Materia Medica

Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia Echinacea pallida:  Asteraceae.  Commonly known as purple cone flower.

Native Americans, particularly tribes of the Great Midwest Plains used Echinacea for snake and insect bites and infections.  Echinacea was introduced into the materia medica in 1887 and was recognized by the The National Formulary of the United States until 1950.

Echinacea is indigenous to the United States, the Great Plains region.  It is frequently grown as an ornamental in flower beds.  It is becoming a threatened species in the wild and so it is encouraged that the cultivated varieties be use.

The root is used traditionally, but leaf, flower and seed are being used in many commercial preparations.  The juice of the upper part of the plant is popular in Europe, but not readily available in the United States.

Numerous tea, capsule, hydroalcoholic extracts and glycerin extracts.  Echinacea is a popular herb and so is marketed by many companies and in many forms and qualities.  It is often mixed with other herbs, especially Hydrastis candensis (goldenseal).  Studies indicate the most effective form is the hydroalcoholic preparations ¹

Echinacea promotes nonspecific cellular immunity and is anti-inflammatory.  This is in part due to polysaccharide components.  “Echinacea stimulates phagocytosis, increases respiratory cellular activity, and increases mobility of leukocytes”.²  It has few direct antibacterial or antiviral properties but is used to treat infections by its ability to act as an immuno stimulant.  “It increases phagocytosis and promotes the activity of the lymphocytes, resulting in the release of tumor necrosis factor.  Hyaluronidase activity is inhibited, and the activity of the adrenal cortex is stimulated.”³  It also induces the production of interferon and increases the body’s antiviral activity.⁴  Echinacea is used as a supportive therapy in respiratory and urinary infections.⁵

Its most popular use is for colds, sore throats, flu and infections.

The chemistry of Echinacea is complex and there has been a good deal of confusion caused by adulteration of Echinacea with other plants, primarily Parthenium integrifolium L.; and that there are several different Echinaceas being tested.  It has not been determined just what constituents are responsible for the pharmacological activity.  The classes of compounds that appear to be primarily responsible for the immune system effects are the alkylamides, the chicoric acids and related glycosides and the high-molecular-weight polysaccharides.  Besides these chemicals, extracts of echinacea contain varying amounts of alkaloids, caffeic acid derivatives, essential oils, flavonoids and polyacetylenes.⁶

The dose depends on potency and the form of preparation.  Teas are not as effective because of constituents that are not readily soluble in water.  The general recommendation for capsules is 1 gram or two 500 mg. three times daily.  The general recommendation on most hydroalcoholic extracts is 15 to 60 drops, three to five times a day.  Studies suggest it is best to use repeated small doses frequently.  There is also evidence that echinacea works immediately by stimulating lymphatic tissue in the mouth and so the hydroalcoholic preparations would be the more effective.  Long term use of echinacea is not recommended to avoid overstimulating the immune system.⁷  Ten days is the usual recommendation, certainly not longer than 6 weeks.

There is some controversy to this contraindication⁸, and the problems are not consistent, but echinacea is generally contraindicated in progressive systemic disease like tuberculosis, leukosis, collagen disorders or multiple sclerosis lupus, AIDS, and other auto immune diseases.⁹  It does elevate the white cell blood count.

There are occasional allergic reactions, but they are rare.¹⁰