Charms & Harms: Echinacea

Abstract

SUMMARY MESSAGE: Trials assessing echinacea for prevention and treatment of URTIs report conflicting results and at present there is insufficient evidence to recommend a particular preparation or dosage regimen. The limited data available indicate that echinacea preparations are generally well-tolerated, although allergic reactions may occur. As with other herbal medicines, echinacea products differ in their pharmaceutical quality, and the implications of this for efficacy and safety should be considered.