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Background and purpose: Common cold is the most prevalent viral infection in children that is associated with high health care expenditure every year. Echinacea is commonly used to prevent viral respiratory infections. The goal of this study was to assess Echinacea effect in improving the symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infection (URI) in children. Materials and methods: This clinical trial was performed in 100 children aged 5 to 11 years with URI referring to Pediatric Hospital in Bandar-abbas, 2009. A complete history and physical examination were conducted. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups to receive either Echinacea or placebo. Echinacea group received 5 ml Echinacea (root extract) per 12 hours during 10 days while the control group was given only analgesics and saline. The patients were followed for 10 days to identify the reduction in duration and severity of symptoms and side effects. This was done by parents or physical examination. The data was analyzed by SPSS ver. 16 using descriptive, Chi-square test and t-test. Results: The mean age of the studied patients was 7.56 ± 1.78 years. No significant differences were found between Echinacea and control group regarding the mean duration of fever, cough, rhinorrhea and nasal congestion. Also, no adverse reactions were seen among the two groups. Conclusion: The results of our study showed that Echinacea extract was not effective in decreasing the duration of symptoms of common cold. But, further well-designed randomized trials should be undertaken to elucidate the effects of Echinacea on treatment of common cold.

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Background and purpose: Accelerating the wound healing process is of paramount importance. Cutaneous wounds are associated with cellular damage and can impair the physiological function of the skin. Wound healing is a multifaceted process that involves cells, cytokines, and the vascular system. This process occurs in distinct phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling of the skin's structure and architecture. The utilization of plant-derived products in wound healing has garnered significant interest among researchers due to their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. In Persian traditional medicine, there is evidence supporting the topical application of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.), Echinacea purpurea, and Calendula officinalis individually; however, the synergistic effects of these two products on wound healing remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the efficacy of chamomile cream and Calendite-E cream, a combination of marigold and Echinacea, on the healing process of surgical wounds.
Materials and methods: 32 male rats were divided into four groups of 8: control, Kamil Cream, Calendit E, and Oserin. Wound area and histopathological findings were examined and compared on days 0, 3, 7, 21, and 7 and 21, respectively. Among the many properties of Matricaria chamomilla L in Persian traditional medicine, its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties are confirmed. 32 male rats were divided into four groups (8 rats in each group) including the control, chamomilla cream containing 0.5% essential oil, and 5% chamomile extract, calendar-E and control were divided with Oserin base cream. The wound area was compared on days 0, 3, 7, and 21, and histopathological findings on 7 and 21 days, respectively.
Results: There was no difference between the groups on the wound area on the third day, but on the 7^th day, there was a significant difference (P=0.020). So the average wound area in the Calendit E group was significantly lower than the control group (P=0.008) and also compared to the Oserin group (P=0.019). Unlike other groups, wound healing was completely achieved on the 21^st day in Calandit E and Kamil Cearm. In terms of histopathological indicators, on the seventh day, in the Kamil cream group, the restoration of the epithelial cells was better than the other groups (P=0.038) on the 21^st day, in terms of regeneration of the lining cells and the process of fibroplasia of the Calendit-E group, and in terms of the extent of the fibrotic reaction, the amount of edema and swelling, and the assessment of both Calendit-E and Kamil cream bleeding, it had a significant effect (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Calendite E and chamomilla Cream had positive effects on wound healing factors, and due to its availability and cheapness, it is recommended as an herbal product without complications, a suitable product for wound healing.