Echinacea is ineffective

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

See:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,163871,00.html

The pdf is available for the paper corresponding to the below table.

N Engl J Med 2005;353: 340. July 28, 2005. Number 4

Article Summaries

Echinacea for Rhinovirus Infections

Either placebo or a preparation of chemically defined extracts from Echinacea

angustifolia root was administered to 399 volunteers before or after inoculation

with rhinovirus. These rigorously controlled studies found no evidence that

echinacea is effective in treating or preventing the common cold.

N Engl J Med 2005;353:341-8. July 28, 2005. Number 4

An Evaluation of Echinacea angustifolia in Experimental Rhinovirus Infections

R. B. and Others

.... Table 1. Effect of Various Extracts of E.angustifolia Root on Rhinovirus

Infection and Common-Cold Illnesses.*

...................................

Treatment Day -7 to 0----Treatment Day 0 to 5----No.of Subjects---No. Infected

(%)

†----95%CI for Difference in Infection Rate vs.Placebo ‡----P Value for

Difference

in Infection Rate vs.Placebo----No.of Clinical Colds in Infected Subjects

(%)----Mean Total Symptom Score **

....................................

CO 2 extract CO 2 extract 45 40 (89) -0.07 to 0.15 0.57 25 (62) 15.45±2.34

60%extract 60%extract 52 42 (81) -0.09 to 0.17 0.46 24 (57) 13.21±1.91

20%extract 20%extract 52 48 (92) -0.03 to 0.17 0.22 24 (50) 12.06±1.74

Placebo CO 2 extract 48 43 (90) -0.06 to 0.16 0.48 27 (63) 14.60±1.70

Placebo 60%extract 48 44 (92) -0.03 to 0.17 0.28 33 (75) 19.20±2.28

Placebo 20%extract 51 44 (86) -0.11 to 0.13 0.89 28 (64) 15.64±1.97

Placebo Placebo 103 88 (85) Reference group —58 (66) 15.05±1.43

..................................

*Plus –minus values are means±SE. CI denotes confidence interval, and CO 2

supercritical carbon dioxide.

†The P value for homogeneity for the infection rates is 0.58.

‡Negative numbers indicate a higher infection rate for placebo, and positive

numbers a higher rate for echinacea treatment.

**The total mean symptom score is the sum of symptom scores on days 1 to 5.

Higher

scores indicate more severe symptoms.

--- Rodney <perspect1111@...> wrote:

> Hi folks:

>

> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,163871,00.html

>

> Rodney.

>

>

>

Al Pater, PhD; email: old542000@...

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