OT - Echinacea 'does not cure colds'

[Guest guest]

" Packs would have to include a full list of ingredients and would have to

prove they are not a threat to public health. " Oh how I would like to see

allopathic drugs and vaccines facing the same burden of *proof*!!! But of

course they never will.

As for the guy who says that the chemical constituents of Echinacea change

each time they're analysed - he obviously doesn't have a clue about the

dynamics of natural medicines. They are *living* not dead synthetic

chemical replicas.

The narrow-mindedness of this type of *scientist* never ceases to amaze and

astonish me....( They ought to be on a separate planet!

Love, light and peace,

Sue

" There is just enough room in the world for all the people in it, but there

is no room for the fences which separate them. "

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2586207.stm

Echinacea 'does not cure colds'

The herbal remedy echinacea, taken by millions to cure colds, does not work,

US research has shown.

It found that cold sufferers taking echinacea were actually ill for longer

than those who took dummy pills.

Many believe echinacea, which can be made into capsules, extracts, tinctures

and tea, boosts the immune system.

The remedy is widely used to treat and prevent colds, but previous studies

looking at its effectiveness have been inconclusive.

In the US study, 150 students who had recently developed colds were given

echinacea or dummy pills - but were not told which group they were in.

A mixture of Echinacea purpurea herb and root and Echinacea angustifolia

root was used in the trial.

Participants evaluated symptoms including cough, runny nose and sore throats

daily.

No difference in severity of symptoms was found between those who took

echinacea and those who did not.

On average, the colds of echinacea-takers lasted slightly longer - 6.27 days

compared to 5.75 days amongst those on the dummy pills.

The research team, from the University of Wisconsin, wrote in the journal

ls of Internal Medicine: " We consider the results of this trial to be

negative. "

But they admitted that could be due to the specific preparation of echinacea

they used, which could be different to other versions of the herbal remedy.

The team, headed by Dr Bruce Barrett, added: " Our results do not support a

benefit of echinacea in the treatment of common cold symptoms. "

But he said the trial should not be " the last word " on echinacea, and

further research was needed.

In an editorial in the same journal, Professor of the

University of Virginia, said people buying echinacea were wasting their

money.

" Nobody knows what echinacea's active ingredients are.

" Any expectation of benefit is based on faith rather than science.

" It's entirely possible to buy the same product over and over again and it

actually has different levels of material in it. "

But Trudy Norris, of the UK's National Institute of Medical Herbalists told

BBC News Online said echinacea was a very popular herbal remedy.

" A lot of people do self-prescribe, and I've never had a bad report for

echinacea.

" People should continue to take it if they feel it's beneficial to them. And

I have to say that I believe echinacea is beneficial. "

In the UK, the herbal remedy market is worth around £126m a year. The cost

of echinacea ranges between £6 and £10 for 60 capsules.

A proposed European Union directive would require all herbal medicines to be

registered.

Packs would have to include a full list of ingredients and would have to

prove they are not a threat to public health.

Echinacea facts

Also known as the coneflower, it grows on the US prairies

There are nine species, but only three are used in herbal medicine

Native Americans have used it for centuries to treat a range of conditions