Each 24-hour self-adhering HerbalPad® Echinacea and Golden Seal Patch contains 200mg of standardized Echinacea and 100mg of goldenseal root. Feel a cold or flu coming on? Got a sinus or vaginal infection? Then echinacea (eh-kin-AY-sha) may be able to help. Many studies show that this plant stimulates the immune system and hastens the healing of infectious diseases. Echinacea fights colds and other infections by stimulating the immune system.

When disease-causing microorganisms invade the body, injured cells secrete chemicals that attract infection-fighting white blood cells, or macrophages, to the area. The macrophages (literally, "big eaters") then engulf and digest the germs. Echinacea boosts the macrophages' ability to destroy microbial invaders.

In addition, echinacea acts like the body's own virus-fighting compound, interferon. Before a virus-infected cell dies, it releases a tiny amount of interferon, which boosts the ability of surrounding cells to resist infection. Echinacea does essentially the same thing. Researchers bathed cells in echinacea extract, and then exposed them to two potent viruses -- influenza and herpes. Compared with untreated cells, only a small fraction of the echinacea-boosted cells became infected.

Echinacea may be helpful in treating infections, colds and flues, and sinus and yeast infections.

Includes 30 Patches