Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2000 Jun; 44(6): 1708-9.

Ineffectiveness of echinacea for prevention of experimental rhinovirus colds.

Turner RB, Riker DK, Gangemi JD.

Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA. turnerr@musc.edu

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of echinacea for the prevention of experimental rhinovirus colds. Infection occurred in 44 and 57% and illness occurred in 36 and 43% of the echinacea- and placebo-treated subjects, respectively. This preparation of echinacea had no significant effect on either the occurrence of infection or the severity of illness.