Zeitschrift für Phytotherapie 2022; 43(S 01): S50
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1749297
Abstracts Poster | Phytotherapie 2022 – innovativ

Echinacea as a potential force against coronavirus infections?

S Nicolussi
1   iC-Cure scientific, Rorschacherberg, Switzerland
,
K Ardjomand-Woelkart
2   Department of Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Austria
,
R Stange
3   Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
,
G Gancitano
4   1st “Tuscania” Regiment Carabinieri, Italian Ministry of Defence, Livorno, Italy
,
P Klein
5   d.s.h. Statistical Services GmbH, Rohrbach, Germany
,
M Ogal
6   Pediatric Clinic, Brunnen, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
 

Introduction Echinacea purpurea has been shown to broadly inhibit coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 in vitro [1].

Aim To assess the available clinical evidence for Echinacea preparations in the infection prevention against coronaviruses.

Method In a systematic literature search on MEDLINE and EMBASE articles were selected for clinical trials with Echinacea studying RT-PCR-confirmed viral respiratory tract infections in humans.

Results Jawad collected nasopharyngeal swabs from N=755 adults over 4 months of prevention. Overall, 24 and 47 enveloped virus infections occurred, including 21 and 33 coronavirus detections [229E; HKU1; OC43] with Echinaforce®​ (2400 mg/d) and placebo, respectively (p=0.0114) [2].

Ogal administered Echinaforce®​ extract (1’200 mg) or control for 4 months to N=203 children (4–12 years). The incidence of enveloped virus infections was reduced from 47 to 29 (p=0.0038). Viral loads in nasal secretions were significantly diminished by 98.5%, with Ct-values 31.1 [95%CI 26.3;35.9] versus 25.0 [95%CI 20.5;29.5] (p=0.0479) ([Fig. 1]) [3].

Zoom Image
Fig. 1 Preventive treatment of children with Echinaforce®​ extract reduced nasopharyngeal coronavirus concentrations significantly by 98.5% (p=0.0479).

Kolev applied Echinaforce®​ extract (2’400 mg/d) vs. no treatment over 5 months to N=120 adults and reported 10 vs. 20 coronavirus infections (p=0.046) of which 5 vs. 14 samples tested SARS-CoV-2 positive (p=0.03) [4].

Conclusion Echinacea’s broad antiviral spectrum was confirmed in clinical trials suggesting its potential for prevention of infections by respiratory pathogens, including coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2.



Publication History

Article published online:
13 June 2022

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