Echinacea for Preventing and Treating the Common Cold
Karsch-Volk M, Barrett B, Kiefer D, Bauer R, Ardjomand-Woelkart K, Linde K
Published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Methodology
Cochrane systematic review of 24 double-blind randomised trials (4631 participants) of Echinacea preparations for prevention and treatment of the common cold.
Key Findings
Individual prevention trials showed small non-significant reductions in cold incidence; pooled results suggested a possible weak preventive effect, while treatment trials showed no consistent benefit on symptom duration.
Conclusions
Echinacea products show at best a weak and uncertain preventive effect; evidence for treating established colds is not convincing.
Limitations
Large heterogeneity across species, plant parts and preparations; many trials at risk of bias.
Supplements Studied
Pooled results suggested a possible weak preventive effect, while treatment trials showed no consistent benefit on symptom duration.
Outcomes Measured
Echinacea products showed no statistically significant reduction in cold incidence, and treatment effects were weak and inconsistent
Study Details
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