Efficacy of phyto-therapeutics in allergic rhinitis: A review

Abstract

Allergic rhinitis (AR) or hay fever is the most common symptomatic allergic disorder triggered by allergen and if it remains undiagnosed, can adversely impact the general well-being. The ailment is characterized by an exaggerated immune response to environmental triggers including pollen, moulds, ragweed, dirt mites, dust, etc. within the nasal mucosa, ultimately leading to gene environment interaction which elevate the IgE level in the nasal mucosa, and ultimately infection of the nasal cavity. The major signs and symptoms of AR include rhinorrhea, sneezing, eye itching, postnasal drip, cough, nasal obstruction, and fatigue due to nasal discomfort. Various studies reported 20-30% occurrence of the disease and majority of them are inclined towards allopathic medication for instant relief. Since these drugs lead to unenviable side effects in the long term, it is of utmost importance to search for alternative mode of medication with lower side-effects. The use of traditional medication in the form of various herbal plants and their mixture have proved to be effective in the management of symptoms for asthma and AR. Their efficiencies have been restrained successfully in various reports. It has been proven that herbal medicines are safe to use and thus have rendered a vast contribution to the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Hence, the present review is aimed to discuss the efficacy and protection provided by diverse herbal drugs in the management of AR.