Reported March 27, 2003
Herbal Medicine Buyers Beware!
DENVER (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- You can't always believe the labels on
alternative medicine products, report researchers in a new study
aimed at determining what was really in products claiming to contain
certain forms of Echinacea.

The herbal remedy industry is booming in the United States. Sales of
these alternative medicine products increased nearly four-fold from
1990 to 1997, rising to $5.1 billion annually. Sales of Echinacea
represent 10 percent of the market. The product is generally used as
a treatment for the common cold or as an "immune system booster."

Most people who purchase Echinacea aren't aware of the vast
variations that exist in the product. The variations depend on the
species of Echinacea, use of different plant parts, different methods
of harvest, and other factors. Some products, however, do attempt to
convince wary buyers of their purity by claiming to
be "standardized" -- a term used to suggest an herb is uniformly
comparable with other preparations of the same herb.

Investigators tested 59 Echinacea preparations purchased in August of
2000 at several stores in Denver. Tests were done to determine the
accuracy of the species labeling and to compare contents of the
products with contents listed on the label.

Investigators found only about half of the samples tested actually
matched what was on the label. Six of the products contained no
Echinacea at all, and among those making a claim
of "standardization," only 43 percent lived up to the claim.
Milligrams indicated on the labels were only weakly associated with
those measured in the products.