Echinacea is one of the best-known traditional herbal remedies for cold and flu symptoms, but with different species, plant parts and extraction methods used across products, which is the best supplement to choose?
Echinacea belongs to the daisy family and is traditionally used for the relief of symptoms associated with colds, influenza-type infections and similar upper respiratory tract conditions. You’ll find it in a range of formats, including liquid drops, tinctures, tablets, capsules, lozenges and throat sprays.
Some products contain echinacea alone, while others combine it with ingredients such as elderberry, sage, peppermint, vitamins, minerals, probiotics or medicinal mushrooms. The most suitable option will depend on the preparation, dosage and how easy it is for you to take.
Research into echinacea has produced mixed results. Some studies suggest that particular preparations may help reduce the risk, duration or severity of respiratory tract infections, while other trials have found little or no benefit. This means that evidence for one specific extract cannot automatically be applied to every echinacea tablet, drop or spray.
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Best echinacea supplements at a glance
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- Best echinacea spray: A.Vogel Echinaforce throat spray, £11.19
- Best echinacea capsules: Healthspan echinacea cold and flu relief, £13.99
- Best echinacea with vitamin C: Solaray vitamin C and echinacea capsules, £7.41
- Best echinacea with goldenseal: Nutricost echinacea and goldenseal root capsules, £18.96
- Best echinacea for gut health: Boots Good Gut live + immunity support extra strength, £22.50
- Best echinacea tincture: Viridian organic echinacea tincture, £9.72
- Best echinacea for immune system support: Bio-Synergy immune booster, £19.99
- Best echinacea for children: California Gold Nutrition liquid echinacea for children, £9.34
- Best echinacea extract: Nature’s Answer echinacea root fluid extract, £17.99
- Best whole-root echinacea capsules: NOW Foods echinacea capsules, £17.31
- Best value echinacea: Swanson echinacea capsules, £6.17
How we tested the best echinacea supplements
To find the best echinacea supplements available, we combined hands-on product testing with evidence-led nutrition guidance. Good Health by Good Food’s health and fitness expert, Laura Forsyth, assessed each product’s presentation, formulation, labelling, ease of use and value for money.
Registered nutritionist Kerry Torrens provided independent nutrition context on echinacea, immunity and herbal supplements. Each product was tested according to its instructions. We looked at how easy tablets and capsules were to swallow, how practical drops and tinctures were to measure, how sprays should be applied and whether the recommended dosage would be manageable when experiencing cold or flu symptoms.
We checked which echinacea species and plant parts were used, including whether products contained echinacea purpurea, echinacea angustifolia or echinacea pallida, and whether they used the root or aerial parts of the plant – including the leaves, stems and flowers – or a combination of both.
We also assessed the clarity of the dosage information, presence of unnecessary additives or added sugars, number of daily servings required, product’s Traditional Herbal Registration status and whether the marketing made responsible claims.
An MHRA Traditional Herbal Registration, or THR, mark means that a product has met standards relating to quality, safety and evidence of traditional use for its stated indication. It does not prove that the product will be clinically effective for everyone. Traditional herbal medicines are registered on the basis of traditional use, rather than having to demonstrate the same level of efficacy required for a new medicinal product.
Our hands-on testing focused on practical factors such as taste, aftertaste, tablet and capsule size, spray design, packaging, measuring the recommended serving and how easily each supplement could be incorporated into a normal routine.
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Best echinacea supplements to buy in 2026
A.Vogel Echinaforce sore throat spray
Available from Cosmetify (£11.19) Holland & Barrett (£13.99)
Best echinacea spray
Star rating: 5/5
- Format: throat spray
- Echinacea per serving: about 400mg echinacea tincture from fresh herb and root
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea
- Plant parts used: fresh herb and root
- Daily serving: two sprays, six to 10 times daily
- Price per day: 99p-£1.65
A.Vogel offers echinacea in several forms, including drops, lozenges, creams and toothpaste, but the spray is my favourite. The slim nozzle directs the liquid towards the back of the throat, making it feel much more targeted than swallowing a capsule or taking drops in water.
