NATURES GARDEN ECHINACEA COLD AND FLU CAPSULES,LIFECYCLE ECHINACEA COLD AND FLU CAPSULES,HOLLAND & BARRETT ECHINACEA COLD AND FLU CAPSULES,GNC LIVE WELL ECHINACEA COLD AND FLU CAPSULES - Patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

1 - what this product is and what it is used for

Holland & Barrett Echinacea capsules are a traditional herbal medicinal product used to relieve the symptoms of the common cold and influenza type infections. This is based on traditional use only.

• 2 – Before you take this product

This product is not suitable if you are under 12 years of age.

Do not take this product if you are allergic to:

• ♦ Echinacea or products from the same plant family: (Asteraceae/Com­positae) such as daisies, marigolds or artichokes

• ♦ Any of the ingredients of this product (see section 6 of this leaflet for further information)

Or if you suffer from:

• ♦ Frequent allergic reactions such as hives (urticaria), eczema, asthma

• ♦ The infection: tuberculosis

• ♦ Connective tissue disease with formation of clumps of cells (sarcoidosis) mainly occurring in the lymph nodes, lungs and liver

• ♦ Auto-immune diseases such as inflammation of the connective tissue (collagenosis) or multiple sclerosis

• ♦ Conditions which decrease your natural response to infection (e.g. HIV infection or AIDS)

• ♦ Blood disorders involving the white blood cell system such as low white cell count due to bone marrow disorders (agranulocytosis) or blood cell cancer (leukemias)

Or if you are:

• ♦ Already taking immunosuppressant medication such as ciclosporin or methotrexate

• ♦ On therapy to reduce your natural response to infection (immunosuppression e.g. chemotheraphy or radiotherapy for cancer; history of organ or bone marrow transplant)

Take special care with this product:

• ♦ Consult your doctor before taking this product if you are prone to develop allergic reactions. Echinacea can trigger severe and life-threatening allergic reactions in patients who have a tendency to allergic reactions

Taking other medicines:

• ♦ Please tell your Doctor or Pharmacist if you are taking medicines obtained without a prescription

Pregnancy and breastfeeding:

Do not take this product if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, because there is no evidence that it is safe to do so.

3 - how to take this product

For oral use only.

Adults, elderly and children over 12 years:

Take 1 capsule twice daily. Swallow the whole capsule with water. Start at the first sign of common cold. Do not take more than the label tells you to.

If you take too much of the product (overdose): speak to a Doctor or a qualified Healthcare Practitioner as soon as possible and take this leaflet and bottle with you.

If you forget to take this product: Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose(s). Continue to take your usual dose at the usual time. It does not matter if you have missed a dose.

Duration of use: Do not use this product for more than 10 days. If symptoms worsen or if high fever occurs whilst taking the product or if symptoms persist for more than 10 days, a Doctor or a qualified Healthcare Practitioner should be consulted.

4 - possible side effects

• Like all medicines, this product can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The frequency of the side effects is not known. The possible side effects include:

• ♦ Allergic reactions such as swelling, hives or rashes

• ♦ Inflammatory disorder of the skin (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome)

• ♦ Swelling of the skin due to fluid

• ♦ Swelling of the facial area (Quinke’s oedema) ♦ Shrinking of the airways of the lungs with obstruction (bronchospasm)

• ♦ Asthma and life threatening reactions (anaphylactic shoc­k)

Echinacea can trigger allergic reactions in patients who have a tendency to allergic reactions. Stop taking the product immediately if you experience any allergic reaction.

Association with auto-immune 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 eye with kidney tubular dysfunction (Sjogren Syndrome)

A decrease in the number of white blood cells (leucopenia) may occur in long term use (more than 8 weeks).

If you are concerned about any side effect becoming serious, or if you notice a side effect not listed in this leaflet, please tell your Doctor or a qualified Healthcare Practitioner.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5 - how to store this product

• ♦ Keep the capsules in the bottle until it is time to take them

• ♦ Do not take the capsules after the expiry date (see outer label)

• ♦ Do not store above 25°C

• ♦ Store in the original packaging

• ♦ Keep the bottle tightly closed

• ♦ Keep the capsules out of sight and reach of children

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