"Because we don't have the scientific studies, we don't understand yet the mechanism of how echinacea works," Percival said. "So it's important that consumers understand echinacea should not be taken chronically. It would do more harm than good, taken regularly. Echinacea is only really going to be helpful at the first sign of symptoms of illness."
The boom in the popularity of herbal and botanical remedies began in 1994, when Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act in response to consumer demand. The law allowed dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs and botanicals to be marketed without federal premarket safety and efficacy evaluations. The labels cannot make claims about a disease, but they can claim to "enhance" or "boost" a bodily function.
With the market flooded with herbs and botanicals making claims, the NIH has emphasized research to determine if the substances do what they claim to do.
"Echinacea has been alleged to help cure the common cold. People have felt that it shortens the duration of colds, makes them have fewer, milder symptoms of illness, so it's a natural herb for me to study," Percival said. "But echinacea is only one of thousands of botanicals that should be studied."
Consumers wanted the 1994 law because they wanted unrestricted access to herbs and botanicals. The supplements have become popular because they give consumers the option of maintaining their own health, without the need of a doctor visit or prescription.
The manufacturers, when asked, must supply studies to back their claims.
But so many manufacturers use anecdotal or case studies, some from
overseas, that the NIH deci
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Contact: Cindy Spence
crsp@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu
352-392-1773
University of Florida
3-Mar-1999