The formula combines fresh echinacea purpurea herb and root with fresh sage leaf tincture. I also like how clearly everything is labelled, with the quantities of the herbal tinctures and supporting ingredients stated per 1ml.
Each application is quick, and there’s no water or measuring required. However, using two sprays six to 10 times daily takes more effort than a once-daily supplement. It also contains ethanol and soya lecithin, and should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or alongside immunosuppressant medication.
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Healthspan echinacea cold and flu relief capsules
Available from Healthspan (£13.99)
Best echinacea capsules
Star rating: 4.5/5
- Format: soft capsules
- Echinacea per capsule: 176mg dried pressed juice – equivalent to 3,520-4,925mg fresh herb
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea
- Plant part used: fresh flowering herb
- Daily serving: one or two capsules
- Price per day: 47-93p
Clarity is the big strength here. Each capsule contains a precisely stated amount of pressed juice from fresh flowering echinacea purpurea, with the fresh herb equivalent clearly shown, rather than relying on a vague ‘high strength’ claim.
The one or two capsule dose is easy to follow and should be started at the first signs of a cold. Unlike a standard food supplement, this is registered under the Traditional Herbal Registration scheme for relief of common cold and flu-like symptoms, based on traditional use only.
Taking one capsule costs 47p per day, but the maximum two-capsule dose increases that to 93p, reducing the pack to a 15-day supply. It’s also a focused echinacea formula, with no added vitamin C, zinc or elderberry.
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Solaray vitamin C and echinacea
Available from iHerb (£7.41)
Best echinacea with vitamin C
Star rating: 4.5/5
- Format: capsules
- Echinacea per serving: 300mg
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea and echinacea angustifolia
- Plant part used: root
- Vitamin C per serving: 500mg
- Daily serving: one capsule
- Price per day: 12p
At just 12p a day, this is one of the best-value echinacea products we tested. Each capsule combines 300mg echinacea root from two named species with 500mg vitamin C, and the 60-capsule bottle provides a two-month supply.
The one-a-day format is refreshingly simple. Rose hips, bioflavonoids, rutin and acerola make up an additional vitamin C support blend, while Solaray states that its raw materials are triple-tested and manufactured in an NSF-certified GMP facility.
The 300mg echinacea amount is not divided between the two species, and there’s no extraction ratio or active-compound standardisation. The directions also recommend taking it continuously for 14 days, and not exceeding eight weeks without a break. Even so, the clear doses and low daily cost make it a practical combination formula.
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Nutricost echinacea and goldenseal root capsules
Available from iHerb (£18.96)
Best echinacea with goldenseal
Star rating: 4.5/5
- Format: capsules
- Echinacea per serving: 250mg extract
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea
- Plant part used: aerial parts
- Goldenseal per serving: 250mg root powder
- Daily serving: one capsule
- Price per day: 8p
An eight-month supply for under £20 makes this one of the best-value options we tested. Each capsule combines 250mg echinacea purpurea extract with 250mg goldenseal root powder. It’s worth noting that the 500mg on the label refers to both ingredients combined, rather than 500mg of echinacea.
The one-a-day format keeps things simple, with no measuring or repeated doses to remember. The product is vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO, while third-party testing and production in a GMP-compliant facility adds reassurance around quality.
There is no extraction ratio, raw herb equivalent or active compound standardisation, so the strength of the echinacea is harder to compare with more detailed extracts. Its geographical source and cultivation method are not stated either. Still, at just 8p per serving, it offers impressive value for a clearly labelled combination formula.
