Is naturopathy an effective treatment for the common cold?

Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea puruprea, Echinacea pallida) is one of the most widely used herbal supplements in the world. Echinacea seems to improve the body's natural immune system during colds and flu. However, preliminary studies have mixed results in using Echinacea for preventing the common cold in adults. Although multiple low quality studies have previously suggested that adults taking Echinacea by mouth when cold symptoms begin may reduce the length and severity of symptoms, a clinical trial in July 2005 did not demonstrate any clinical benefit. Recent _meta_-analyses are conflicting; one suggested that standardized extracts of Echinacea were effective in the prevention of symptoms of the common cold after clinical inoculation, compared with placebo, whereas the other reported no such benefit. Further research is needed. Also, initial research suggests that Echinacea may not be helpful in children for alleviation of cold symptoms, possibly because parents are not able to recognize the onset of common cold symptoms soon enough to begin treatment, or because the dose of Echinacea for use in children is not clear. There are fundamental differences in causes of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms in children versus adults (bacterial versus viral causes; different viruses; different sites of infection; etc). Until additional research is available, Echinacea cannot be considered effective in children for this use. Furthermore, development of rash has been associated with Echinacea use, and therefore the risks may outweigh the potential benefits in this population. Caution is advised when taking Echinacea supplements, as adverse effects including drug interactions are possible. Echinacea supplements should not be used if pregnant or breastfeeding, unless otherwise directed by a doctor.