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The natural remedy Echinaforce could be a miracle cure in the fight against Covid-19. This hope is definitely awakened with a study from the internationally renowned Spiez Laboratory, which BLICK released yesterday.
The reactions were huge, many media picked up the report, and they started running about the natural remedy! Since Echinaforce from manufacturer A. Vogel of Roggwil TG is known to be helpful in the fight against coronavirus, sales had to be rationed in many places. The manufacturer’s website was no longer available yesterday.
The study says: The main component of Echinaforce, the active ingredient Echinacea extracted from red coneflower, can kill coronaviruses. In their experiments, the Swiss researchers used human tissue from cells of the upper respiratory tract. These were infected with the disease-causing viruses in the Petri dish and then treated with Echinaforce.
She is optimistic: Pharmacologist evaluates effectiveness against corona(08:58)
“Tests have shown that Echinaforce works”
Result: As soon as the viruses came into contact with Echinaforce, they could no longer recover and were rendered inactive. The study sees potential in its use as a long-term prophylaxis. In particular, employees in hospitals, doctors’ offices and nursing homes could protect themselves from infections, so the hope is.
Evelyn Wolfram (48) is a ZHAW professor and expert in natural product chemistry and phytopharmacy. It deals with the discovery and development of active principles of nature. Wolfram is cautiously optimistic about the effect of Echinaforce against Corona: “Test tube tests have shown that Echinaforce is effective against the Corona virus. For one thing, the active ingredient prevents the virus from entering the cell. On the other hand, the virus is inactive, ”explains Wolfram. However, in general, very little is known about how the natural remedy works.
However, it has been shown to strengthen the immune system. Since it is a herbal product, the body can process it particularly well. Because: “Something that already exists in nature, the body can also cope with”. Wolfram says, “You can’t go wrong with that.”
Thurgau remedies: All about red echinacea(01:48)
School doctors are critical
Gisela Etter (53), president of the Association of Homeopathic Physicians, sees potential in the material: “The study provides one more indication that more high-quality studies on complementary medicine are worth doing to support positive experiences in medical practice. “Etter is convinced.
Orthodox physicians view the matter more critically. “This is a test tube study. The observation is interesting, but nothing more, ”says Felix Huber, director of the Medix medical center in Zurich. The fact that the active ingredient works under laboratory conditions does not automatically mean that it can also develop its effect in reality.
According to Huber, this would require extensive field studies with numerous test subjects, similar to researching a vaccine. The studies required to use Echinaforce to treat corona are as complex as vaccination studies. “I doubt I can do that with this product,” he says.
Professor Evelyn Wolfram also comes to this conclusion. But: “Since we don’t have anything else, I don’t see any risk from taking this drug at this time. It has been investigated and is considered harmless, ”explains Wolfram.
Labor Spiez does not accept criticism on the Internet
On the Internet, critics are particularly upset by the fact that Echinaforce, in addition to its active ingredient, is also high in alcohol. So would high doses of vodka kill the virus too? Spiez Laboratory immediately fought malice yesterday: “Of course we test the agent at the appropriate dilution as a control,” the laboratory writes on Twitter.
Effectiveness in humans has not been proven, results cannot simply be transferred, he continues. To provide practical evidence, Echinaforce maker A. Vogel in particular would have to dig into its pockets and fund more research.