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Boots Good Gut live friendly bacteria + immunity support extra strength
Available from Boots (£22.50)
Best echinacea type for gut health
Star rating: 4/5
- Format: capsules
- Echinacea per serving: 100mg root extract, standardised to a minimum of 4% polyphenols
- Echinacea species: not stated
- Live bacterial cultures: 25 billion from four named strains
- Daily serving: one capsule
- Price per day: 75p
This product aims to provide wider support for immunity, with a number of immune-supporting ingredients as well as a gut health boost with probiotics. Each capsule combines 25 billion live bacterial cultures with 100mg echinacea root extract, 100mg 7:1 elderberry extract and 50mg beta glucans. Vitamins C and D3 and selenium are included too, making it much broader than a standard echinacea supplement.
The once-daily dose was easy to fit into a routine, and the capsules can be stored at room temperature, so there is no refrigeration or preparation to worry about. It’s also vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
At 75p per day, it’s expensive if echinacea is your main priority. The species and extraction ratio are not stated either, and the 30-capsule pack lasts just one month. However, the standardised extract and clearly quantified additional ingredients make it an appealing all-in-one option for anyone who also wants live bacterial cultures.
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Viridian organic echinacea tincture
Available from Viridian Nutrition (£12)
Best echinacea tincture
Star rating: 4/5
- Format: liquid tincture
- Echinacea per 1ml: equivalent to 480mg fresh herb
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea
- Plant part used: whole fresh plant
- Daily serving: 15-30 drops, two to three times daily
- Pack size: 50ml
Few formulas tested were as stripped-back as this one. The tincture contains only water, organic alcohol and whole fresh echinacea purpurea, which is grown, made and bottled on an organic farm in England. Each 1ml provides the equivalent of 480mg of fresh herb.
The drops can be added to water or juice, making them a flexible alternative to tablets. However, counting 15-30 drops two or three times daily takes more effort than a pre-measured capsule, and the manufacturer does not state how many drops equal 1ml, so the exact echinacea amount per dose cannot be calculated.
Quality is the main reason to choose it. The tincture is Soil Association certified, made in England and independently BRC certified to AA grade, while Viridian states that its products undergo 130 purity checks. It does contain 45 per cent alcohol and should only be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding on the advice of a healthcare practitioner.
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Bio-Synergy immune booster capsules
Available from Bio-Synergy (£19.99)
Best echinacea for immune system support
Star rating: 4/5
- Format: capsules
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea
- Plant part used: root
- Botanical blend per serving: 1,890mg
- Daily serving: three capsules
- Price per day: 67p
Echinacea is only one part of the story here. Three capsules provide a 1,890mg blend of elderberry, echinacea purpurea root, liquorice and astragalus, alongside 160mg vitamin C and 50mg zinc. It feels more like a broad botanical formula than a straightforward echinacea supplement.
The capsules require no mixing, although taking three each day is less convenient than a one-a-day option. Bio-Synergy says the formula is vegan, made in the UK and independently tested, while the brand is also a Certified B Corporation.
The main weakness is transparency. The individual amount of echinacea is not disclosed, and there is no extraction ratio or standardisation, making its potency difficult to compare. At 67p per day, it offers fair value for the wider formula, particularly if you also want vitamin C and zinc.
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California Gold Nutrition liquid echinacea for children
Available from iHerb (£12.46)
Best echinacea for children
Star rating: 4/5
- Format: alcohol-free liquid
- Echinacea per serving: 30mg total extract
- Echinacea species: echinacea angustifolia and echinacea purpurea
- Plant parts used: E. angustifolia root and E. purpurea herb
- Daily serving: 0.5ml for children aged four and over
- Price per day: 21p
Made for children aged four and over, this removes the guesswork of adapting an adult echinacea product. Each small 0.5ml serving combines 15mg E. angustifolia root extract with 15mg E. purpurea herb extract. The alcohol-free, orange-flavoured liquid can be given directly or mixed into a drink.
The 30ml bottle provides 60 once-daily servings, making it good value at around 21p per day. Third-party testing, iTested verification and manufacture in a cGMP-compliant facility provide extra reassurance.
