Echinacea 'halves cold risk'

Source: Retail Digital

Date :25/06/2007 09:30:53

Research from the US has suggested that taking herbal remedy echinacea can more than halve the risk of catching a common cold.

The research found that the remedy decreased the odds of developing a cold by 58 percent and the duration of colds by a day-and-a-half.

However, the results, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases conflict with other studies that show no beneficial effect.

Echinacea, already a popular supplement, is a collection of nine related plant species indigenous to North America.

Experts believe it can boost the body's immune system.

Researchers, led by Dr Craig Coleman of the University of Connecticut School of

Pharmacy, combined the results of 14 different studies on Echinacea's anti-cold properties.

In one of the 14 studies the researchers reviewed, echinacea was taken alongside vitamin C. This combination reduced cold incidence by 86 percent.

When echinacea was used alone it reduced cold incidence by 65 perecnt.

Even patients directly inoculated with a rhinovirus - the most common cold-causing virus – found that echinacea reduced cold incidence by 35 percent.

More than 800 products containing echinacea are on the market, and differing parts of the plant are used in different products.

More work was required to check the safety of the different formulations, the researchers said.

June 25 2007