Studying Herbal Remedies

Abstract

How plausible are claims that echinacea, or purple coneflower, a perennial that is native to North America, is an effective treatment for viral respiratory disease? Tracing the evolution of views about the benefits of echinacea from the traditions of indigenous populations to modern claims, one finds little rationale for studying the effects of this herbal remedy on colds. Indigenous populations — who used echinacea in various forms, including teas, local applications, and inhaled smoke — had no concept of disease states or their causes, nor could they distinguish medicinal effects from the natural course of an illness. Herbal texts list . . .