Echinacea purpurea aerial, commonly referred to as just echinacea, is a perennial herb native to the Midwestern region of North America. Echinacea has a long history of medicinal use and it is one of the most popular herbs in the United States today. As with any herbal product, talk to your health care practitioner before taking echinacea supplements.
Nutritional Profile
The medicinally active parts of the echinacea plants are the roots and the above ground parts. Echinacea contains calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc as well vitamins B-1, B-2, B-3 and C. It also contains numerous phytochemicals including beta-carotene, quercetin and rutin. Phytochemicals are antioxidant compounds found in plants that help to prevent and treat disease in humans. According to Phyllis Balch and James Balch, M.D., in their book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," echinacea possesses anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-histamine, anti-tumor and immune stimulating properties.
Infection Fighter
Archeological data suggests that Native Americas have used echinacea to promote wound healing and as a general cure-all for more then 400 years, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Echinacea helps to stimulate and boost the immune system and alternative medicine practitioners use it to both prevent and treat a variety of infections including the common cold, influenza, tonsillitis, streptococcus infections, syphilis, typhoid, malaria, swine flu, urinary tract infections, yeast infections and genital herpes, states "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database."
Additional Uses
Herbal medicine practitioners also use echinacea orally to help treat allergic rhinitis and other allergies, pyorrhea, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatism, migraines, dyspepsia, pain, dizziness, rattlesnake bites and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. In addition, people use echinacea topically to help treat boils, abscesses, skin wounds, ulcers, burns, eczema, psoriasis, UV radiation skin damage, herpes simplex, bee stings and hemorrhoids states "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database." Finally, echinacea is sometimes used intravenously to prolong survival time in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer.
Considerations
Echinacea supplements are sold in a variety of forms including extract, tincture, tablet, capsule and ointment form. For maximum effectiveness the Balch's recommend buying a freeze-dried extract form or alcohol-free extract form and taking it as directed on the bottle. Some research suggests that when echinacea is used for greater than eight weeks, the immunostimulatory effects might decline, and it is often recommended that a one-week herb holiday be taken after each eight-week treatment period to prevent this. Finally, echinacea may interact with certain medications and cause unwanted side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.
References
- "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database"; Therapeutic Research Faculty; 2011
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, MD; 2003.
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Echinacea
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