Immunologic Effects of Echinacea

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2009-08-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The goal of this study is to determine if Echinacea purpurea stimulates the immune system. For the study, 20 healthy adults will be randomized to receive Echinacea purpurea or placebo for 10 days. Blood will be drawn to assess immune markers just before beginning the study medication, during the 10 day course of medication and after completing the course of medication. It is postulated that adults receiving the Echinacea will have evidence of immune stimulation and those receiving placebo will not.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Washington
• Collaborator: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy adults 21-65 years old

• If female of child-bearing potential, willing to use contraception to prevent pregnancy

• Speaks and reads English

• No use of any medication (other than multivitamins, essential fatty acids or probiotics)

• Willing to abstain from ingesting edible mushrooms throughout study

• Willing to eat less than 2 garlic cloves per day throughout study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Positive pregnancy test or currently breastfeeding

• History of autoimmune disease

• History of allergic rhinitis

• History of physician diagnosed eczema

• Known allergic reaction to Echinacea or related species, specifically ragweed (Ambrosia), chamomile (Matricaria), goldenrod (Solidago) and sunflower (Helianthus)

• Use of any medication within 30 days prior to first dose of study medication that is a known inhibitor or inducer of CYP34A