[Clinical application of extracts of Echinacea purpurea or Echinacea pallida. Critical evaluation of controlled clinical studies].

The phytotherapy should be understood as being integrated into the rational pharmacotherapy. The modern phytotherapy tries hard to proof effects with pharmacological and clinical studies. The task force E of the federal bureau of health of Germany has made a statement regarding this problem. This article reviews only controlled clinical trials about the application of extracts of echinacea purpura or echinacea pallida.