Patient leaflet - HEALTHSENSE ECHINASHIELD COLD AND FLU TABLETS, ZIPVIT ECHINACEA COLD AND FLU TABLETS, SCHWABE ECHINACOLD ECHINACEA COLD AND FLU TABLETS
5: how to store this product
EchinaCold® Echinacea Cold & Flu Relief Tablets
Echinacea purpurea root extract 70mg
Please read this leaflet carefully before you start taking these tablets.
It contains some important information about this product.
Keep this leaflet with the tablets.
You may want to read it again or show it to your doctor, pharmacist or qualified healthcare practitioner.
What is in this leaflet
1: what this product is and what it is used for
Each film-coated tablet contains 70 mg of extract (as dry extract) from Echinacea purpurea root, (equivalent to 420 – 560 mg of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench root, which is the active ingredient. Extraction solvent: Ethanol 75% v/v.
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2: Before you take this product
DO NOT TAKE this product if you:
- are allergic to any of the ingredients or to plants of the Asteraceae/
Compositae family such as daisies, marigolds or artichokes (see section 6)
- have a tendency to allergies such as hives, allergic eczema or asthma
- are pregnant or breast-feeding
- suffer from the infection tuberculosis
- suffer from connective tissue disease such as sarcoidosis
- suffer from autoimmune diseases such as inflammation of the connective tissue (collagenoses) or multiple sclerosis
- suffer from conditions which reduce your immunity to infection such as HIV
- are on therapy which reduces your resistance to infection such as cancer drug treatment or radiotherapy, history of organ or bone marrow transplant
- suffer from blood disorders involving the white blood cells count due to bone marrow disorders (agranulocytosis) or leukaemia
- are taking immunosuppressant medicines such as ciclosporin or methotrexate TAKE SPECIAL CARE with this product and consult your doctor before taking:
- If you are prone to allergies, there is a risk of developing serious allergic reactions to Echinacea e.g. Anaphylactic reactions
- Taking Echinacea containing products may trigger autoimmune diseases
3: how to take this product
Adults, elderly and children over 12: Take one tablet three times a day.
Start taking at the first sign of a cold or flu. Do not take for longer than 10 days.
This product is not suitable for children under the age of 12 years.
Do not take more than the label/leaflet tells you to take.
If you take too much of this product (overdose)
If you take more than the recommended dose, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or qualified healthcare practitioner and take this leaflet with you.
If you forget to take this product
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. It doesn't matter if you miss a dose.
If you have any questions, or are unsure about anything, please ask your doctor, pharmacist or qualified healthcare practitioner.
After taking this product
You must see your doctor or a qualified healthcare practitioner if your symptoms worsen, if you experience a high fever or your symptoms persist after 10 days.
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4: Possible side-effects
Like all medicines, this product can have side-effects, although not everyone gets them. Stop taking this product and check with your doctor, pharmacist or qualified healthcare practitioner if any of the following side-effects occur:
Allergic (hypersensitive) reactions such as:
- rash
- hives
- inflammatory disorder of the skin (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome)
- swelling of the skin due to fluid
- swelling of the facial area (Quincke's oedema)
- shrinking of the airways in the lungs with obstruction (bronchospasm)
- asthma and life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock)
Echinacea can trigger allergic reactions in patients who have a tendency to develop allergic conditions
Association with autoimmune diseases has been reported such as:
- inflammation of the brain and spinal cord (disseminated encephalitis)
- painful lumps on the shins (erythema nodosum)
- low blood platelet count (immunothrombocytopenia)
- destruction of blood cells by antibodies (Evans Syndrome)
- dryness in the mouth and eyes with renal tubular dysfunction