Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Isatis (commonly referring to Isatis tinctoria, also known as woad, or its Chinese relative Isatis indigotica) has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the prevention and treatment of contagious diseases, particularly viral infections such as influenza and mumps. The root (ban lan gen) and leaf (da qing ye) are used for their purported "heat-clearing" and "detoxifying" properties, believed to help the body fight off infectious agents. In TCM texts, Isatis is frequently included in formulas aimed at treating febrile diseases and epidemic outbreaks.

There is some preliminary laboratory evidence indicating that extracts of Isatis may have antiviral and antibacterial properties, such as in vitro activity against certain influenza viruses and bacteria. However, robust clinical trials in humans are lacking, and the available studies are often of low quality or inconclusive. As such, while the use of Isatis for contagious diseases is well-established in traditional practice, scientific validation is limited. Its continued use is largely based on historical precedent and anecdotal reports rather than modern clinical evidence. Thus, Isatis is primarily justified by traditional use, with only modest supporting evidence from modern research.

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