Randomised, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial ofEchinaceaSupplementation in Air Travellers

Abstract

Objective. To identify whether a standardised Echinacea formulation is effective in the prevention of respiratory and other symptoms associated with long-haul flights. Methods. 175 adults participated in a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial travelling back from Australia to America, Europe, or Africa for a period of 1–5 weeks on commercial flights via economy class. Participants took Echinacea (root extract, standardised to 4.4 mg alkylamides) or placebo tablets. Participants were surveyed before, immediately after travel, and at 4 weeks after travel regarding upper respiratory symptoms and travel-related quality of life. Results. Respiratory symptoms for both groups increased significantly during travel (P < 0.0005). However, the Echinacea group had borderline significantly lower respiratory symptom scores compared to placebo (P = 0.05) during travel. Conclusions. Supplementation with standardised Echinacea tablets, if taken before and during travel, may have preventive effects against the development of respiratory symptoms during travel involving long-haul flights.

Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold

“…None of the 12 comparisons of Echinacea preparations and placebo in these nine trials (Grimm 1999; Hall 2007; Melchart 1998; O’Neill 2008; Sperber 2004; Tiralongo 2012; Turner 2000; Turner 2005; Zhang 2003) demonstrated statistically significant results in comparison to placebo (Figure 4; Analysis 1.1).…”

“…Of these, 15 had been included in the previous version of the review (Barrett 2002; Brinkeborn 1999; Bräunig 1992; Dorn 1997; Galea 1996; Goel 2004; Goel 2005; Grimm 1999; Hoheisel 1997; Kim 2002a; Lindenmuth 2000; Melchart 1998; Schulten 2001; Taylor 2003; Yale 2004), two of the now included studies on induced colds had initially been excluded in the previous version of the review (Sperber 2004; Turner 2000) and seven studies have been newly included (Barrett 2010; Hall 2007; Jawad 2012; O’Neill 2008; Tiralongo 2012; Turner 2005; Zhang 2003). One study (Taylor 2003) was in children, the other 23 in adults.…”

“…In four of these trials 431 healthy volunteers (Hall 2007) or persons being challenged by inoculation with rhinovirus (Sperber 2004; Turner 2000; Turner 2005) were treated over a shorter period (two to four weeks). Six trials including 1391 participants (Grimm 1999; Jawad 2012; Melchart 1998; O’Neill 2008; Tiralongo 2012; Zhang 2003) treated healthy volunteers over a longer period (6 to 16 weeks) for preventative purposes.…”

“…The 14 remaining Echinacea preparations were only used in one trial each: tinctures or extracts prepared from E. pallida root (Dorn 1997), E. angustifolia root (Melchart 1998) or E. angustifolia , without information on the plant parts used (Galea 1996); a dried plant preparation based on 50% E. angustifolia root, 25% E. purpurea root and 25% E. purpurea herb (Barrett 2002); a preparation based on E. purpurea root and E. angustofolia root , without information on extraction details (Barrett 2010); a tincture from 80% E. purpure a herb and 20% E. angustifoli a root (Kim 2002a); a preparation based on an extract of E. purpurea root and E. angustofolia root (extraction details not reported) (Tiralongo 2012); a 4% phenolic extract of E. purpurea and E. angustofolia (Turner 2000); three preparations based on E. angustofolia root using three different extraction methods (20% alcohol; 60% alcohol and CO 2 ) (Turner 2005); two kinds of E. purpurea capsules (parts and extraction details not reported (Hall 2007; O’Neill 2008); and a tea preparation based on dry extracts from the aerial parts of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia (Lindenmuth 2000). …”

Rasch Analysis of The WURSS-21 Dimensional Validation and Assessment of Invariance

“…Numerous studies have used this simple sum global severity WURSS-21 score, including several NIH-sponsored randomized clinical trials [10][11][12][13][14][15]. To date, investigators at more than 250 institutions in more than 50 countries have registered to use one or more versions of WURSS.…”