Echinacea News and Research

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Many herbal medicines banned under EU directives

According to the new EU rules that came into force over the weekend, hundreds of herbal remedies are now banned. The laws are aimed at protecting consumers from potentially damaging “traditional” medicines.

1 May 2011

Experts offer myth-busting advice to fight against spring allergies

Millions of Americans sneeze and wheeze March through June when they use misinformation to manage their spring allergies.

27 Feb 2011

Echinacea only offers modest benefit in common cold: study

In a large clinical trial involving more than 700 adults and children researchers showed that the popular herbal remedy Echinacea can cut only half a day from a week long common cold. Echinacea has been marketed for a long time for the common cold. Echinacea, also known as purple coneflower has been shown to have benefits in some earlier studies while some show no benefits.

21 Dec 2010

Echinacea may have minimal impact in relieving common cold

An over-the-counter herbal treatment believed to have medicinal benefits has minimal impact in relieving the common cold, according to research by the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

21 Dec 2010

Jamieson releases flu-fighting formula with echinacea

Jamieson Laboratories, Canada's largest manufacturer of advanced natural-health products, announced the release of FluShield™, a clinically proven flu-fighting formula that is made with a patented, next-generation echinacea extract known as LPx3.

27 Oct 2010

Germplasm accessions of St. John's wort screened for biologically active compounds

A unique collection of St. John's wort (Hypericum) curated by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Ames, Iowa, is providing university collaborators with genetically diverse, well-documented sources of this herb to use in studies examining its medicinal potential.

3 Apr 2010

Mayo Clinic introduces a reliable and easy-to-understand resource on alternative medicine

Want to find ways that may help prevent illness naturally, for a fraction of the cost of a trip to the doctor? Interested in taking control of your health with evidence-based practices that complement conventional medicine?

2 Apr 2010

ALCAT Laboratory introduces compatibility testing to over 130 new functional foods and medicinal herbs

Millions of people use herbs and functional foods to treat countless ailments, from hiccups and hemorrhoids, to balance hormones and stimulate libido. They may work well as natural remedies, but are they safe for everyone?

15 Feb 2010

$1.2 million federal grant to University of Illinois for botanical dietary supplements research

The University of Illinois at Chicago has received a two-year, $1.2 million federal grant to develop a new method to identify the contents of botanical dietary supplements and how they work.

13 Nov 2009

New organic herbal products to help support body's immune system

Gaia Herbs, a leading grower and manufacturer of natural and organic herbal products, announces Quick Defense Liquid Phyto-Caps, a combination of high potency organic Echinacea, organic Elderberry, organic Ginger and Andrographis that helps support the body's immune system at onset.

10 Nov 2009

H1N1 vaccine: Discussions and debates

You can't avoid H1N1 media coverage. It's front-page news on the web, the presses, the airways. Vaccine details, or lack of, are spurring discussion and debate. And a lot of people are in a quandary about whether or not to have the H1N1 shot based on their personal views and the information disseminated for public knowledge.

4 Nov 2009

Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on complementary and alternative medicine

Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) over the previous 12 months, according to a 2007 government survey.

30 Jul 2009

URMC expert informs lupus patients on nutrition myths, realities

With May being Lupus Awareness Month, next week University of Rochester Medical Center rheumatologist Jennifer Anolik, M.D., Ph.D., will offer a free public talk that sheds light on how sensible eating and fitness habits can help patients better manage the disease.

30 Apr 2009

12 percent of U.S. children use alternative medicine

Approximately 38 percent of adults in the United States aged 18 years and over and nearly 12 percent of U.S. children aged 17 years and under use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to a new nationwide government survey.

10 Dec 2008

How are homeopathic products used in childhood?

Despite recent questions concerning the efficacy of homeopathic medicine, it continues to be one of the most popular forms of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in use today. Jackie Bishop of the Children of the 90s study looks at the use of homeopathic products in the early years of life.

13 Jul 2008

St. John's wort not effective for treating ADHD

Children and teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who were treated with the herb St. John's wort did not have any greater improvement in ADHD symptoms compared to those who received placebo, according to a study in the June 11 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

11 Jun 2008

Adverse effects of using prescription drugs with natural health products under-reported

The adverse effects of using prescription drugs side by side with natural health products (NHP) are being under-reported, so the potential risks may be underestimated by health-care professionals and the public, a study from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada shows.

23 Jul 2007