Jim,
Reading through your flu background article [Protecting
Your Family From an Influenza Pandemic], I found your mention of [the Elderberry
extract] Sambucol. I'm going to get some but you might want to read the
article on Elderberry posted at the fluwiki web site.
It sounds generally positive about Sambucol for seasonal flu, but does say
this regarding avian flu:
"However, elderberry also increases cytokine production. One specific
concern with H5N1 infections is the possibility that this strain of flu may
induce
cytokine storm, leading to ARDS and the high mortality associated with it.
It is unknown if the increased circulating cytokines that elderberry and other
alternative medicines induce could increase a victims risk of cytokine storm.
Medical science does not currently know the exact mechanism that triggers cytokine
storm. We cannot say if increased cytokine levels before or during infection
is a risk factor for ARDS or an effect of some other mechanism that begins
the inflammatory cascade that results in it. High cytokine levels are documented
to be associated with ARDS, but causation is unknown..."
Regards, - Matt R.