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The best Echinacea supplement

14 February 2002

Nature has provided a wealth of natural remedies that can both alleviate symptoms of a cold and strengthen your immunity.

One that has perhaps received more than its fair share of exposure is Echinacea - purple coneflower - used for centuries to treat the common cold, coughs, bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and some inflammatory conditions.

Different parts of the plant are thought to work in a number of ways to prevent the spread of viruses and enhance the immune system (see Viewpoint, p 4). But herbs contain dozens of (often unidentified) constituents with beneficial properties that behave synergistically, so we still don’t fully know which of Echinacea’s many chemical components are responsible for its effects, despite over 350 studies so far (Biochem Pharmacol, 2000; 60: 155-8).

In mice, root extracts from Echinacea purpurea, E. pallida and E. angustifolia enhanced phagocytosis - ...

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