Flu-Kal

Eucalyptus globulus

The word Eucalyptus originates from the prefix "Eu," which implies "true," and "calyptus," which implies "to cover," and corresponds to the lower bud made up of united calyx and corolla parts that seal the flower until it blooms (Kantvilas, 1996). Eucalyptus oil is ethnomedicinally important and popular essential oil (EO) with diverse therapeutic activities such as analgesic(Silva et al., 2003), antimicrobial (Gilles et al., 2010), anti-oxidant (Mishra et al., 2010), antibacterial (Bachir and Benali, 2012), antiviral (Elaissi et al., 2012), sedative (Teixeira et al., 2008), CNS stimulant(Kovar et al., 1987), pulmonary decongestant (Burrow et al., 1983), antispasmodic (Coelho-de-Souza et al., 2005), etc. Due to its therapeutic potential, Eucalyptus essential oil (EEO) has found its application in the treatment of various ailments such as bronchitis(Lu et al., 2004), sinusitis (Kehrl et al., 2004), asthma (Juergens et al., 2003), Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Worth et al., 2009), pain (Jun, Yang Suk et al., 2013), infections (Schnitzler et al., 2001; Yadav and Chandra, 2017), wounds (Velmurugan et al., 2014), cancer (Takasaki et al., 2000), malaria (Nathan, 2007) and last but not the least COVID-19 (Panikar et al., 2021). (information source)

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Euphrasia

Eyebright, Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne (Scrophulariaceae), is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Europe for the treatment of various health disorders, especially as eyewash to treat eye ailments such as conjunctivitis and blepharitis that can be associated with bacterial infections. Some Euphrasia species have been previously reported to contain essential oil. However, the composition and bioactivity of E. rostkoviana oil are unknown. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the eyebright essential oil against some organisms associated with eye infections: Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. GC-MS analysis revealed more than 70 constituents, with n-hexadecanoic acid (18.47%) as the main constituent followed by thymol (7.97%), myristic acid (4.71%), linalool (4.65%), and anethole (4.09%). The essential oil showed antimicrobial effect against all organisms tested with the exception of P. aeruginosa.

 

Eyebright, Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne (Scrophulariaceae), has been used in Europe for centuries as a traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases. Decoctions and infusions of flowering aerial parts are used against dry cough, hoarseness, symptomatic treatment of cold, earache, and headache, hay fever, purulent skin lesion, or catarrhal diseases of the intestinal tract, but especially as eyewash to treat and prevent eye disorders such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, eye fatigue, purulent ocular inflammation, and sties [1–3]. The use of eyebright tea has also been reported in ethnoveterinary medicine for cow eye infection treatment [4]. Despite centuries of the traditional use for the treatment of eye ailments, there has been only one prospective cohort trial carried out confirming the efficacy of Euphrasia eye drops in the treatment of conjunctivitis [5] and a single clinical study investigating the effect of local application of the eye drops on antibiotic consumption in neonates [6]. Moreover, until the recent reports on anticandidal [7] and antibacterial activity [8] of some Euphrasia extracts, the spectrum of antimicrobial action has been completely unknown.

 

The therapeutic effect of E. rostkoviana can be attributed mainly to its antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antimicrobial activity [2, 4, 8, 9]. Among the compounds previously identified in E. rostkoviana extracts [8–10], apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol, quercetin, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, and rosmarinic acid may be responsible for the antimicrobial action.

(information source​)

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● dittrichia viscosa greuter

● commiphora myrrha

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Influenza viruses are categorized into four major types: influenza A, B, C, and D viruses. Influenza A and B viruses cause substantial illness in humans, while influenza C usually causes mild or asymptomatic infections. Influenza D viruses, discovered in 2011, do not appear to cause substantial disease in humans.4

 

Influenza A viruses are the main cause of serious influenza illness and are responsible for important epidemics and pandemics throughout history.They exist not only in humans but also domestic animals (swine and poultry) and wild birds (ducks, geese, swans, gulls, and others), which can act as reservoirs. Although cats, dogs, and horses can also contract influenza viruses, little to no transmission from these animals to humans has been reported.13

 

Two proteins on the surface of influenza A viruses, haemagglutinin (which aids viral entry into cells) and neuraminidase (which aids in the release of viral genetic material), are especially variable and are used to classify influenza A viruses into subtypes. There are 18 haemagglutinin (H) and 11 neuraminidase (N) known protein variants. Currently, influenza A H1N1 and influenza A H3N2 are the subtypes circulating among the human population. In addition, there are two lineages of influenza B virus currently circulating in humans. Annual flu vaccines target both circulating influenza A subtypes plus one or both of the circulating influenza B lineages.

