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Home -> Shop By Store -> EchinaceaEchinaceaOther Common Names:American Coneflower, Black Sampson, Comb Flower, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea purpurea, Hedgehog, Indian Head, Purple Coneflower, Rudbeckia, Sampson Head, Scurvy Root, Snakeroot Echinacea: Echinacea has a faint aromatic smell with a nice sweetish taste, leaving a tingling sensation in the mouth not unlike that of aconite or monkshood, but without the latter's lasting numbness or dangerous poison. Tasting Echinacea powder is one way of determining just how fresh or old it might be. Echinacea's ability to enhance the immune system is well documented. Echinacea has an antibiotic and interferon-like antiviral action, an antifungal effect and an anti-allergenic action. Echinacea has also been shown to have antitumour activity. Echinacea was used by the Native Americans for healing wounds and treating snake bites, infected conditions, sore throats and burns. Today Echinacea can be used as a blood cleansing remedy for skin problems such as boils and abscesses, allergies such as eczema and urticaria, infections such as tonsilitis, colds, flu, chest infections, and viral diseases such as glandular fever, as well as candidiasis and post-viral fatigue syndrome. Its beneficial effect in treatment of HIV and AIDS is currently being researched. Echinacea has a stimulating effect on the circulation, particularly when taken in hot infusion, and by stimulating sweating it helps bring down fevers while enhancing our defenses to shake off whichever infection has caused fever in the first place. The anti-inflammatory effect of Echinacea can be put to good effect in treatment of arthritis and gout and for any inflammatory condition of the reproductive system, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. Because of its immune-enhancing properties, Echinacea should be thought of at the first signs of infection to clear it quickly, and also for those whose immune systems are run down and deficient and who are prone to one infection after another. Most of the scientific and clinical studies on Echinacea have been carried out in Germany, primarily with dosage forms prepared from the fresh overground portion of E. purpurea that are intended to be administered by injection or applied locally. Injectable preparations, however, are not available in the United States. There remains considerable controversy as to the relative effectiveness of Echinacea following oral administration. Echinacea is most readily available in this country in liquid form, specifically as a hydroalcoholic extract. Indeed, it has been suggested that such preparations are effective because Echinacea stimulates lymphatic tissue in the mouth, thereby initiating an immune response. Assuming that to be the case, powdered Echinacea administered orally in the form of capsules would probably be less active. Of the various activities attributed to Echinacea, the one that is probably best substantiated is its immune-stimulant effect. This is said to be brought about by three different mechanisms: stimulating phagocytosis, increasing respiratory activity, and causing increased mobility of the leukocytes. The exact identity of the principles responsible for this action remains unknown. Without question, high-molecular-weight polysaccharides are effective, but their stimulation of phagocytosis is apparently enhanced by components of the alkamide fraction (mainly isobutylamides), by glycoproteins, and by cichoric acid. At one time, Echinacea was extensively adulterated with Parthenium integrifolium L., commonly known as prairie dock or Missouri snakeroot. Even some of the early scientific studies were invalidated because Echinacea was confused with this plant. Potential consumers of Echinacea should make every effort to obtain the best quality product available. Careful investigation of the reputation of the manufacturer should precede the purchase of Echinacea or, for that matter, any other plant extract. In today's market, dominated by standardized extracts of the most popular herbs, most products containing E. angustifolia are standardized to a certain content of the caffeic acid glycoside echinacoside. This was the History Echinacea has a rich tradition of use by North American Plains Indians who used it medicinally more than any other plant. It was prominent in modern American medicine in the early 20th Century, and was discovered by Europeans, who have used it extensively since the 1930s. Today millions of Europeans use echinacea as their primary therapy for colds, flus, infections, and for general immune-boosting effects. Side Effects: Echinacea is essentially nontoxic when taken orally. People should not take Echinacea without consulting a physician if they have an autoimmune illness, such as lupus, or other progressive diseases, such as tuberculosis or multiple sclerosis. Those who are allergic to flowers of the daisy family should take Echinacea with caution. There are no known contraindications to the use of Echinacea during pregnancy or lactation. |
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