Study Says Echinacea Aids Immune System

Echinacea, a popular over-the-counter herbal cold remedy, stimulates the immune system, according to preliminary University of Florida research results. Susan Percival, a nutritional scientist, said the first clinical study of the herb’s effect on healthy men found that it helped stimulate the white blood cells that fight infection. In the preliminary study, Percival gave 10 healthy, college-age men an echinacea supplement for four days, taking measurements of immunity on the first and fourth days. In just four days, she found a stimulation of the immune system in the form of a threefold increase in the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria. However, Percival said her findings do not support the practice of taking the herb regularly, in the absence of cold symptoms.