IS EHINACHEA AN EFFECTIVE COLD REMEDY?

Placebo effect or actual remedy? Many people swear by Echinacea for reducing the effects and shortening the duration of their cold symptoms. The multitude of research studies on Echinachea reveal conflicting results.

A new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (July 28, 2005; number 4; Volume 353:341-348) reports, "no statistically significant effects . . .

on rates of infection or severity of symptoms. Similarly, there were no significant effects of treatment on the volume of nasal secretions, on polymorphonuclear leukocyte or interleukin-8 concentrations in nasal lavage specimens, or on quantitative-virus titer."

The authors' conclusions: save your money.