ECHINACEA PURPLE CONEFLOWER ECHINACEA

ECHINACEA, PURPLE CONEFLOWER (Echinacea spp.) +++
 
True Confessions: I have taken the heretical view here of believing that much of the specific splitting done by European investigators on the pharmacognostic activities of the various species and parts of Echinacea were not backed up by voucher specimens and hence, cannot be proven or disproven. Since much of the research has been sponsored by people promoting one or the other species, but again not vouchering what they were working with, I consider the new data almost as suspect as some of the original, when they were studying Parthenium integrifolium instead of Echinacea. Even today, I think of this as good for Parthenium and not necessarily bad for Echinacea the herb. I would seek Parthenium integrifolium and/or Rudbeckia spp. if I couldnt find an Echinacea. I think they are all good mmunostimulants and confess, unlike the hypsters, that I dont know which is best. Yes, this is a lazy way out.

Activities (Echinacea) :
- Alterative (f; PED; PNC); Analgesic (1; DEM; FNF; PED); Antibacterial (1; PED; PNC); Antiedemic (1; PHR; WHO); Antiexudative (1; PED); Antihyaluronidase (1; BGB; MAB; PNC; WHO); Antiinflammatory (1; FNF; PH2; WAM; WHO); Antiintegrase (1; FNF; JAD); Antiseptic (1; PED); Antispasmodic (1; CAN); Antitumor (1; PNC; WHO); Antiviral (1; APA; WAM; WHO); Bactericide (1; FAD; PH2; WAM; WHO); Bifidogenic (1; AKT; FNF); Bitter (f; PED); Candidicide (1; BGB); Collagen Sparing (1; MAB); Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor (1; MAB; PH2); Fungicide (1; FAD; PED); Immunostimulant (1; CAN; PH2; WAM; WHO); Interferonigenic (1; APA); 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitor (1; PH2; WHO); Phagocytotic (1; KOM; PIP; WHO); Prebiotic (1; AKT; FNF); Protisticide (1; MAB); Sialagogue (1; DEM; PED); TNFgenic (1; APA); Trichomonicide (1; MAB; PNC); Vasodilator (1; CAN); Vulnerary (1; APA; MAB; PH2; PNC).

Indications (Echinacea) :
- Abscess (1; APA; MAB; PH2); Acne (1; MAB); Adenopathy (1; PHR; PH2); Allergy (1; MAB); Arthrosis (f; APA; DEM; WHO); Bacteria (1; PED; PH2; PNC); Bite (f; PH2); Boil (1; APA; PNC); Bronchosis (2; APA; PHR; PH2; PNC); Bug Bite (f; APA); Burn (2; FAD; PHR; PH2; WHO); Cancer (1; FAD; PNC; WHO); Cancer, colon (1; APA); Cancer, liver (1; APA); Candida (1; BGB; FNF; MAM; SKY; WHO); Canker Sore (1; FAD; SKY); CFS (1; BGB); Chemotherapy (1; MAB); Cholecystosis (1; CAN); Cold (2; FAD; PHR;
PH2; WAM; WHO); Cold Sore (1; APA); Colic (f; DEM); Conjunctivosis (1; APA); Cough (2; PHR; PH2); Cramp (1; CAN; DEM; PHR); Crohns Disease (1; SKY); Cystosis (1; APA; CAN); Dermatosis (1; PNC; WHO); Diabetes (f; MAB); Diphtheria (f; MAB); Dysentery (1; MAB); Dyspepsia (f; APA); Eczema (1; APA; PNC; WHO); Fever (2; PHR; PH2); Fit (f; DEM); Flu (2; APA; KOM; PH2; WAM); Fungus (1; FAD; PED); Furunculosis (1; BGB; CAN; MAB); Gastrosis (f; DEM; PHR); Gingivosis (1; APA; SKY); Goiter (1; MAB); Gonorrhea (1; PHR; PH2); Headache (1; BGB; PHR; PH2); Hemorrhoid (f; APA); Herpes (1; FAD; PHR; PH2; WHO); HIV (1; BGB; JAD); Immunodepression (2; CAN; PHR; PH2; SKY; WAM; WHO); nfection (2; FAD; PED; PH2; SKY; WHO); Inflammation (1; BGB; DEM; FNF; PH2; WAM; WHO); Leishmaniasis (1; MAB; PH2); Leukopenia (1; PHR); Listeria (1; MAM); Lyme Disease (1; JAD); Mastosis (1; MAB); Measles (f; PHR; PH2); Meningosis (1; APA); Migraine (f; APA); Mumps (1; APA; DEM); Myalgia (f; DEM); Mycosis (1; FAD; PED); Neck (f; DEM); Nephrorrhagia (f; MAB); Ophthalmia (f; DEM); Otosis (1; JAD; SKY); Pain (1; DEM; FNF; PED; PH2); Pertussis (1; APA); Pharyngosis (2; BGB; PHR; PH2; PNC); Psoriasis (1; APA; MAB); Pyorrhea (1; CAN); Radiotherapy (f; WHO); Respirosis (2; APA; PH2; PIP; WHO); Rheumatism (1; APA; DEM; WHO); Rhinosis (1; CAN); Scarlet Fever (1; MAB); Septicemia (1; MAB; PNC); Sinusosis (1; BGB; MAB); Smallpox (f; DEM); Snakebite (f; APA; FAD); Sore (2; APA; KOM; PH2; WHO); Sore Throat (1; APA; DEM; FAD; WAM); Spider Bite (f; FAD); Staphylococcus (1; PH2); Stomachache (f; DEM); Stomatosis (2; PHR; PH2; WHO); Swelling (1; PHR; PH2; WHO); Syphilis (f; MAB); Thirst (1; DEM); Tonsilosis (1; APA; PNC); Toothache (1; APA; FAD); Trichomoniasis (1; MAB); Tuberculosis (1; APA; MAB); Tumor (1; PNC; WHO); Typhus (1; MAB); UTI (2; CAN; KOM; PH2; PHR; PIP; WOI); Vaginosis (1; BGB); Varicosis (1; WHO); VD (1; PH2); Virus (1; APA; PH2; WAM; WHO); Worm (f; DEM); Wound (2; FAD; KOM; PHR; PH2; PIP; WHO); Yeast (1; APA; BGB). Note: Commission E recommended only E.
pallida root and E. purpurea leaf (KOM, p. 61).

