Randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of echinacea supplementation in air travellers.

Autor: Tiralongo E; School of Pharmacy, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia., Lea RA, Wee SS, Hanna MM, Griffiths LR
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM [Evid Based Complement Alternat Med] 2012; Vol. 2012, pp. 417267. Date of Electronic Publication: 2011 Dec 20.
DOI: 10.1155/2012/417267
Abstrakt: 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.
Databáze: MEDLINE