Simply Supplements Echinacea Cold & Flu Relief Capsules
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Echinacea Capsules
Module 1 - Administrative Information Page 1
And Prescribing Information
Package Leaflet: Information for the User
ECHINAFLU soft capsules
The active substance is dried juice of Echinacea purpurea herb 176mg.
Please read this leaflet carefully before you start taking these capsules.
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare practitioner.
• You must contact a healthcare practitioner if your symptoms worsen, if they do not improve after 10 days, if any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet.
In this leaflet:
1. What Echinaflu is and what it is used for
2. Before you take Echinaflu
3. How to take Echinaflu
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Echinaflu
6. Further information
1. WHAT ECHINAFLU IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
This product is a traditional herbal medicinal product containing Echinacea purpurea herb. Each capsule of this product contains 176 mg of dried pressed juice from fresh flowering Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench herb (20-28:1) (equivalent to 3520 mg - 4928 mg of fresh flowering Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench herb).
This product is a traditional herbal medicinal product used to relieve the symptoms of the common cold and influenza type infections. This usage is based on traditional use only.
2. BEFORE YOU TAKE ECHINAFLU
Do not take this product if you
■ are allergic to any of the ingredients or to plants of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family such as daisies, marigolds or artichokes (see section 6)
■ have a tendency to allergies such as hives, allergic eczema or asthma
■ are allergic to peanut or soya
■ are fructose-intolerant (react badly to some sugars)
■ are pregnant or breast-feeding
■ suffer from the infection tuberculosis
■ suffer from connective tissue disease with formation of clumps of cells (sarcoidosis), mainly occurring in the lymph nodes, lungs and liver
■ suffer from autoimmune diseases such as inflammation
of the connective tissue (collagenoses) or multiple sclerosis
■ suffer from conditions which decrease your resistance to infection (e.g. HIV infection or AIDS) or
■ are on therapy to reduce your natural response to infection (immunosuppression e.g. chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer; history of organ or bone marrow transplant)
■ suffer from blood disorders involving the white blood cell system such as low white blood cell count due to bone marrow disorders (agranulocytosis) or blood cell cancer (leukemias)
■ are under 12 years of age
Take special care with Echinaflu
Do not exceed the stated dose.
You must contact a doctor or qualified healthcare practitioner if
■ you have a high fever or your condition worsens
■ symptoms persist for more than 10 days
■ adverse effects not mentioned in the package leaflet occur
If you are prone to allergies there is a risk of developing serious allergic reactions to Echinacea (eg. anaphylactic reactions).
Patients should be aware that the intake of products containing Echinacea species may trigger autoimmune diseases.
This formulation is not suitable for children under 12 years of age.
Taking other medicines
Echinaflu must not be used together with immunosuppressant medications such as ciclosporin and methotrexate.
Always remember to tell your doctor about any medicines you are taking including those obtained without a prescription.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
The safety of this product has not been sufficiently established in pregnant and breast-feeding women. Do not take this product if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed.
3. HOW TO TAKE ECHINAFLU
You should speak to your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare practitioner if you are not sure if this product is suitable for you.
Adults, elderly, children over 12 years
Take one or two capsules daily.
The soft capsule formulation is not intended for children below 12 years.
Start taking at the first signs of common cold. Do not take Echinaflu for more than 10 days.
If your symptoms worsen during the use of Echinaflu or persist for more than 10 days, you should speak to your doctor or a qualified healthcare practitioner.
Echinacea Capsules Module 1 - Administrative Information Page 2
And Prescribing Information
You can help to make medicines safer by reporting any side-effects to the Yellow Card Scheme at www.yellowcard.gov.uk. Alternatively you can get a paper Yellow Card form from your GP's surgery or pharmacy, or call Freephone 0808 100 3352 (available 10am-2pm Monday - Friday).
If you take more Echinaflu than you should
The complaints described in section 4 (Possible side effects) may increasingly occur. In this case speak to your doctor or qualified healthcare practitioner and take this leaflet with you.
If you forgot to take Echinaflu
Continue to take your usual dose at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten individual doses.
4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Echinaflu can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Stop taking Echinaflu and check with your doctor, pharmacist or qualified healthcare practitioner immediately if any of the following side effects occur: Allergic (hypersensitive) reactions such as:
■ rash
■ hives
■ inflammatory disorder of the skin (Stevens-Johnson-Syndrome)
■ swelling of the skin due to fluid
■ swelling of the facial area (Quincke's oedema)
■ shrinking of the airways in the lungs with obstruction (bronchospasm)
■ asthma and life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock).
Echinacea can trigger allergic reactions in patients who have a tendency to develop allergic conditions.
Association with autoimmune 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 eyes with renal tubular dysfunction (Sjogren Syndrome)
A decrease in the number of white blood cells (Leucopenia) may occur in long-term use (more than 8 weeks). The frequency is not known.
If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare practitioner.
Do not use Echinaflu after the expiry date which is stated on the blister. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Do not store Echinaflu above 25°C.
Store in the original packaging.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. FURTHER INFORMATION
What Echinaflu contains
Each soft capsule contains 176 mg of dried pressed juice from fresh flowering Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench herb (2028:1) (equivalent to 3520 mg - 4928 mg of fresh flowering Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench herb).
Echinaflu also contains the following ingredients
Herbal preparation:
Maltodextrin, precipitated silicon dioxide and citric acid monohydrate
Soft capsule:
Refined soya-bean oil, refined coconut oil, white beeswax, rice starch, fractionated palm kernel oil, phospholipids from soya-beans, succinylated gelatine, glycerol, non-crystallising sorbitol solution 70 %, titanium dioxide E 171, ferric (II,III) oxide E 172, quinoline yellow E 104, patent blue V E 131 and purified water
What Echinaflu looks like and contents of the pack
The soft capsule is oval, green-coloured.
One original package contains 30, 45, 60 or 90 soft capsules.
Traditional Herbal Registration Holder and Manufacturer
Swiss Caps GmbH GrassingerstraBe 9 D-83043 Bad Aibling Germany
For any information about this medicinal product, please contact the local representative of the Traditional Herbal Registration Holder:
Swiss Caps UK Ltd.
Suite 1 Old Coach House Robin Hoods Well Skelbrooke
Doncaster DN6 8LS - UK Tel.: 44 (0) 1302 33 82 20 Fax: 44 (0) 1302 33 82 21
5. HOW TO STORE ECHINAFLU
Keep out of the reach and sight of children. This leaflet was last approved in March 2011
1.3.2 Mock-up PIL Version 0008 04 January 2011