Dosages (Echinacea) :
- 1 - 2 tbsp fresh root (PED); 3 g dry root (PED); 3 g dry root:15 ml alcohol/15 mg water (PED); 2 tsp root/cup water to 3 ×/day (APA); 1 - 2 g root as tea 3 ×/day (CAN); 0.25 - 1 ml liquid root extract (1:1 in 45% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 10 - 30 drops root tincture 3 ×/day; 1 - 2 droppers tincture (APA); 1 - 2 ml herb tincture (1:5 in 45% alcohol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 300 - 400 mg solid extract (APA); 2 (500 mg) capsules (StX to contain 125 mg certified potency Echinacea angustifolia root extract with at least 3.2 - 4.8% echinacoside, in a base of Parthenium ntegrifolium root, E. angustifolia root, and E. purpurea root) 2 - 3 ×/day (NH); 2 - 3 (420 mg) capsules 2 - 3 ×/day.

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Echinacea) :
- Class 1 (AHP). I dont worry about levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) as low as 60 ppm;isotussilagine and tussilagine have been reported at levels of up to 60 ppm in pallid and purple coneflower (these PAs are unlikely to cause any liver damage). Commission E reports contraindications: progressive systemic diseases (e.g., AIDS, collagenosis, HIV, leucopathy, leukosis, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, and other autoimmune diseases) (KOM). No side effects or interactions with other drugs reported (KOM). But, There are no contraindications or adverse effects reported for echinacea products taken orally (KOM, p. 61). People with asthma, eczema, or hay fever may prove allergic to Echinacea (WAM). Should not be used for more than 2 - 8 weeks, according to many authors. Other sources report contraindications: inclination to hypersensitivity, pregnancy; adverse effects: metabolic worsening in diabetic patients, dose-dependen chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, acute allergic reactions (AHP; Commission E). OBrien contraindicates for autoimmune disorders (e.g., Hashimotos thyroidosis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus). According to Parnham (1996), doses 1000 times greater than normally used may be immuno-suppressive. CAN reports polysaccharide as allergenic and irritant (CAN). Positive and negative concern has been expressed about the overproduction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production, which is stimulated by Echinacea (CAN). TNF, in addition to its antitumor activities, is said to mediate cachexia and the manifestation of endotoxic shock (CAN).

Extracts (Echinacea) :
- Activates immunity against herpes, influenza, and vesicular viruses (CAN). Polysaccharide fraction about half as active, as antiedemic and antiinflammatory, as indomethacin (CAN). Modestly antibacterial against Proteus and Staphylococcus (CAN). Antibacterial, antiviral, immunostimulating activities due largely to alkalies, caught acid derivatives (such as cichoric acid and echinosides), glycoproteins, and polysaccharides (PH2). Extracts of E. angustifolia inhibit Trichomonas in vitro (PNC). Echinacin inhibits bacterial formation of hyaluronidase (PNC). Cichoric acid inhibits viral integrase, which, ironically, may be useful in the contraindicated AIDS and HIV. Arabinogalactan stimulates macrophages to produce interferon-beta, interleukin (IL) 1, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, as well as T cell production in vitro (PH2).