Workshop - Echinacea: update on current research Mini Review	Planta Med 2008; 74: 633-637 DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-993766
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York
Echinacea for Preventing and Treating the Common Cold
Karin Woelkart1, Klaus Linde2, Rudolf Bauer1
1 Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria 2 Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

Abstract

Echinacea preparations are widely used for common cold. Many consumers and healthcare professionals are not aware that products available under the term Echinacea may differ in their composition, due to the use of different species, plant parts, extraction methods and addition of other components. In 2005, a Cochrane review has been published to provide objective evidence whether the various Echinacea preparations are more effective than no treatment, more effective than placebo or similarly effective to other treatments in the prevention and the treatment of the common cold. In contrast to other reviews, the specific criteria for pooling of data from different trials have been predefined to assure a meaningful meta-analysis. In the meantime two further meta-analyses have been published. In the present mini-review, these latest meta-analyses are evaluated and discussed.

Key words

Echinacea - Asteraceae - common cold - meta-analysis