Um, echinacea you say?
Phytother Res. 2005 Aug;19(8):689-94.
A proprietary extract from the echinacea plant (Echinacea purpurea)
enhances systemic immune response during a common cold.
Goel V, Lovlin R, Chang C, Slama JV, Barton R, Gahler R, Bauer R,
Goonewardene L, Basu TK.
Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of
Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
In a previous paper, it was reported that Echinilin (Factors R & D
Technologies, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada) a formulation prepared
from freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea plants and standardized on
the basis of three known active components (alkamides, cichoric acid
and polysaccharides) is effective for the treatment of a naturally
acquired common cold. However, the mechanism by which this effect is
achieved remains unknown. In the present study, Echinilin or placebo
were administered to volunteers at the onset of their cold for a period
of 7 days, with eight doses (5 mL/dose) on day 1 and three doses on
subsequent days. Fasting blood samples were obtained before and during
their colds. The decrease in total daily symptomatic score was more
evident in the echinacea group than in the placebo group. These effects
of echinacea were associated with a significant and sustained increase
in the number of circulating total white blood cells, monocytes,
neutrophils and NK cells. In the later part of the cold, the echinacea
treatment suppressed the cold-related increase in superoxide production
by the neutrophils. These results suggest that Echinilin, by enhancing
the non-specific immune response and eliciting free radical scavenging
properties, may have led to a faster resolution of the cold symptoms.
Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Publication Types:
Controlled Clinical Trial
PMID: 16177972 [PubMed - in process]
http://www.ncbi.nlm....l=pubmed_DocSum
