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. 2012:2012:417267.
doi: 10.1155/2012/417267. Epub 2011 Dec 20.

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

E Tiralongo  1 , R A Lea, S S Wee, M M Hanna, L R Griffiths
Affiliations

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

E Tiralongo et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012.

Abstract

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.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study design of the trial for a travel time of 35 days.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flowchart of participants in the trial.
Figure 3
Figure 3
y-axis shows average WURSS-44 scores for each treatment group at the 3 time points surveyed (x-axis), n = 170.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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