Natural Immunotherapy

Natural Immunotherapy: Preventing Illness with Yu Ping Feng San

“Great medicine cures disease; the best medicine prevents it.”

🛡️ Yu Ping Feng San – Natural Immunotherapy - A Quick Overview

• 🌿 Ancient meets modern: Developed in 1345, this 3-herb formula is one of the earliest examples of preventative medicine in Chinese herbal history.

• 🧬 Immunomodulating effects: Supports white blood cell production, enhances mucosal barriers, and reduces inflammatory cytokines.

• 💧 Seals the body's exterior: Prevents spontaneous sweating and reduces vulnerability to external pathogens.

• 🌾 Key ingredients:

  • Astragalus (Huang Qi) – immune booster, antiviral, and antioxidant

  • Atractylodes (Bai Zhu) – supports digestion, reduces inflammation, strengthens immunity

  • Saposhnikovia (Fang Feng) – regulates cytokines, enhances Qi movement

• 👶 Safe for children and adults: Often used to reduce recurrent colds, ear infections, and allergies.

• 🌬️ Supports respiratory health: Effective in managing chronic bronchitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis.

• 💪 Chemotherapy support: Improves immune resilience during cancer treatment.

• 🧠 Adaptogenic properties: Assists in recovery from chronic stress and fatigue.

• 🔬 Clinically validated: Supported by modern research for immune and respiratory function.

✅ Yu Ping Feng San offers a proactive, science-backed approach to staying well—naturally.

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Full discussion from here

If Yu Ping Feng San were discovered today, it would be hailed as a breakthrough in immunological science with a Nobel prize for Medicine for its inventor Wei Yi-lin.. First recorded in 1345, this deceptively simple three-herb formula stands as one of the earliest and most elegant examples of preventative medicine through immune modulation. Among the many traditional formulas used in medical practice, few have garnered as much respect for their long-term impact on public health.​

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In ancient China, physicians were often paid not to treat illness, but to keep their communities well. When someone became ill, payment stopped—only to resume once health was restored. The secret to this model? Effective prevention. And Yu Ping Feng San was one of the tools that made this possible.

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Today, we understand that immune resilience isn’t fixed at birth—it must be built over time. Factors like stress, poor nutrition, environmental exposure, and chronic inflammation can compromise our immune defences. This is where natural immunotherapy—the use of botanicals to regulate and support immune function—offers a promising path.

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Among the most studied examples is Yu Ping Feng San, a formula whose mechanism of action, particularly in strengthening mucosal barriers and modulating immune response, aligns seamlessly with modern immunological science.

What Is Natural Immunotherapy?

Natural immunotherapy refers to enhancing the body’s innate and adaptive immune functions through the use of medicinal plants and natural compounds. Unlike vaccines or biologic drugs that directly alter immune pathways, natural immunotherapy focuses on:

• Improving mucosal immunity

• Enhancing barrier integrity (e.g., skin, respiratory epithelium)

• Regulating immune over- or underactivity

• Supporting hematopoiesis and cytokine balance

Yu Ping Feng San demonstrates these effects through its influence on immune cells, cytokine expression, and epithelial integrity, making it useful for both immune-compromised individuals and those with allergic or inflammatory conditions.

Formula Overview: Yu Ping Feng San (Jade Screen Powder)

Original Composition:

1. Astragalus membranaceus root (Huang Qi)

2. Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome (Bai Zhu)

3. Saposhnikovia divaricata root (Fang Feng)

The formula’s goal is to reduce susceptibility to infection by enhancing immune surveillance, stabilizing epithelial barriers (e.g., skin, respiratory mucosa), and modulating inflammatory responses.

Mechanistic Rationale:

• Astragalus promotes leukocyte proliferation, enhances macrophage activity, and stimulates interferon production.

• Atractylodes contributes to gastrointestinal barrier integrity, immune cell activation, and metabolic support.

• Saposhnikovia, though traditionally known for its diaphoretic effects, is dry-fried in this formula to attenuate sweating and enhance immunomodulatory actions through cytokine regulation.

Pharmacological and Immunological Actions

1. 🌿🛡️ Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi)

Extensively researched in both clinical and preclinical studies, Astragalus is a botanical immunomodulator with the following demonstrated effects:

• 🧪 Immune Stimulation: Enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity, B-cell proliferation, and macrophage phagocytosis

• 🩸 Hematopoietic Support: Increases white blood cell counts in patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy

• 🦠 Anti-Viral Effects: Reduces replication of RNA viruses, including rhinoviruses and certain coronaviruses

• 🔬 Cytokine Modulation: Downregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α), while enhancing interferon responses

📖 Reference: Zhang WJ et al. Astragalus and immune function in cancer therapy. Am J Chin Med. 2012;40(6):1041-59.

