Many people think of Echinacea as a natural way to prevent or fight off colds. The independent evaluators at the Cochrane Collaboration analyzed 24 randomized controlled trials of Echinacea for the common cold.
What they found was that the Echinacea products used in these studies varied enormously. There were three different species and different parts of the plant and methods of preparation. Results varied almost as much as the products themselves. One of the authors commented that Echinacea may indeed have modest preventive or treatment effects, but the evidence is spotty. At best, this herb may reduce the likelihood of coming down with a cold by 20 percent.
[Cochrane Library, online, Feb. 20, 2014]
Other herbs that may offer some relief from the common cold include Astragalus membranaceus and Andrographis paniculata. Both are traditional Chinese botanical medicines with some research to support their use.
For more information about these and other ways to ease cold symptoms, we offer our Guide to Colds, Coughs & the Flu.
