The efficacy of these flu and cold remedies largely depends on someone's immune response to a particular virus and the particular remedy. For patients with an overactive immune system, or an excessive number of immature white blood cells, many of these herbal antiviral remedies actually worsen and prolong a bout with a seasonal cold, influenza, or a pandemic virus by overstimulating the immune system even more, instead of helping the body produce healthy and efficient white blood cells and thereby lowering their numbers and inhibit inflammation... Full Text