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Echinacea
Description:
Echinacea, otherwise known as the prairie coneflower, is a wildflower with purple blossoms native to the North American plains. Native Americans and pioneer settlers used it for everything from healing wounds to relieving toothaches and treating snakebites. Perhaps no herb has crossed the line from the realm of herbal folklore to mainstream medical acceptance as much as echinacea has. Its natural antibiotic and immune-system strengthening properties have crowned this herb as the cold, flu and infection fighter.
Echinacea contains antibacterial agents plus increases the body's production of interferon to help combat bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes. It is effective at preventing or alleviating cold and flu symptoms, especially if taken early, frequently and in relatively high doses. If taken at the first sign of infection, echinacea can decrease the severity and duration of the illness, relieving symptoms such as aches, pains, fever and congestion.
Echinacea may also help prevent recurring conditions like ear, yeast and urinary tract infections. There is some indication that it may be an effective treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome and it may increase immune function in those who have undergone cancer treatment. As a topical remedy, echinacea can help heal wounds, burns, eczema, cold sores and other skin ailments.
Echinacea is available in many forms including capsules, lozenges, tinctures and teas.
Properties & Uses:
Alterative - a chemical which stimulates changes in metabolism and tissue function of a defensive nature in the presence of both chronic an acute diseases.
Antiseptic - an agent which prevents or retards growth of microorganisms.
Depurative - a cleansing agent
Diaphoretic - an agent which increases perspiration.
Digestive - a substance which assists in digestion.
Sialogogue - an agent which stimulates the secretion of saliva.
Echinacea stimulates the immune response, increasing the body's ability to resist viral and bacterial infections. The herb stimulates T-cells and activates macrophages that destroy foreign intracellular invaders. Echinacea increases levels of properdin, a naturally occurring chemical thought to increase cellular resistance to infection. It also displays anti-tumor and direct antibiotic actions.
Echinacea's other immunity-boosting properties are currently being investigated. There are indications that the herb delays resorption of other drugs, thereby prolonging their action in the body. It could likewise prolong the effects of any other herbs that are administered simultaneously.
It has been shown to have mild antibiotic activity against Streptococci and Staphylococcus arueus, attributable to the constituent echinacoside.
One of the main actions of this herb is to inhibit the activity of the enzyme hyaluronidase. This enzyme is normally used by pathogens to destroy hyaluronic acid (the cementing tissue between cells) allowing passage into sensitive tissues. The constituent that appears to be responsible for inhibiting hyaluronidase has been identified as echinacin B. Interestingly, a mechanism very similar to the hyaluronidase system has been proposed as a possible substrate for the generation of rheumatism and tumor formation and the beginnings of cancer.
The antihyaluronidase activity of echinacea has also been shown to be involved in the regeneration of cellular connective (granulomatous) tissue destroyed during infection. In one study, heterogeneous and homogeneous fibrin grafts were transformed, via amino acids, into components of connective tissue substance under the influence of leucocytic enzymes. The transformation was facilitated by a total extract of echinacea. Compared to pure fibrin grafts, echinacea-fibrin grafts exhibited increased healing tendency of the wound areas and less marked leucocytic infiltration. New fibrocytes appeared more rapidly and on a larger scale, and the extract appeared to develop protective action towards the mesechymal mucopolysaccharides produced by the fibrocytes. In other words, the echinacea stimulates the breakdown of fibrin into mucopolysaccharides which are transformed into new connective tissue by the young fibroblasts, the formation of which is also stimulated by echinacea.
Toxicity Levels:
Echinacea has no known toxicity.
Recommended Dietary Allowances:
At the onset of a cold or flu, 3–4 ml of echinacea in a liquid preparation or 300 mg of a powdered form in capsule or tablet, can be taken every two hours for the first day of illness, then three times per day for a total of 7 to 10 days.
Food Sources:
Echinacea is a wildflower native to North America. While echinacea continues to grow and is harvested from the wild, the majority used for herbal supplements comes from cultivated plants. The root and/or the above-ground part of the plant during the flowering growth phase are used in herbal medicine.
