tool to ensure that the different aspects of a formulation work together harmoniously. I make sure there are no conflicts and that nothing important is overlooked."

The Why Behind Core Botanicals^®:

When asked why he chose to create Core Botanicals^®, Paul highlighted his desire to make holistic health accessible to more people. His clinical experience showed him the limitations of treating only a few thousand patients a year. By developing high-quality herbal products, he could extend the benefits of holistic medicine to tens of thousands of people, promoting self-care and wellness on a larger scale. He said, "We realised that the only way to make the benefits of holistic medicine accessible to more people was to create products that they could use themselves, in their own homes. This way, we can help many more people than I ever could in my clinic."

Commitment to Quality and Efficacy:

Paul's commitment to quality and efficacy is evident in every aspect of Core Botanicals^®. He shared that our formulations are designed to provide not just symptomatic relief but also long-term health benefits. "Our goal is to offer products that don't just mask symptoms but truly support the body's natural healing processes," Paul stated and we believe this commitment will strengthen our relationships with both retail partners and customers.

Conclusion:

Our Q&A session with Paul Keogh was a testament to his profound knowledge and passion for herbal medicine. His insights into the art of formulation, the holistic approach to health, and the integration of traditional and modern practices offer a glimpse into the values that drive Core Botanicals^®. We are grateful to Paul for sharing his wisdom and to all participants for their engaging questions. Stay tuned for more such enlightening sessions and continue your journey towards holistic health with Core Botanicals^®.

RESPIDEFEN® - ‘Why these conditions' and 'why this formula'?

RESPIDEFEN^®Cough Medicine (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is our best-selling product here at Core Botanicals®. While we are proud of all of our herbal medicines, we are particularly blown away by the community response to this formula.

This product has sold out four times. Since our sourcing and manufacturing process is meticulous, it takes some time for us to meet our demand with supply. In the next three weeks, it’s possible that we will run out of this medicine again and have a gap of a few weeks before we can continue selling it.

Today we’d love to give a deeper insight into our Cough formula, so you can better understand what it can do for your health and how. RESPIDEFEN®Cough Medicine relieves coughing and dissolves and clears phlegm. It relives the symptoms of a sore throat and reduces bronchial mucous congestion.

It has over 90 five start reviews online and has helped thousands of Australians to relive coughing when they’re accessed RESPIDEFEN® by buying it online or through one of our Health Food Store partners in Australia.

Why this condition?

Cough is commonly caused by a mild viral infection such as common cold and flu.
Such viruses can infect your nose, nasal passages, throat, and voice box, which make up the area of your body called the 'upper respiratory tract'.
Symptoms associate with mild upper respiratory tract infection include sore throat (pharyngitis), mucous congestion, chest phlegm and mild bronchial cough (either dry or congested).
In healthy people with a strong immune system, cough and associated symptoms normally resolve within a few weeks (< 3 weeks), especially when taking Respidefen.
A persistent cough (lasting > 8 weeks) may indicate an underlying health problem requiring medical investigation by a qualified healthcare practitioner.

(refer https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cough)

Why this formula?

RESPIDEFEN ® is based on the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) called Stop Cough Power (Zhi Sou San), which provides medicinal effects to relieve cough.
The three main herbs in this formula (Aster, Cynanchi & Balloon Flower) are traditionally used in Chinese medicine as expectorants to clear upper respiratory tract and bronchial mucous congestion, as well as to relieve mild bronchial cough.
Pinellia and Mulberry root bark are traditionally added to resolve phlegm and settle cough, respectively.
Aster, Stemona and Licorice root traditionally act together as antitussives or cough suppressants to relieve a dry and irritable cough.
Core Botanicals ® extraction method takes the fuss out of preparing traditional Chinese medicines, so you get all the benefits without having to boil up (decoct) dried herbs and drink the resulting tea.
RESPIDEFEN ® is a convenient, pleasant tasting, concentrated, liquid herbal medicine with a divided daily dose of 30 mL; equivalent to 3 cups of the same TCM combination, prepared by the traditional method of boiling or decoction.