A study by the National Institute of Health found that the purple coneflower is not effective against colds. The plant doesn't prevent infection or help relieve the symptoms.
Now there's a new way to grow your herbs from seeds. Instead of planting individual seeds, try the new HerbBallz. You place the entire seed ball on top of the soil or on the potting soil, and water it until the seeds germinate. Each ball contains an assortment of different herb seeds.
Licorice apparently may help in the fight against a particular kind of herpes. A study at New York University found that it caused cells affected by the virus to self-destruct. The herpes being studied was the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, which causes lymph and skin cancers.
Kudzu may be a terrible invasive plant, but the species does have its good points. In May, researchers announced that those taking kudzu pills drank half as much beer as those taking the placebo.
When plants are hit by the sudden oak death (SOD) organism, compost teas come to the rescue. These were tested by the Agricultural Research Service. The researchers report these natural plant teas could help various kinds of plants avoid infection.
People have long used citronella candles to repel biting insects. Now researchers in New Zealand are studying ways to use the scent in food storage facilities. They created scented, cardboard boxes for the initial study. The protected area contained half as many bugs as the control.
Although some women may take herbal supplements to lower their risk of breast cancer, a researcher at Cornell University reported that this may backfire. She singled out remedies containing black cohosh, ginseng, red clover, and soy. She emphasized there is no direct evidence that these can increase or decrease breast cancer risk, but explained that their estrogen-like effect raises a concern for long-term use.
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