Side Effects & Interactions:
Echinacea is rarely associated with side effects when taken orally.12 According to the German Commission E monograph, people should not take echinacea if they have an autoimmune illness, such as lupus, or other progressive diseases, such as tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, or HIV infection. However, the concern about echinacea use for those with autoimmune illness is not based on clinical research and some herbalists question the potential connection. Those who are allergic to flowers of the daisy family should not take echinacea. Cases of allergic responses to echinacea (e.g., wheezing, skin rash, diarrhea) have been reported in medical literature.13 In the first study to look at echinacea’s possible effect on fetal development and pregnancy outcome, women taking echinacea during pregnancy were found to have no greater incidence of miscarriage or birth defects than women not taking the herb.14
Echinacea root contains approximately 20% inulin,15 a fiber widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, and plants. Inulin is classified as a food ingredient (not as an additive) and is considered safe to eat.16 In fact, inulin is a significant part of the daily diet of most of the world’s population.17 However, there is a report of a 39-year-old man having a life-threatening allergic reaction after consuming high amounts of inulin from multiple sources.18 Allergy to inulin in this individual was confirmed by laboratory tests. Such sensitivities are exceedingly rare. Moreover, this man did not take echinacea. Nevertheless, people with a confirmed sensitivity to inulin should avoid echinacea.
References:
1. See DM, Broumand N, Sahl L, Tilles JG. In vitro effects of echinacea and ginseng on natural killer and antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity in healthy subjects and chronic fatigue syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients. Immunpharmacol 1997;35:229–35.
2. Leuttig B, Steinmuller C, Gifford GE, et al. Macrophage activation by the polysaccharide arabinogalactan isolated from plant cell cultures of Echinacea purpurea. J Natl Cancer Inst 1989;81:669–75.
3. Melchart D, Linde K, Worku F, et al. Immunomodulation with Echinacea—a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Phytomedicine 1994;1:245–54.
4. Dorn M, Knick E, Lewith G. Placebo-controlled, double-blind study of Echinacea pallida redix in upper respiratory tract infections. Comp Ther Med 1997;5:40–2.
5. Hoheisel O, Sandberg M, Bertram S, et al. Echinacea shortens the course of the common cold: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur J Clin Res 1997;9:261–8.
6. Braunig B, Dorn M, Knick E. Echinacea purpurea root for strengthening the immune response to flu-like infections. Zeitschrift Phytotherapie 1992;13:7–13.
7. Brikenborn RM, Shah DV, Degenring FH. Echinaforce® and other Echinacea fresh plant preparations in the treatment of the common cold. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Phytomedicine 1999;6:1–5.
8. Melchart D, Walther E, Linde K, et al. Echinacea root extracts for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Arch Fam Med 1998;7:541–5.
9. Grimm W, Müller HH. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of fluid extract of Echinacea purpurea on the incidence and severity of colds and respiratory tract infections. Am J Med 1999;106:138–43.
10. Coeugniet E, Kuhnast R. Recurrent candidiasis. Adjuvant immunotherapy with different formulations of Echinacea. Therapiwoche 1986;36:3352–8 [in German].
11. Brown DJ. Herbal Prescriptions for Better Health. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1996, 63–8.
12. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 121–3.
13. Mullins RJ. Echinacea-associated anaphylaxis. Med J Austral 1998;168:170–1.
14. Gallo M, Sarkar M, Au W, et al. Pregnancy outcome following gestational exposure to echinacea. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:3141–3.
15. Duke JA. Handbook of phytochemical constituents of GRAS herbs and other economic plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1992.
16. Carabin IG, Flamm WG. Evaluation of safety of inulin and oligofructose as dietary fiber. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 1999;30:268–82 [review].
17. Coussement PA. Inulin and oligofructose: safe intakes and legal status. J Nutr 1999;129:1412S–7S [review].
18. Gay-Crosier F, Schreiber G, Hauser C. Anaphylaxis from inulin in vegetables and processed food. N Engl J Med 2000;342:1372 [letter].