Severe nervous system reaction with very stiff muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, and feeling like you might pass out; or infections were analysed in over 500 children - and compared to placebo there were no differences in symptom severity or duration and this held for younger and older age groups, whether the child was in day care or was given paracetamol or antibiotics. Those children taking echinacea were more likely to experience a rash. Hudson, J., & Vimalanathan, S. (2011). Echinacea — a source of potent antivirals for respiratory virus infections. An older study from 2008 examining echinacea use for ear infections found that it did not help and may increase the chance of another ear infection in the 6 months following treatment.

On top of reports of the plant’s highly nutritious extracts, we’ve learned that the portion of the plant that grows above ground is the most effective. Interestingly, in Germany, dietary herbs are regulated by the government, and above ground parts of the Echinacea purpurea species are actually approved as natural remedies for preventing and treating urinary tract infections, upper respiratory tract infections, colds and slow-healing wounds. In 2 small studies, no impact of echinacea on docetaxel( Goey 2013) or etravirine( Moltó 2012) pharmacokinetics was found; however, a case report describes an interaction with etoposide.( Bossaer 2012) Due to upregulation of CYP1A2 (caffeine) and CYP3A4 (midazolam), effects on therapeutic agents such as amitriptyline, haloperidol and olanzapine, theophylline and zileuton, efavirenz and nevirapine, tamoxifen, and etoposide have been suggested.( Awortwe 2015, Grappe 2014) Echinacea was less active in inhibiting CYP2C8 enzyme activity (metabolism of antihyperglycemic agents) than were 2 of the 6 other plants tested (ie, cranberry, saw palmetto).( Albassam 2015)The safety of Echinacea was very good with very low numbers of adverse events thought possibly related to study medication, and no differences between EFJ and VC control in this respect was found. The overall number of adverse events was significantly ( p=0.016) lower with EFJ than with vitamin C, consistent with the reduction of RTIs, complications of RTIs and antibiotic usage. An increased risk for rashes (7.1 vs 2.7%) was reported [ 15] for an Echinacea pressed-juice preparation, however this was not observed for the hydroethanolic extract used in the current study with 1.9 and 2.0% for EFJ and VC, respectively. Kaźmierska A, Bolesławska I, Polańska A, et al. Effect of evening primrose oil supplementation on selected parameters of skin condition in a group of patients treated with isotretinoin-A randomized double-blind trial. Nutrients. 2022;14(14):2980. doi:10.3390/nu14142980

Coronavirus research: Could echinacea act as a prophylaxis against the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus? More research warranted (2020).It’s also possible have an allergic reaction to echinacea, so starting slowly, in small doses, is important.

A meta-analysis published by American Family Physician found the available evidence does not support the use of echinacea for treating colds in children. For ear infections Echinacea works by stimulating the immune system, thanks to natural plant compounds called polysaccharides and alkamides. At the same time, it has an anti-inflammatory effect inside the body. 8Traditionally, it’s also used to give the immune system an extra boost, but the evidence here is divided. For example, while a 2007 review found that echinacea can decrease the frequency and length of the common cold, 9a 2013 Cochrane review found no statistically significant reduction in the number of colds but did agree there was a small preventative effect. 10 Are allergic to chrysanthemums, daisies, marigolds or ragweed because echinacea can cause a rash Research into echinacea’s benefits is mixed. In an older 2014 review of studies into echinacea use for adults and children, the authors concluded that it does not significantly reduce the duration of colds. However, It may have a small benefit in preventing colds. Homeopathic and herbal remedies are not regulated or overseen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For parents, this removes a layer of certainty about what’s in the product you’re giving your child.

Diet & Weight Management

Echinacea is believed to work best when taken at the first sign of a cold. Although echinacea may not prevent a cold, this product might make cold symptoms less severe. The researchers gave children 3 or 5 echinacea tablets daily for 10 days. Both groups required fewer antibiotics, and those taking 5 tablets daily experienced shorter cold duration than those taking 3 tablets. However, echinacea extract appears to have a short shelf life, making it difficult to incorporate into commercial skin care products. May offer protection against cancer

It’s always possible that different doses or different echinacea preparations might work better but the evidence from other research doesn’t support that strongly. If you’re interested in taking echinacea, talk to your GP or a medical herbalist before you do. Dosage How much echinacea is safe to take? Serious eye symptoms include blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights.

Procedures & Tests

Overall, 98.0% of parents and investigators judged the tolerability of EFJ as “ (very-) good”, similar to the control group with 95.9% and 96.8%, respectively. No significant difference between EFJ and control was identified ( p>0.5). https://post.healthline.com/wp-json/wp-offload-ses/v1/c/ZW1haWxfaWQ9MTg0MzImZW1haWxfY2xpY2tfaWQ9Mjc5MDcmZW1haWxfY2xpY2tfdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3Lm5jYmkubmxtLm5paC5nb3YlMkZwdWJtZWQlMkYyNDg2ODg3MSZoYXNoPTNjZjQ4NGNhZTlkOTU1ZGJlYTI5N2MyYzEwZTExYzUzN2RhNTI4YTNmM2UzMDQwZmU2ZmRmYTYwNGEzYTE2NTc=