Pediatrics in Review
HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS CME ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Rapid Responses: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Charrois, T. L.
Right arrow Articles by Vohra, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Charrois, T. L.
Right arrow Articles by Vohra, S.
Related Collections
Right arrow Allergy and Related Disorders
Right arrow Infectious Diseases

(Pediatrics in Review. 2006;27:385-387.)
© 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics

Echinacea


Theresa L. Charrois, BScPharm, MSc*
Jessica Hrudey*
Sunita Vohra, MD, MSc*,{dagger}
 * On behalf of the American Academy of Pediatrics Provisional Section on Complementary, Holistic, and Integrative Medicine
{dagger} Complementary and Alternative Research and Education (CARE) Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.


   Introduction
 
Echinacea has been used for centuries in North American traditional medicine for a variety of conditions and currently is used primarily for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Research results on its efficacy for these indications have been mixed, but few adverse effects have been noted, with the exception of some allergies and rashes.


   Definition and Description
 
Echinacea, also known as purple coneflower, is native to North America. The three species used medicinally most often are E angustifolia, E pallida, and E purpurea. Most clinical studies have focused on E purpurea. (1) The properties of commercially available products differ regarding species used, plant part used, extraction method, and whether other plant extracts are included.


   Evidence of Efficacy in Pediatrics
 
Few systematic reviews have summarized the efficacy of echinacea for the treatment and prevention of URTIs. Other reviews have concluded that there may be efficacy in the treatment but not necessarily in the prevention of URTIs in adults. (2)(3)(4) Because these reviews were not conducted systematically with explicit methods, the results and conclusions are subject to bias.

A recent updated Cochrane systematic review includes results from trials that involved both adults and children for the use of echinacea in the treatment or prevention of the common cold. (5) The results can be summarized as follows:




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 The Annals of PharmacotherapyHome page
C. Dennehy
Comment: Community Identification of Natural Health Product Drug Interactions
Ann. Pharmacother., December 1, 2007; 41(12): 2073 - 2073.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS CME ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pediatrics Pediatrics in Review
Copyright © 2006 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.