As a people, we really need to get past viewing herbal remedies as some sort of weird, exotic thing or as crackpot quackery. It’s not, in general.
The average kitchen spice rack is a cornucopia of antimicrobials. Anything used to preserve foods, such as salt, sugar, honey or vinegar is, too. It’s simple common sense, but that’s sorely lacking in a populace that regards a cold as requiring an antibiotic, as if those do anything for a virus.
Plain old garlic would be a wonder drug, if it were patentable. Keep it onhand, for infection, for toothache ... it really is an immune booster, too. Great for lowering cholesterol and arterial plaque, but try and get a medical doctor to recommend it or design a course of treatment that accomodates dietary garlic as an aspect of treatment.
Oil of oregano is another great one, and you never hear about it outside “alternative” venues.
Hawthorne Berry for blood pressure, Milk Thistle for liver, Tumeric for antiodixants, garlic for immune health. They’re all in my house - plus a few others.
My hubby got off blood pressure meds by taking Hawthorne Berry.
So true.
Blame it on the "Trusted Ones" in the white coats. There's no money in herbs for the docs and hospitals. They could care less. Herbal supplement providers don't send hot former cheerleaders to your office to bounce around and leave you free samples of their newest concoction.