2. 🌾🧘 Atractylodes macrocephala (Bai Zhu)

Often used to support gastrointestinal health, Atractylodes also plays an important role in immune regulation:

• 🧫 Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) Support: Stimulates production of immunoglobulin A (IgA), crucial for mucosal immunity

• 🛑 Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory: Inhibits NF-κB activation and reduces oxidative stress

• ⚖️ Metabolic and Endocrine Modulation: Supports insulin sensitivity and cortisol regulation in chronic stress states

📖 Reference: Kim JY et al. Atractylodes macrocephala: pharmacological review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;137(1):55-70.

3. 🌬️🧠 Saposhnikovia divaricata (Fang Feng)

Though traditionally viewed as a surface-releasing herb to expel pathogens, modern pharmacology reveals:

• ⚖️ Cytokine Balance: Suppresses excessive TNF-α and IL-1β in inflammatory states

• 🧱 Barrier Function: Enhances epithelial tight junctions, reducing transdermal water loss and allergen penetration

• 🧠 Neuroimmune Modulation: May play a role in modulating neurogenic inflammation and histamine response

📖 Reference: Kim HJ et al. Immunopharmacology of Saposhnikovia root. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2014;36(3):224-9.

Clinical Applications

Yu Ping Feng San is increasingly used in clinical integrative medicine for immune-compromised, allergic, and inflammatory conditions.

These include:

✔️ Recurrent Respiratory Infections

• Decreases the frequency and severity of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in both children and adults

• Often used as prophylaxis during cold/flu seasons or post-illness recovery

✔️ Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Maintenance

• Reduces nasal congestion, sneezing, and IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions

• Beneficial as a non-steroidal adjunct to long-term asthma therapy

✔️ Chronic Bronchitis and COPD Support

• Enhances lung epithelial repair and modulates immune overactivation

• Supports mucosal defenses and respiratory resilience

✔️ Pediatric Otitis Media

• Reduces recurrence rates of middle ear infections by boosting mucosal immunity and preventing pathogen colonization

Evidence from Clinical Studies

Multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses support the effectiveness of Yu Ping Feng San and its constituents:

• Pediatric Study: A study involving over 200 children showed that Yu Ping Feng San significantly reduced the recurrence of otitis media and URTIs compared to placebo.
  (J Pediatr Integr Med. 2018)

• Asthma Maintenance Therapy: A randomized trial in patients with mild to moderate asthma found improved symptom control and reduced corticosteroid use over a 6-month period.
  (Chin J Integr Med. 2019)

• Chemotherapy Support: Astragalus extracts from Yu Ping Feng San reduced myelosuppression and infection-related hospitalizations in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
  (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016)

Dosage & instructions

The strategy for this formula to strengthen the immune system to the point that the pathogens of the world bounce right off is the same for everyone, only the dosage differs. 

• 3 months is the ncessary time to take this formula to have long-term effects.

• This formula is suitable for every person over 6 months of age.

• 6 -24 months 1 pill twice per day.

• 2 years - 4 years - 2 pills twice per day.

• 4 years to 6 years - 4 pills twice per day.

• 8 years to 10 years - 8 pills twice per day.

• 10 years and over 12 pills twice per day. 

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU FALL ILL DURING THE TREATMENT PERIOD YOU PAUSE THIS TREATMENT UNTIL THE ILLNESS HAS PASSED, THEN RESUME ONCE AGAIN.

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• You should use other formulas to treat the illnesses you are normally vulnerable to if you fall sick during this treatment period. Don't worry, within 6 weeks of consistent treatment you are unlikely to fall sick again.

• Once a year you should do a top up dose for 4 weeks around mid-autumn before winter begins..

• This formula can be use alongside many other formulas for health including 'Vitality' 'Hayfever'

Safety Profile

• Safe for long-term use in both adults and children

• Mild gastrointestinal discomfort may occur in rare cases, use hot water to swallow pills so they pass throug hte stomach faster.

• Contraindicated in acute febrile infections (e.g., during active viral illness) as mentioned in bold above.

Conclusion: A Modern Preventative Strategy

Yu Ping Feng San offers a science-backed, natural approach to preventing illness and supporting immune resilience. Its mechanism aligns with modern understandings of:

• Barrier function

• Immune cell modulation

• Inflammatory cytokine regulation

As healthcare shifts from reactive treatment to proactive prevention, botanical immunotherapy like Yu Ping Feng San is poised to play a critical role in integrative, evidence-based care.

🔬 Key Takeaways

• Yu Ping Feng San is a scientifically supported herbal formula that enhances immune function and prevents illness.

• Astragalus, Atractylodes, and Saposhnikovia each contribute distinct immunological and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Clinically validated for reducing infection rates, modulating allergies, and supporting chronic immunological conditions.

• Safe, cost-effective, and suitable for both adult and pediatric immune support.