Herbal remedy Echinacea acts only as placebo in treating symptoms of cold

According to a recent study, the herbal remedy Echinacea is actually not beneficial in curing colds and its symptoms. The study reveals that it does not do any better than a placebo when treating sore throat, fever, sneezing and other symptoms of colds.

The herbal remedy, Echinacea, is commonly known as purple coneflower. The flowers, stems and roots of Echinacea, native to North America, are sold in the market as an effective treatment for infections of immune system, according to Medical Daily.

Echinacea offers cold comfort when it comes to preventing sneezes and sniffles. In fact, the herbal remedy touted as a way to prevent colds had only "minimal effects," according to a study from the American College of Physicians.

The echinacea tablets did not reduce the severity of cold symptoms and only shortened the duration of the cough by seven to 20 hours - a "statistically insignificant result," according to the researchers.

The study concluded that in most instances, popping echinacea was not "worthwhile."

But Joy Lindquist, the wellness coordinator of Long Island College Hospital's cancer center, says vitamin C and echinacea work if taken at the very first sign of a cold.

"The reason they don't work in some people is that they are rundown," she says. "If you have a poor diet and aren't taking care of yourself and getting enough rest, don't expect it to work," New York Daily News reports.