Echinacea for the Common Cold
Authors: Paul J. Millea
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2003)

Letters7 October 2003Echinacea for the Common ColdPaul J. Millea, MD, MAPaul J. Millea, MD, MAFrom Medical College of Wisconsin; Milwaukee, WI 53226.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-139-7-200310070-00020 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Barrett and colleagues (1) reported a placebo-controlled trial of echinacea for the common cold. The Food and Drug Administration defines a placebo control as an identical-appearing treatment that does not contain the test drug the placebo control design, by allowing blinding and randomization and including a group that receives an inert treatment, controls for all potential influences on the actual or apparent course of the disease other than those arising from the pharmacologic action of the test drug (2). Alfalfa does not meet these requirements because it is a potential influence on the course of the disease ...References1. Barrett BP, Brown RL, Locken K, Maberry R, Bobula JA, D'Alessio D. Treatment of the common cold with unrefined echinacea. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2002;137:939-46. [PMID: 12484708] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Guidance for Industry. E10: Choice of Control Group and Related Issues in Clinical Trials. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. May 2001. Accessed at www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/4155fnl.htm on 26 August 2003. Google Scholar3. Oleszek W. Alfalfa saponins: structure, biological activity and chemotaxonomy.. In: Waller GR, Yamasaki K, eds. Saponins Used in Food and Agriculture: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. v 405 New York: Plenum Pr; 1996:155-70. Google Scholar4. Jackson IM. Abundance of immunoreactive thyrotropin-releasing hormone-like material in the alfalfa plant. Endocrinology. 1981;108:344-6. [PMID: 6780314] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Medicago sativa.. In: PDR for Herbal Medicines. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics; 1998:963-4. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Paul J. Millea, MD, MAAffiliations: From Medical College of Wisconsin; Milwaukee, WI 53226. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoTreatment of the Common Cold with Unrefined Echinacea Bruce P. Barrett , Roger L. Brown , Kristin Locken , Rob Maberry , James A. Bobula , and Donn D'Alessio Echinacea for the Common Cold Bruce Barrett Echinacea for the Common Cold Ethan B. Russo Echinacea for the Common Cold Seth G. Abrahams Echinacea for the Common Cold Wendy L. Applequist Echinacea for the Common Cold Steve Shober Echinacea for the Common Cold Paul Mittman , Debra Wollner , and Linda Kim Metrics Cited byEvaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysisAn Evidence-Based Systematic Review of Echinacea ( E. angustifolia DC, E. pallida, E. purpurea ) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration 7 October 2003Volume 139, Issue 7Page: 601KeywordsCommon coldDrug administrationDrug regulationDrugsFood and Drug AdministrationLupus erythematosusThyroid diseasesVitamins ePublished: 7 October 2003 Issue Published: 7 October 2003 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2003 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...