May 14, 2003 – Two new studies come to conflicting conclusions about the effectiveness of echinacea in the fight against colds.
The first divided 524 children with colds into two groups: the first received an echinacea syrup and the second a placebo. The researchers asked parents to measure the intensity of four symptoms, namely nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, and sneezing.
In both cases, the common cold lasted for nine days and the severity of the symptoms was the same. The researchers therefore come to the conclusion that echinacea has no impact on the duration or intensity of the common cold in children.
These results were presented at a congress of the Pediatric Academic Society but have not been published.
On the other hand, Dr. Bruce Barrett, on behalf of the journal HerbalGram, has provided an analysis of several of the studies that have been carried out so far on the effectiveness of echinacea. He comes to the conclusion that echinacea is of limited use in combating the early symptoms of the common cold. Echinacea may also be effective as a preventive measure, but the evidence is too weak to justify chronic use.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
From HerbalGram and WebM; April 2003 and May 12, 2003.