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Efficacy of COLD-fX in the prevention of respiratory symptoms in community-dwelling adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial.
J Altern Complement Med. 2006 Mar; 12(2):153-7.JA

Abstract

BACKGROUND

COLD-fX (CVT-E002), a proprietary extract of the roots of North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium), rich in poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides, has been found efficacious in the prevention of respiratory infections in institutionalized seniors and healthy adults.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the efficacy of COLD-fX in the prevention of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in community dwelling seniors.

DESIGN

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial.

INTERVENTION

The participants were asked to take 2 capsules/day of either COLD-fX or placebo (200 mg/ capsule) for a period of 4 months.

SUBJECTS

A total of 43 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older were recruited. Following one month of intervention, subjects were immunized with influenza vaccine.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Subjects recorded the incidence and duration of respiratory symptoms during the study. They also recorded the incidence of adverse events during the study.

RESULTS

The frequency and duration of ARI during the first two months of the study was found to be similar in the two groups. However, during the last 2 months (November and December) significantly fewer subjects in the COLD-fX group 32% reported ARI compared to the placebo group 62%. The duration of symptoms during the last 2 months was significantly shorter in the COLD-fX group than the placebo group (5.6 days in the COLD-fX group vs 12.6 days in the placebo group). There was no influenza illness circulating in the community during the period of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Ingestion of COLD-fX by immunocompetent seniors during an early "cold and flu" season reduced the relative risk and duration of respiratory symptoms by 48% and 55%, respectively. Daily COLD-fX administration can thus be a safe, natural therapeutic means for the prevention of ARI in healthy seniors.

Authors+Show Affiliations

McElhaney JE
Center for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA.
Goel V
No affiliation info available
Toane B
No affiliation info available
Hooten J
No affiliation info available
Shan JJ
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AgedAged, 80 and overCommon ColdDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansInfluenza VaccinesInfluenza, HumanMalePanaxPhytotherapyPlant ExtractsPlant RootsTreatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

16566675

Citation

McElhaney, Janet E., et al. "Efficacy of COLD-fX in the Prevention of Respiratory Symptoms in Community-dwelling Adults: a Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo Controlled Trial." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), vol. 12, no. 2, 2006, pp. 153-7.
McElhaney JE, Goel V, Toane B, et al. Efficacy of COLD-fX in the prevention of respiratory symptoms in community-dwelling adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2006;12(2):153-7.
McElhaney, J. E., Goel, V., Toane, B., Hooten, J., & Shan, J. J. (2006). Efficacy of COLD-fX in the prevention of respiratory symptoms in community-dwelling adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), 12(2), 153-7.
McElhaney JE, et al. Efficacy of COLD-fX in the Prevention of Respiratory Symptoms in Community-dwelling Adults: a Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2006;12(2):153-7. PubMed PMID: 16566675.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Efficacy of COLD-fX in the prevention of respiratory symptoms in community-dwelling adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial. AU - McElhaney,Janet E, AU - Goel,Vinti, AU - Toane,Benjamin, AU - Hooten,Johnathan, AU - Shan,Jacqueline J, PY - 2006/3/29/pubmed PY - 2006/6/27/medline PY - 2006/3/29/entrez SP - 153 EP - 7 JF - Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) JO - J Altern Complement Med VL - 12 IS - 2 N2 - BACKGROUND: COLD-fX (CVT-E002), a proprietary extract of the roots of North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium), rich in poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides, has been found efficacious in the prevention of respiratory infections in institutionalized seniors and healthy adults. OBJECTIVE: We examined the efficacy of COLD-fX in the prevention of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in community dwelling seniors. DESIGN: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. INTERVENTION: The participants were asked to take 2 capsules/day of either COLD-fX or placebo (200 mg/ capsule) for a period of 4 months. SUBJECTS: A total of 43 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older were recruited. Following one month of intervention, subjects were immunized with influenza vaccine. OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects recorded the incidence and duration of respiratory symptoms during the study. They also recorded the incidence of adverse events during the study. RESULTS: The frequency and duration of ARI during the first two months of the study was found to be similar in the two groups. However, during the last 2 months (November and December) significantly fewer subjects in the COLD-fX group 32% reported ARI compared to the placebo group 62%. The duration of symptoms during the last 2 months was significantly shorter in the COLD-fX group than the placebo group (5.6 days in the COLD-fX group vs 12.6 days in the placebo group). There was no influenza illness circulating in the community during the period of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Ingestion of COLD-fX by immunocompetent seniors during an early "cold and flu" season reduced the relative risk and duration of respiratory symptoms by 48% and 55%, respectively. Daily COLD-fX administration can thus be a safe, natural therapeutic means for the prevention of ARI in healthy seniors. SN - 1075-5535 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/16566675/Efficacy_of_COLD_fX_in_the_prevention_of_respiratory_symptoms_in_community_dwelling_adults:_a_randomized_double_blinded_placebo_controlled_trial_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -
Grapherence [↓24]

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