Echinacea
Echinacea, also called coneflower or rudbeckia purpurea, is a "genus of perennial herbs used topically and internally. It contains echinacoside, Glycosides; inulin; isobutyl amides, resin, and sesquiterpenes."Anonymous (2024), Echinacea (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Botany
The echinacea genus is in the aster family.[1] The genus contains nine species including E. angustifolia (blacksamson echinacea) and E. purpurea (eastern purple coneflower). E. angustifolia grows in the central United States.[2] E. purpurea grows in the eastern United States except for northern New England.[3]
Role in health care
Common cold
Treatment
There is no role for echinacea in treating or preventing the common cold according to most systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials[4][5][6]. An additional randomized controlled trial found no benefit in experimentally induced rhinovirus infection.[7] A meta-analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration concluded there may be a limited role that needs further study..[8]
References
- ↑ Anonymous. Classification for Kingdom Plantae Down to Genus Echinacea Moench. USDA Plants. Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
- ↑ Anonymous. PLANTS Profile for Echinacea angustifolia (blacksamson echinacea). USDA PLANTS. Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
- ↑ Anonymous. PLANTS Profile for Echinacea purpurea (eastern purple coneflower). USDA PLANTS. Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
- ↑ Yale SH, Liu K (2004). "Echinacea purpurea therapy for the treatment of the common cold: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial". Arch. Intern. Med. 164 (11): 1237–41. DOI:10.1001/archinte.164.11.1237. PMID 15197051. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Barrett BP, Brown RL, Locken K, Maberry R, Bobula JA, D'Alessio D (2002). "Treatment of the common cold with unrefined echinacea. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial". Ann. Intern. Med. 137 (12): 939–46. PMID 12484708. [e]
- ↑ Arroll B (2006). "Common cold". Clin Evid (15): 2006–14. PMID 16973075. [e]
- ↑ Turner RB, Bauer R, Woelkart K, Hulsey TC, Gangemi JD (2005). "An evaluation of Echinacea angustifolia in experimental rhinovirus infections". N. Engl. J. Med. 353 (4): 341–8. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa044441. PMID 16049208. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Linde K, Barrett B, Wölkart K, Bauer R, Melchart D (2006). "Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold". Cochrane Database Syst Rev (1): CD000530. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD000530.pub2. PMID 16437427. Research Blogging. “some evidence that preparations based on the aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea might be effective for the early treatment of colds in adults but results are not fully consistent”