Echinacea in trouble. (Quick Studies).Echinacea echinacea (ĕk'ənā`shēə), popular herbal remedy, or botanical, believed to benefit the immune system. It is used especially to alleviate common colds and the flu, but several controlled studies using it as a cold medicine have failed to curb cold symptoms any more than a placebo in a study of nearly 150 college students. The participants, who were all recruited within 36 hours of feeling the first symptoms, took either a placebo or three grams of echinacea pills every day for up to 10 days (after six grams the first day). (The pills were a dried mixture of Echinacea angustifolia Echinacea angustifolia (Narrow-leaved purple coneflower, blacksamson echinacea) Is a herbaceous plant species in Asteraceae. The Plants grow 40 to 70 cm tall with spindal shaped tap-root like roots that are often branhced. root and Echinachea purpurea root or herb. No extracts were used.) What to do: It's possible that this study came up empty because echinacea only helps older people who have weaker immune systems immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. or because the pills were missing a potent ingredient that is in some other echinacea preparations. But considering all the evidence, you're better off taking zinc lozenges than echinacea the next time you feel a cold coming on. Annals of Internal Medicine Annals of Internal Medicine (Ann Intern Med) is an academic medical journal published by the American College of Physicians (ACP). It publishes research articles and reviews in the area of internal medicine. Its current editor is Harold C. Sox. 137: 939, 2002. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion