Echinaforce Junior 180 Tablets

A. Vogel's Echinaforce Junior features echinacea to help relieve cold symptoms in children. Take it as soon as the first symptoms of a cold appear.

• Helps relieve symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold
• Take as soon as the first signs of infection appear.

Historical Overview:

Long before the arrival of the first European settlers, Native Americans used echinacea (sometimes called purple coneflower) to treat all kinds of ailments, from infections to snake bites. Echinacea was popularized by the Eclectic medical movement in the United States during the last century. Subsequently, in America, its use fell into near obscurity until the 1980s. In Europe, however, echinacea gained favor with the medical community as early as the beginning of the century and has been the subject of numerous clinical studies. Echinacea is now the best-selling medicinal plant worldwide.

Actions and Pharmacology:

In vitro studies have shown that echinacea works by stimulating phagocytosis by macrophages and the production of cytokines such as interleukin-1, interleukin-6 (also known as interferon beta), interleukin-10, and TNF-alpha. The polysaccharide and polyacetylene fractions are believed to be responsible for this effect. This action of echinacea demonstrates its ability to stimulate the immune system in the event of an infection.(1) In simple terms, echinacea stimulates the nonspecific immune system, which increases its effectiveness in fighting infections.

Chicoric acid and analogs derived from caffeic acid are currently being investigated for their effect on HIV-1 replication.(2)

Echinacea, particularly echinacoside and caffeic acid derivatives, may protect collagen structures from degradation (oxidation) caused by free radicals. This antioxidant effect is also harnessed to alleviate inflammation produced by the immune system as it fights cold viruses.

Scientific Studies:

Several clinical studies demonstrate the effectiveness of echinacea as an immune stimulant.(3-5) According to the authors of a major meta-analysis (a review of articles on clinical studies), echinacea is effective against respiratory infections, particularly when taken at the first sign of symptoms.(6)

Echinaforce® has also been the subject of several conclusive clinical studies:

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in Sweden using regular Echinaforce® tablets. 246 patients with the common cold took either 6 tablets per day of regular Echinaforce®, a special formulation 7 times more concentrated, another form of echinacea, or a placebo. Echinaforce® and the concentrate were equally effective at reducing cold symptoms and were significantly more effective than the placebo or the other preparation.(7)

Another study, conducted on 119 patients, showed a 60% improvement in cold symptoms with Echinaforce® tablets compared to the placebo.(8)

A recent clinical study (April 2002) involving 48 volunteers shows that echinacea significantly increases one of the markers of immune stimulation: properdin.(9)