Conditions: Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
Keywords: Echinacea prevention immune modulation
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 20
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
The goal of this study is to determine if Echinacea purpurea stimulates the immune system. For the study, 20 healthy adults will be randomized to receive Echinacea purpurea or placebo for 10 days. Blood will be drawn to assess immune markers just before beginning the study medication, during the 10 day course of medication and after completing the course of medication. It is postulated that adults receiving the Echinacea will have evidence of immune stimulation and those receiving placebo will not.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: None arm 2: None

Interventions: intervention 1: Echinacea purpurea intervention 2: placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Echinacea purpurea 100 mg/ml, 25 ml daily in 2 divided doses for 10 days intervention 2: placebo 25 ml daily in 2 divided doses for 10 days

Protocol document: