http://news.ninemsn.com.au/nnhwatch/story_53070.asp
Echinacea: how effective is it?
Echinacea is a popular herbal supplement, famed for its ability to fight
the common cold. But is it as effective as we all think? Well, according
to Choice Magazine, which carried out tests on 10 echinacea products,
the supplement is not harmful . but the findings didn't turn up anything
favourable either.
At Sydney University's world renowned herbal testing labs, scientists
checked levels of three key echinacea ingredients, claimed to help fight
colds, to see how potent the products are.
"And what we found was the level of those active ingredients was so low
that none of the 10 samples we tested off the shelf are likely to have
any therapeutic effect," said Martyn Goddard from Choice Magazine.
The Complementary Health Care Council says echinacea is a complex herb,
and because it is extracted from different parts of the plant, such as
the root or juice, levels are difficult to measure.
But Choice is concerned Australians are paying probably tens of millions
of dollars a year for products with little benefit.
"Whether the companies mean to do it or not I don't know but yes
effectively it's a rip-off," said Martyn Goddard.
Choice says this testing indicates the complementary medicine industry
needs a shakeup and it wants the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA),
the regulatory body to test echinacea regularly, and ensure that
labelling is consistent.
The government is reviewing a report on the Pan Pharmaceuticals debacle
with recommendations to make the whole complementary industry
accountable a strong possibility.
"They themselves have a responsibility to consumers if they want them to
trust them, and it shouldn't be a 'catch us if you can' approach, which
some would advocate," said Parliamentary Health Secretary Trish Worth.
Here's the brands Choice tested in alphabetical order:
Blackmores
Echinacea ACE + zinc
CENOVIS
Echinacea 4500 (A)
EUREKA
Extra Echinacea 2000 Combination Formula (A)
GNC Herbal Plus Fingerprinted Echinacea Purpurea
Herbs of Gold
Echinacea 3000
Herron
Echinacea 5000
Nature's Own
Echinacea (A)
Pretorius
Echinacea 4000 Complex Plus Antioxidants (A)
Tallebudgera Herbals
Echinacea chewable tablets (A)
Vitelle
Echinacea Extra Strength 4500 (A)
For more information visit:
www.choice.com.au