Extraction ratios and standardised active compounds are not stated, and the formula contains fructose, natural flavouring and potassium sorbate. We would also have liked clearer echinacea allergy guidance.
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Nature’s Answer echinacea root fluid extract
Available from iHerb (£17.99)
Best echinacea extract
Star rating: 4/5
- Format: alcohol-free liquid extract
- Echinacea per serving: 1,000mg 1:1 dry-herb equivalent
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea and echinacea angustifolia
- Plant parts used: e. purpurea root and aerial parts, plus e. angustifolia root
- Daily serving: 1ml, three times daily
- Price per day: 90p
Two echinacea species and a clearly stated dry herb equivalent make this one of the easier liquid extracts to assess. Each 1ml serving provides a 1,000mg 1:1 blend, while the alcohol-free glycerin base offers an alternative to a traditional tincture.
One serving is around 28 drops, and can be mixed into a small amount of water, avoiding tablets altogether. Three doses a day require more planning, though, and reduce the 60ml bottle to around 20 days of use at roughly 90p per day.
Non-GMO Project verification, gluten-free and kosher credentials add reassurance. However, the amounts contributed by each species are not disclosed, and there is no active-compound standardisation. The label also advises against use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
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NOW Foods echinacea, 250 veg capsules
Available from iHerb (£17.31)
Best whole-root echinacea capsules
Star rating: 4/5
- Format: capsules
- Echinacea per serving: 800mg
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea
- Plant part used: whole root
- Recommended dose: two capsules, one to four times daily
- Price per two-capsule serving: 14p
A huge 250-capsule bottle makes this one of the best-value echinacea products tested. Each two-capsule serving provides 800mg of whole echinacea purpurea root, rather than a concentrated extract, with no additional active ingredients.
The pre-measured capsules require no drop counting or mixing, and the ingredient list contains only echinacea root, a vegetable capsule shell and vegetable-source stearic acid. The formula is vegan, vegetarian, kosher and halal, with GMP quality assurance.
Dosing is less straightforward, as the directions range from two to eight capsules a day. At the highest intake, the daily cost rises to around 55p – NOW Foods advises against continuous high-level use for more than two weeks of each month. As this is whole root, there is also no extraction ratio or standardised active-compound level, making its potency harder to compare with concentrated extracts.
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Swanson echinacea 400mg capsules
Available from Cosmetify (£6.17)
Best value echinacea
Star rating: 4/5
- Format: capsules
- Echinacea per capsule: 400mg
- Echinacea species: echinacea purpurea
- Plant part used: aerial parts
- Recommended dose: one capsule, three times daily
- Price per day: 19p
Swanson strips echinacea back to basics. Each capsule supplies 400mg of echinacea purpurea, providing 1,200mg across the recommended three-capsule day. The 100-capsule bottle lasts around 33 days, making it one of the cheapest products we tested.
The pre-measured format saves any mixing or drop counting, although remembering three separate doses takes more effort than a one-a-day capsule. Clear directions advise taking each capsule with food and water and limiting continuous use to eight weeks.
There is no extraction ratio or standardised active-compound level, so it is difficult to compare the potency with more detailed extracts. Landys also lists gelatin among the ingredients, so check the current pack if you need a vegetarian option. For a simple echinacea formula at just 19p per day, though, the value is difficult to beat.
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Other echinacea supplements tried and tested:
Superdrug max echinacea cold & flu relief tablets, 3.5/5, £7.49
Global Healing raw herbal extract, elderberry and echinacea, 3.5/5, £25.71
Botanicals For Life echinacea and elderberry tincture, 3.5/5, £16.79
What is echinacea?
“Known for its striking purple petals and long-standing use in supporting immune health, echinacea is a member of the daisy family,” says registered nutritionist Kerry Torrens. “It’s native to North America, but now grows across Europe, including in gardens in the UK and Ireland.”
