What are Echinaforce Echinacea drops? Echinaforce Echinacea drops are a traditional herbal remedy used for the symptomatic relief of colds, influenza type infections and similar upper respiratory tract conditions. Always read the leaflet. Echinaforce drops leaflet. Echinaforce Echinacea is made from fresh extracts of Echinacea purpurea herb (95%) and root (5%). It is available as drops (tincture in 15ml, 50ml 100ml bottles) and as tablets (42 tablets 120 tablets). Echinacea is a plant native to America but is now cultivated extensively in Europe. The plants which go into our product are cultivated organically in Switzerland at our own herb farms. Up to 10 species of Echinacea have been identified, but only three (E. purpurea, E. angustifolia and E. pallida) are used medicinally. Echinacea purpurea is considered to be the one which has been most widely researched and this is the species we use. Our Echinacea is produced using extracts of freshly harvested, organically grown Echinacea purpurea herb and root, picked fresh and used within 24 hours of harvest. The benefit of using freshly harvested herbs has been demonstrated in research - extracts produced from fresh plants contain almost 3 times more active substances compared with those obtained from equivalent amounts of dried herb*. This is why, when you need a herbal remedy to help you fight the misery of colds and flu, not all Echinaceas are the same. *Tobler M et al: Characteristics of whole fresh plant extracts. Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur GanzheitMedizin, 1994 Dosage of Echinaforce drops A.Vogel Echinacea drops (tincture) and tablets may be used by adults and children over the age of 12 years to fight the symptoms of colds and flu. Dosage of Echinaforce drops: Adults, elderly and children over 12 years: 15 drops (0.6ml) of tincture in a small amount of water, 2 to 3 times daily. Do not take more than the recommended dose. Taking too much (overdose) is unlikely to be harmful. Ingredients Echinaforce Echinacea drops: This is the original extract formulated by Alfred Vogel and contains the tinctures of Echinacea purpurea herb and root. 0.6ml drops equivalent to 285mg whole fresh plant. Also contains 65%v/v ethanol. Use in pregnancy or when breastfeeding There is no evidence to suggest that using any Echinacea product during pregnancy or breastfeeding will be harmful to the unborn or newborn child. However, as only a few scientific studies have been done on the use of the herb during these stages of life, the UK Department of Health considers that the benefits of using Echinacea in these situations are outweighed by the risks. Hence it does not recommend using Echinacea in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Side effects Do not use if you are: Allergic to products containing Echinacea Pregnant Breastfeeding You should also be aware that our Echinacea drops, like all herbal tinctures, contains ethanol (alcohol). Each dose of tincture contains up to 350mg of ethanol - equivalent to 8.8ml of beer (less than a tablespoon) or 3.7ml of wine (less than a teaspoon). If you suffer from alcoholism, the alcohol content may be harmful. If you are in a high-risk group (eg. patients with liver disease or epilepsy) you should consider the alcohol content before taking this product.