 

Influenza A virus subtypes evolve rapidly in response to environmental, immune, and other pressures. Small adaptive mutations in viral genetic material, known as “antigenic drift,” produce new but closely related viruses. Influenza virus strains generated through antigenic drift are susceptible to varying degrees of immune cross-recognition and result in annual influenza outbreaks that vary in transmissibility and severity. Influenza B viruses, on the other hand, have less tendency to undergo genetic mutation from year to year.

 

Influenza A viruses also evolve through large changes in their genetic material known as “antigenic shift.” This can occur when a new virus is mutated enough that it transfers from another animal species, usually domesticated swine or poultry, to humans. Antigenic shift involves the reassortment of segments of genetic material between distinct influenza viruses simultaneously infecting the same cell. This produces a new strain of influenza virus that is very different from previous strains. In rare instances when such a novel viral strain is or becomes well adapted for survival in the human host, the lack of immune memory needed to generate a swift and efficient response can pave the way for rapid spread of infection and high rates of severe illness and death. These viruses have historically caused pandemics that severely impacted not only the very young and very old, but also young adults. However, in subsequent years seasonal outbreaks were more typical.

 

Risk Factors

The following populations are at higher risk of developing severe seasonal influenza and its complications:
 

• Those under 5 and over 65 years of age

• Nursing home residents

• People with chronic lung or heart diseases or other chronic medical conditions

• People taking glucocorticoids or other immune-suppressive medications

• Immunocompromised individuals

• Extremely obese individuals

• Current or past smokers

• Pregnant women and those who recently gave birth

 

Obesity and Influenza

Evidence suggests obesity increases prolonged inflammatory signaling, which has a dampening effect on the antiviral immune response. Insulin resistance, which commonly co-occurs with obesity, likewise interferes with antiviral immune activity and impairs regulation of inflammatory signaling. In influenza A-infected individuals, those with obesity have prolonged viral shedding; in addition, people with obesity produce aerosols with higher concentrations of influenza virus during an infection, increasing the likelihood of transmission. Obesity has been found to increase the risk of severe influenza and infection-related complications and deaths, and influenza vaccines are less effective in those with obesity than those with normal body weight.

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The Course of Influeza

Influenza Spread

Influenza viruses spread from person to person via inhalation of virus-harboring droplets or aerosols, and through direct contact37:

 

Droplets

Influenza viruses can spread in respiratory droplets emitted by an infected person during coughing, sneezing, singing, or talking. These droplets travel short distances (about six feet) and spread infection when they are inhaled by others in close proximity or by contaminating surfaces and contributing to contact spread.2,37

 

Aerosols

Exhaled influenza viruses can become suspended in aerosols—tiny droplets of moisture that can linger in the air for long periods of time and may be naturally carried distances as far as 12 feet. Aerosolized influenza viruses can be generated during coughing and sneezing, as well as through normal breathing.37

 

Contact

Hands that come in contact with the skin of an infected person or a contaminated surface can transmit influenza virus through touching the nose, eyes, or mouth. Influenza A virus may survive for 24–48 hours on metal and plastic surfaces and less than 8–12 hours on cloth and paper.

