We've been over in Italy for the last few weeks, and updates here are difficult. I'll be posting some photos of wild springtime herbs soon, but for now a little tidbit that will surely make news (because it shows a negative result for an herbal intervention): another study tells us that Echinacea doesn't prevent the common cold.
90 volunteers received 3 caps pf Echinacea purpurea tops twice a day for 8 weeks, and reported 8 sick days vs. 12 for placebo. This is an 'insignificant' result. I'm not sure when the research community will figure out that this is a) an inappropriate dose and delivery system and that b) it is an inappropriate application of the herbal remedy.
Perhaps that's not the point. Perhaps media articles that say "Echinacea fails" are more enticing than actual helpful research. I just wish someone would send me the funding that researchers get for conducting these trials so I could buy more compost for my garden...
