| Disease | A RANDOMISED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, SINGLE BLIND CLINICAL TRIAL WAS CARRED OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF THE PHYTO-PHARMACEUTICAL. ECHINAGARD, 120 PATIENTS WITH INITIAL SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE, UNCOMPLICATED UPPER AIRWAYS
INFECTION. ECHINAGARD (20 DROPS EVERY 2 HOURS FOR THE FIRST DAY AND THEREAFTER THREE TIMES DAILY) OR PLACEBO WAS ADMINISTERED FOR UP TO 10 DAYS, AFTER WHICH PATIENTS WERE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE INTENSITY OF THEIR ILLINESS, TIME TO IMPROVEMENT AND
TIME UNTIL CESSATION OF TREATMENT. ONLY TWO PATIENTS WERE EXCLUDED FOR PROTOCOL VIOLATION AND COMPLETED THE STUDY. AN INTENTION-TO-TREAT ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT 24/60 PATIENTS (40.0%) IN THE ECHINAGARD GROUP, BUT 36/60 (60.0%) IN THE PLACEBO-
GROUP, EXPERIENCED A 'REAL' COLD, IE, FULLY EXPRESSED DISEASE (P=0.044). THE TIME TAKEN TO IMPROVEMENT (ASSIGNING ZERO TIME TO IMPROVEMENT FOR PATIENTS WITHOUT A 'REAL' COLD) WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER (P<0.0001) IN ECHINAGARD GROUP. |