Therapeutic Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine on Food Allergy

Summary

The increasing prevalence of allergic diseases in westernized countries poses a significant health problem and a tremendous burden on quality of life and healthcare expenditure. Food allergy affects as many as 6% of young children and 3% to 4% of adults. While the majority of children outgrow their allergy to milk, egg, wheat and soy, allergies to peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish are often life-long. Currently, there are no treatments that can cure or provide long-term remission from food allergy. Based on our preliminary studies, we hypothesize that our investigational botanical drug, FAHF-2TM, will be a safe and effective herbal therapy for food allergy. We are enrolling those age 12-45 yrs old with allergies to peanut, tree nuts, sesame, fish, and/or shellfish.

Timeline

Start

2007-12

Primary completion

2012-05

Completion

2012-06

Publications

• Wang Z, Wang ZZ, Geliebter J, Tiwari R, Li XM. Traditional Chinese medicine for food allergy and eczema. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2021 Jun;126(6):639-654. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2020.12.002. Epub 2020 Dec 10.
• Wang J, Jones SM, Pongracic JA, Song Y, Yang N, Sicherer SH, Makhija MM, Robison RG, Moshier E, Godbold J, Sampson HA, Li XM. Safety, clinical, and immunologic efficacy of a Chinese herbal medicine (Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2) for food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015 Oct;136(4):962-970.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.04.029. Epub 2015 Jun 1.
• Song Y, Wang J, Leung N, Wang LX, Lisann L, Sicherer SH, Scurlock AM, Pesek R, Perry TT, Jones SM, Li XM. Correlations between basophil activation, allergen-specific IgE with outcome and severity of oral food challenges. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2015 Apr;114(4):319-26. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2015.01.006.
• Noone S, Ross J, Sampson HA, Wang J. Epinephrine use in positive oral food challenges performed as a screening test for food allergy therapy trials. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2015 May-Jun;3(3):424-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2014.10.008. Epub 2015 Jan 13.
• Yang N, Wang J, Liu C, Song Y, Zhang S, Zi J, Zhan J, Masilamani M, Cox A, Nowak-Wegrzyn A, Sampson H, Li XM. Berberine and limonin suppress IgE production by human B cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from food-allergic patients. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2014 Nov;113(5):556-564.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2014.07.021. Epub 2014 Aug 22.
• Patil SP, Wang J, Song Y, Noone S, Yang N, Wallenstein S, Sampson HA, Li XM. Clinical safety of Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (FAHF-2) and inhibitory effect on basophils from patients with food allergy: Extended phase I study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011 Dec;128(6):1259-1265.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.06.015. Epub 2011 Jul 26.
• Wang J, Patil SP, Yang N, Ko J, Lee J, Noone S, Sampson HA, Li XM. Safety, tolerability, and immunologic effects of a food allergy herbal formula in food allergic individuals: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, dose escalation, phase 1 study. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010 Jul;105(1):75-84. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2010.05.005.

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