 

The extent of influenza spread, as well as its severity, is determined in part by factors such as degree of pre-existing immunity in the population and inherent virulence of the virus in circulation. During a typical outbreak of influenza, about 5–10% of adults and 20–30% of children are likely to become infected, but during pandemics, the infection rate may be higher than 50% The transmissibility of influenza viruses is also affected by environmental factors including humidity and temperature. Winters, marked by low humidity and low temperatures, favor influenza virus spread, and flu season coincides with winter in temperate regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.4 Unlike in temperate regions, influenza patterns can vary in tropical regions and remain active throughout the year. Outbreaks related to air and cruise ship travel in non-winter months have been documented.14

 

Infection, Incubation, and Contagious Period

When an influenza virus makes contact with a respiratory epithelial cell, such as those lining the nose or mouth, it binds to specific receptors on the cell surface. This can trigger a process by which the virus gains entry into the cell and releases its genetic material. The cell is in this way co-opted into generating proteins needed for viral replication. Infected cells produce large amounts of virus that are shed into respiratory secretions, facilitating infection spread. In addition, they release signaling molecules that activate all types of immune cells and initiate the antiviral immune response.

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The time between initial infection and symptomatic illness, known as the incubation period, is typically one to four days, but viral shedding may begin as early as 12 hours after influenza virus exposure.2 Studies indicate viral replication and shedding likely peak about 48 hours after exposure, last for five to 10 days, and correlate with severity of illness. In particular, longer duration of viral shedding has been observed in children, older adults, those with chronic disease, obese individuals, and those with compromised immune function.2

 

Illness and Recovery

The way influenza infection manifests in the body is largely determined by interactions between the virus and the immune system. These interactions are shaped by cytokines, signaling molecules released by infected cells and activated immune cells that regulate the antiviral and inflammatory immune response. A balanced immune response efficiently clears the virus but, in the process, causes the symptoms of the flu; an unbalanced immune response, however, can be the cause of severe illness and dangerous complications. For example, excessive cytokine signaling, such as a cytokine storm, may successfully clear the virus, but causes a hyper-inflammatory response that results in tissue damage in the lungs and sometimes other body systems. This is the main cause of death in influenza patients. Conversely, if the antiviral response is insufficient for clearing the infection, there may be few typical symptoms, but the uncontrolled infection can lead to lung damage and render one vulnerable to secondary lung infection.

 

For most people, the immune system effectively clears infection and symptoms abate within one to two weeks. In addition, specialized immune memory cells form that can respond immediately to control a second infection by the same virus. Some of these immune memory cells can recognize multiple influenza virus strains that share certain surface proteins. This kind of cross-recognition can facilitate a more timely and effective immune response and help limit symptom severity when similar influenza viruses are encountered in the future.22

 

Complications

The most common complication of influenza is pneumonia, which can be caused by the influenza virus and/or a secondary bacterial infection. Influenza-related pneumonia, especially when it involves bacterial infection, is a leading cause of influenza-related hospitalizations and death. Individuals who are especially vulnerable may experience other dangerous complications including widespread viral or secondary bacterial infection, severe systemic inflammation, and multi-organ failure. The flu can also lead to complications involving the muscles, heart, and nervous system, though these are less common than respiratory complications. One study that included more than 80,000 hospitalized patients with influenza infection found 11.7% had an acute cardiovascular event such as heart failure or heart attack associated with their hospitalization. Another study that included 364 heart attack patients found the risk of heart attack was six times higher during the week after a flu diagnosis than during a period extending one year before and one year after having the flu. Risk factors for cardiac complications include being an older age, tobacco use, and having diabetes or cardiovascular or kidney disease. Observational research has correlated influenza vaccination with cardiovascular protection in people aged 65 years and older, further indicating the importance of vaccination for this high-risk population.

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Mode of action:

FLU-KAL Drops works by possessing the free radical scavenging activity; scavenging the NO free radical from NO donor; possessing antibiotic action against the germs; inhibiting the enhanced production of the cytokines; possessing antimicrobial effect due to the monoterpene constituent; possessing inhibitory effect on candidiasis; possessing antihyperglycemic activity due to manganese chloride; increasing insulin action and secretion; acting against the bacteria that causes infections; completing the deficiency of essential mineral in body;

 

BENEFITS:

• A natural formulation for the relief of symptoms of flu and the common cold

• Relieves symptoms such as fever, muscle pains, headache, sore throat, sneezing, congestion, running nose & cough

• Oral liquid, free from preservatives

• Holistic approach that supports the body's natural healing response

• It is possible to use flukal as preventive or in acute situations

(information source)​

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