Name: Echinacea - Natural Whole Herb
Scientific Name: Echinacea angustifolia/Echinacea pallida/Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea angustifolia/Echinacea pallida/Echinacea purpurea
Intro: One of the most popular herbs in America today is the Native American medicinal plant known as echinacea. Echinacea is primarily used to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold and flu and to alleviate the symptoms associated with them, such as sore throat (pharyngitis), cough, and fever. Many herbalists also recommend echinacea to help boost the activity of the immune system and to help the body fight infections.
Echinacea is known to contains active substances that enhance the activity of the immune system, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects. For this reason, professional herbalists also recommend echinacea to treat urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast (candida) infections, ear infections (also known as otitits media), athlete's foot, sinusitis, hay fever (also called allergic rhinitis), as well as slow-healing wounds.
Nutrient Content: Many chemicals contained in echinacea play a role in its therapeutic effects. These include polysaccharides, glycoproteins, alkamides, volatile oils, and flavonoids. The chemicals contained in the root differ considerably from the upper part of the plant. For example, the roots have high concentrations of volatile oils (odorous compounds) while the above-ground parts of the plant tend to contain more polysaccharides (substances known to trigger the activity of the immune system). The beneficial effects of echinacea appear to be due to the combination of these active substances. In Germany (where herbs are regulated by the government), the above-ground parts of Echinacea are approved to treat colds, upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and slow-healing wounds. The root of the plant is also approved for the treatment of flu-like infections.
Benefits:
Comments: Safe when used appropriately (as instructed by the product label) and with the guidance of a healthcare professional. In Germany, use of echinacea is restricted to no longer than eight weeks at a time. This is because after eight consecutive weeks, echinacea losses its effectiveness and may even diminish immune function. Regular users of this herb, need "break" periods – namely, periods of time that they are not taking echinacea in order for it to maintain its ability to enhance immune function and fight infection.
Despite concerns that echinacea may be unsafe for pregnant or breastfeeding women, new evidence suggests that the use of echinacea during pregnancy does not increase the risk of birth defects or other pregnancy-related health problems.
Available as a formulation with Goldenseal Root - helps to strengthen the immune system.
Caution: Individuals with tuberculosis, leukemia, diabetes, connective tissue disorders, multiple sclerosis, HIV or AIDS, any autoimmune diseases, or, possibly, liver disorders should not take echinacea.
People receiving organ transplants (who must take immunosuppressant medications) should avoid this herb.
In rare cases, echinacea may cause allergic reactions ranging from a mild rash to anaphylaxis (a life threatening reaction accompanied by throat tightening, shortness of breath, and, possibly, fainting).
People with asthma and allergies may be at an increased risk for developing these adverse reactions.
When taken by mouth, echinacea may cause a temporary numbing and tingling sensation on the tongue.
Possible Interactions
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use echinacea without first talking to your healthcare provider:
Econazole
Echinacea may be useful in combination with econazole, an antifungal agent used to treat yeast infections (such as athlete's foot). When echinacea is used together with econazole, recurrence rates of these infections may be reduced.
Immunosuppressants
Immunosuppressants refers to a group of medications that are used for two main purposes -- treat cancer and suppress the immune system following organ transplant so that the new organ is not rejected. Because echinacea can enhance immune function, it is not advisable to use the herb with medications in this class, especially for organ transplant.
In terms of cancer treatment, however, a couple of test tube studies imply that echinacea may prove useful when used in conjunction with cyclophosphamide, one medication in this class. The idea is that using echinacea with this or other chemotherapy agents that act as immunosuppressants, may allow the cancer-fighting medicines to kill the tumors while the immune system continues to be protected. If this theory proves to be correct, then, echinacea could possibly prevent many of the untoward side effects of chemotherapy.