Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Echinacea_angustifolia.jpg
Common name Echinacea, coneflower
Plant family Compositae/Asteracea
Parts used Root and rhizome (Grieve, 1971), aerial parts (Bone, 2003).
Qualities Slightly sweet then bitter, warm, dry (Holmes, 2007).
Constituents Polysaccharides, caffeic acid derivatives, alkylamides, essential oils, polyacetylenes, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, resins, glycoproteins, sterols (Braun & Cohen, 2010), cichoric acid (Bone, 2003). E. purpurea has been found to contain canyon, a potential immunosuppressant (Braun & Cohen, 2010).
Actions
Alterative (Grieve, 1971), immune modulating, immune enhancing, depurative, anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, lymphatic, sialagogue (Bone, 2003), adjuvant, antiviral, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, anaesthetic, chemopreventive, anti-parasitic (Braun & Cohen, 2010). Anxyolitic (Haller et al., 2012).
Indications
Echinacea increases bodily resistance to infection and clinical studies support its use in upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold, bacterial sinusitis, flu-like illnesses, viral and steptococcal throat infections. E. purpurea has been found to contain canyon, a potential immunosuppressant (Braun & Cohen, 2010).
Bone and Mills advise that treatment with E. angustifolia will resolve the Ross River virus infection in six to ten weeks (Bone & Mills, 2013).
Bone and Mills advise that treatment with E. angustifolia will resolve the Ross River virus infection in six to ten weeks (Bone & Mills, 2013).
A 2005 in vitro/in vivo study of an extract of E. angustifolia showed it increased cellular resistance to Candida albicans (Morazzoni et al., 2005), indicating it may be useful in treating thrush.
A 2012 study investigated the anxiolytic effect of an E. angustifolia extract on human volunteers after observing positive anti-anxyolitc effects on rat subjects. The human subjects experienced a lessening in anxiety, but this trial did not include comparison with a placebo (Haller et al., 2012).
A 2002 study of an isolated polysaccharide extract of E. purpurea administered intravenously may reduce leukopenia caused by chemotherapy (Melchart et al., 2002). A 2012 in vitro study of cichoric acid isolated from E. purpurea found it exerted cytotoxic effect on human colon cancer cells by inducing cellular apoptosis (Tsai, Chiu, Yi-Fu Chen, Chan & Lin, 2012).
A 2012 double-blind study found that echinacea supplementation was able to improve running performance, the authors posit that increased red blood cell count as a result of supplementation increased oxygen consumption (Whitehead, Martin, Scheett & Webster, 2012).
Small likelihood of allergic reaction, no conclusive evidence that long-term use is detrimental, even in autoimmune disease, asthma and allergies; transplant patients taking immunosuppressive drugs should use Echinacea in the short-term only (Bone, 2003).
A 2000 prospective study investigating the safe use of Echinacea during pregnancy found it was not associated with increased risk of malformations (Gallo et al., 2001); and a 2006 systematic review advised caution in using during lactation due to a lack of good safety evidence (Perri, Dugoua, Mills & Koren, 2006).
Combinations
Works well added to any cold and flu remedy.
Dosage
For E. purpurea 3-6 ml of 1:2 liquid extract of the root, or 4.5- 8.5 ml of 1:3 glycetract per day
20-40 ml of 1:2 liquid extract or 30-60 ml of 1:3 glycetract per week.
For E. angustifolia 3-6 ml of 1:2 Liquid extract per day or 20-40ml of 1:2 liquid extract per week.
References
Bone, K., & Mills, S. (2013). Principles and practice of phytotherapy. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
Braun, L., & Cohen, M. (2010). Herbs & natural supplements. Sydney: Elsevier Australia.
Gallo, M., Sarkar, M., Au, W., Pietrzak, K., Comas, B., & Smith, M. et al. (2001). Pregnancy outcome following gestational exposure to echinacea - a prospective controlled study. Focus On Alternative And Complementary Therapies, 6(1), 79-79.
Grieve, M. (1971). A modern herbal. New York: Dover Publications.
Haller, J., Freund, T., Pelczer, K., Füredi, J., Krecsak, L., & Zámbori, J. (2012). The Anxiolytic Potential and Psychotropic Side Effects of an Echinacea Preparation in Laboratory Animals and Healthy Volunteers. Phytotherapy Research, 27(1), 54-61.
Holmes, P. (2007). The energetics of Western herbs. Cotati, Calif.: Snow Lotus Press.
Melchart, D., Clemm, C., Weber, B., Draczynski, T., Worku, F., & Linde, K. et al. (2002). Polysaccharides isolated from Echinacea purpurea herba cell cultures to counteract undesired effects of chemotherapy?a pilot study. Phytotherapy Research, 16(2), 138-142.
Morazzoni, P., Cristoni, A., Di Pierro, F., Avanzini, C., Ravarino, D., & Stornello, S. et al. (2005). In vitro and in vivo immune stimulating effects of a new standardized Echinacea angustifolia root extract (Polinacea™). Fitoterapia, 76(5), 401-411.
Perri, D., Dugoua, J., Mills, E., & Koren, G. (2006). The Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Safety And Efficacy Of Echinacea (Echinacea Angustafolia, E. Purpurea And E. Pallida) During Pregnancy And Lactation., 13(3), 262-267.
Tsai, Y., Chiu, C., Yi-Fu Chen, J., Chan, K., & Lin, S. (2012). Cytotoxic effects of Echinacea purpurea flower extracts and cichoric acid on human colon cancer cells through induction of apoptosis. Journal Of Ethnopharmacology, 143(3), 914-919.
Whitehead, M., Martin, T., Scheett, T., & Webster, M. (2012). Running Economy and Maximal Oxygen Consumption After 4 Weeks of Oral Echinacea Supplementation. Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research, 26(7), 1928-1933.