.....By this time of the year, we are well into the cold and flu season. Pharmacists hear endless stories about personal maladies. We are sort of like bartenders, only we hear stories about phlegm, sniffles and hacks. Our recommendations are well rehearsed; lots of rest, plenty of fluids and some choices from the vast selection in the cough and cold preparation aisle. Now there is a new aisle in most drug stores dedicated to herbals, vitamins and homeopathy. I receive many questions concerning the complementary therapies for colds and flu's like "Do these things really work?" and "Are they safe?" Many are effective and just as many can be harmful. Here are some examples of the most common complementary therapies available for colds.
.....The most popular remedy, and my personal favourite, is Echinacea. Studies using Echinacea have revealed that this plant can have stimulating effects on the human immune system. The recommended daily dosage is 2 to 5 mL of an alcoholic tincture (1:5; 45% ethanol), or the equivalent of 1 g of the dried herb, three times a day. It is generally best to start taking Echinacea at the first sign of a cold or flu. If you already have a cold, Echinacea can still help to lessen the duration of your influenza misery. There have been few side effects reported while taking oral Echinacea products. Since this herbal product can stimulate the immune system, it is thought that it might worsen systemic or		 ...

autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, MS, and tuberculosis. Yet there is no clinical evidence to support this recommendation.

.....Natural practitioners tend to disagree on how long Echinacea should be used continuously. It is thought that the extended use of Echinacea will lead to the herb's inability to further stimulate the immune system. Many feel that Echinacea therapy should be taken in a cycle of 9 to 14 days of use, with a resting period of 3 to 4 days between usages. I support this last regiment with the stipulation that any cold or flu symptoms lasting longer than 14 days should be brought to the attention of a Physician.
.....Another herb that is often taken with Echinacea is Goldenseal. This herb is often claimed to be an alternative to antibiotics. I'm not
so sure about this claim. Goldenseal does have some antibacterial properties, but they are mild. This herbal also has the ability to relieve throat/chest congestion and soothe a sore throat. Goldenseal is generally not recommended during pregnancy and high doses have been linked to respiratory and heart problems. This herbs prevalence in the wild, because its popularity due to exaggerated claims, has been threatened. Many U.S. States have prohibited the wild harvesting of Goldenseal to protect this vanishing plant. For this reason I don't recommend its use very often.
..... There are many other herbal products that are commonly used to treat colds and flus. If you have ever been in an Asian medicinal herb shop, you may have recognized Astralagus as the herb that looks like a tongue depressor. Studies have shown that this botanical can enhance the functioning of the immune system. This product is sometimes used to increase the white blood cell counts of people who have undergone chemotherapy to treat cancer. A lot of cold remedies also include elderberries. Emerging evidence suggests that extracts of this botanical can kill the influenza virus.
..... Garlic is a product that comes up when people mention home remedies for colds and flus. Garlic has been shown to inhibit the growth of E. coli, H, pylori and

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