Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Larch (Larix Occidentalis)  [1, 6, 7, 8, 9]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that Larch helps to treat respiratory tract infections)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Echinacea Purpurea [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation  (Evidence has shown that Echinacea has no effect in the treatment or prevention of respiratory infections)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/echinacea

3. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/echinacea/ataglance.htm

4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16049208

5. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/29145.php

6. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/larch

7. http://www.dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/plants/lichen.html

8. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin, TX: American Botanical Council; 1998.

9. Bown D. New Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses. New York, NY: DK Publishing Inc; 2001.

Public Discussion