There are several echinacea species, but echinacea purpurea, also known as purple coneflower, is one of the most widely used and researched in herbal products. Other species used medicinally include echinacea angustifolia and echinacea pallida.
The part of the plant used can differ between products. Some contain the root, others use the aerial parts, including the leaves, stems and flowers, while some preparations combine the whole herb and root.
To make an echinacea remedy, the plant material is typically harvested and immersed in a solvent, such as alcohol and water, to create a tincture or liquid extract. This can then be used directly as drops or incorporated into tablets, capsules, lozenges and sprays.
The extraction process is one of the reasons echinacea products can be difficult to compare. A product made from dried root is not necessarily equivalent to one made from a fresh whole-plant extract, and the amount stated on the front of the pack may not tell you how much active extract you are receiving.
What is echinacea good for?
Echinacea is traditionally used for the relief of symptoms associated with colds, influenza-type infections and similar upper respiratory tract conditions.
People commonly take it for cold symptoms, flu-like symptoms, sore or irritated throats, recurrent winter colds and general immune support. It’s sometimes described as an immune booster, although that phrase can be misleading. Echinacea does not simply make the immune system stronger in every situation, and it should not be viewed as a guaranteed way to prevent infection.
“Echinacea purpurea is one of the most researched echinacea species and has been investigated for its potential role in respiratory infections,” says Kerry. “However, the products differ considerably, so evidence for one preparation does not necessarily apply to another.”
Laboratory and clinical research has investigated whether echinacea can influence immune cells, inflammatory responses and viral activity. A small randomised, placebo-controlled clinical study used echinilin, a proprietary water-ethanol extract made from freshly harvested echinacea purpurea plants, rather than dried root powder.
The extract was standardised, and participants took 5ml eight times on the first day, followed by 5ml three times daily for six days. The researchers reported changes in circulating white blood cells, monocytes, neutrophils and natural killer cells during a common cold, alongside reduced free-radical production by neutrophils.
These findings may help explain how certain echinacea preparations could influence the body’s response to infection. However, a change in immune markers does not necessarily mean that everyone taking echinacea will have fewer symptoms or recover more quickly.
Some laboratory studies have reported antiviral activity against respiratory viruses including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza viruses, rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. However, these experiments did not use one uniform echinacea preparation.
The best-known studies used Echinaforce, a standardised 65 per cent hydroethanolic extract of freshly harvested echinacea purpurea herb and roots, while other research has tested different species, plant parts, extraction methods or isolated compounds. Results from one standardised extract cannot automatically be applied to every echinacea spray, tincture, capsule or dried-powder supplement. Laboratory activity does not necessarily mean that a supplement will prevent or treat the same infection in people.
Does echinacea work?
“Research into echinacea has produced mixed results,” says Kerry. “Some studies suggest that particular echinacea purpurea extracts may slightly reduce the risk, duration or severity of respiratory infections, while other trials have found little or no benefit.”
A Cochrane review examining echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold concluded that some preparations based on echinacea purpurea, particularly those containing aerial parts of the plant, might shorten the duration or reduce the severity of cold symptoms in adults when taken after symptoms begin. However, the review found that the evidence was inconsistent and that different products could not be treated as interchangeable.
A 2015 meta-analysis of six randomised controlled trials found that some echinacea preparations reduced recurrent respiratory infections and complications. The strongest results came from lipophilic alcoholic or glycerol extracts, including preparations made from echinacea purpurea herb and root, rather than pressed juices. However, the number of studies was small, and the products and doses varied, so this does not establish one universally effective form of echinacea.
The 2024 ERA-PRIMA meta-analysis examined 30 controlled studies involving 5,652 people. It reported a 32 per cent reduction in respiratory infections, 40 per cent reduction in recurrent infections and 56 per cent reduction in complications. It also found around 40 per cent fewer antibiotic prescriptions and 70 per cent reduction in antibiotic treatment days. The preparations showing the clearest benefits were mainly alcoholic extracts of freshly harvested e. purpurea herb and root. However, the review included varied products, doses and treatment periods, so these findings suggest a pattern rather than proving that all alcoholic extracts are superior.
Research at Cardiff University’s Common Cold Centre and Healthcare tested Echinaforce drops, a 57.3 per cent alcoholic extract of freshly harvested e. purpurea made from 95 per cent herb and 5 per cent root. Participants took 2,400mg of extract daily for prevention, increasing to 4,000mg during a cold.
Over four months, recurrent infections were reported to be 59 per cent lower than with placebo. A later analysis suggested greater benefits among people with higher susceptibility, including smokers, people under greater stress and those with poor sleep, but this was based on only two trials and should be treated cautiously. The findings relate to this specific preparation, not to echinacea supplements generally.
How should you take echinacea supplements?
Echinacea is commonly taken when cold or flu symptoms first appear. Some studies have also investigated regular use during the winter months among people prone to recurrent infections.
“Follow the instructions for the individual product because doses differ between tablets, capsules, drops, tinctures, lozenges and sprays,” says Kerry.
Drops and tinctures can be measured into a small amount of water, while tablets and capsules provide a fixed serving. A throat spray may be convenient if your main symptom is a sore or irritated throat, and lozenges can be useful when you want something to dissolve slowly in the mouth. There is no reliable evidence that one format is universally more effective than another.
Some research suggests that taking echinacea promptly, at the first sign of symptoms, may be more useful than waiting until a cold is fully established. This is based on studies of particular preparations and does not mean that immediate use will stop an infection altogether.
Some alcohol-based tinctures contain ethanol. This may be relevant if you avoid alcohol, have liver disease or epilepsy, are taking a medicine affected by alcohol or have been advised not to consume alcohol.
For people who regularly experience winter respiratory infections, daily use throughout the winter has been investigated in clinical research. Long-term or repeated use is not automatically appropriate for everyone, so speak to a pharmacist or GP before taking echinacea regularly for an extended period.
Can echinacea interact with medicines or supplements?
“Natural does not always mean risk-free,” says Kerry. “If you take prescribed medication or several supplements, it is sensible to check with a pharmacist or healthcare professional before using echinacea.”
Do not take echinacea without medical advice if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking immunosuppressant medication, receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy, living with an autoimmune condition or allergic to echinacea or other plants in the daisy family.
People with a tendency to allergies, including asthma, eczema, hives or severe hay fever, should also seek advice before taking echinacea. Allergic reactions are possible, particularly in people who are sensitive to plants in the asteraceae or compositae family.
Some echinacea products are not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Restrictions may vary according to the formulation, so check the individual product information rather than assuming that all echinacea supplements have the same safety profile.
Echinacea may affect the way some medicines are broken down by the body, although the clinical importance of individual interactions is not always clear. Alcohol-based tinctures may also be unsuitable alongside medicines affected by alcohol.
If you take several supplements, check whether more than one contains echinacea or other immune-related herbs. Combining products does not necessarily provide greater protection and may increase the risk of unnecessary ingredients or side effects.
Possible side effects include stomach upset, headache and allergic reactions. Stop taking the product and seek urgent medical help if you develop swelling of the lips, mouth or throat, difficulty breathing or a severe rash.
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Always keep supplements out of the reach of children. Unless otherwise stated, we tested products available in the UK market that are suitable for adults. Check the product label, ingredients and patient information leaflet before purchase to ensure the product is appropriate for your individual circumstances.
A qualified nutritionist (MBANT), Kerry Torrens is a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications, including Good Food. Kerry is a member of the Royal Society of Medicine, the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council and the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy.
All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional. If you have concerns about your health, contact your GP, pharmacist or another qualified healthcare professional. See our website’s terms and conditions for more information.