Echinacea

ECHINACEA



SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Echinacea angustifolia DC. The related species E. purpurea (L.) Moench and E. pallida (Nutt.) Britton have also been used in traditional medicine. Family: Compositae

COMMON NAMES: American coneflower, black susans, comb flower, echinacea, hedgehog, Indian head, Kansas snakeroot, narrow-leaved purple coneflower, purple coneflower, Echinacin, Echinaforce®, Echinaguard®, black Sampson, black Susan, cock-up-hat, combflower, hedgehog, igelkopf, Indian head, Kansas snake root, kegelblume, narrow-leaved purple coneflower, purple coneflower, red sunflower, rudbeckia, scurvy root, snakeroot, solhat, sun hat.


HISTORY
     Echinacea is a popular herbal remedy in the central US, an area to which it is indigenous. The plant was used in traditional medicine by the American Indians and quickly adopted by the settlers. During the 1800s, claims for the curative properties of the plant ranged from a blood purifier to a treatment for dizziness and rattlesnake bites. During the early part of the 20th century, extracts of the plant were used as anti-infectives; however, the use of these products fell out of favor after the discovery of modern antibiotics.

The plant and its extracts continue to be used topically for wound-healing action and internally to stimulate the immune system. Most of the research during the past 10 years has focused on the immunostimulant properties of this plant.

USES

Uses based on scientific evidence
    
Traditional uses of echinacea as a wound-healing agent and immunostimulant.

 Immune system stimulation .Echinacea contains the most potent immunostimulating components.

Treatment and prevention of the common cold. Prevention of upper respiratory tract infections

Photodamage prevention/treatment

Treatment of upper respiratory tract infections

 Low white blood cell counts after X-ray treatment

Cancer

Genital herpes

Uses based on tradition or theory

The below uses are based on tradition or scientific theories. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider.

Abscesses, acne, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bacterial infections, bee stings, boils, burn wounds, cancer, cold sores, diphtheria, dizziness, eczema, gingivitis, hemorrhoids, HIV/AIDS, malaria, menopause, migraine headache, nasal congestion/runny nose, pain, psoriasis, rheumatism, skin ulcers, snake bites, stomach upset, syphilis, tonsillitis, typhoid, urinary tract infections, whooping cough (pertussis), yeast infections.




TOXICOLOGY

 Little is known about the toxicity of echinacea despite its widespread use in many countries. It has been documented in American traditional medicine for more than a century and generally has not been associated with acute or chronic toxicity. Purified echinacea polysaccharide is relatively nontoxic.

    Side effects: Exclusion criteria from clinical trials provide information regarding patients who should not receive echinacea. Some of the exclusion criteria were the following: Childhood, chronic diseases such as diabetes, bronchial asthma, allergy, or autoimmune deficiency, tuberculosis, leukemia, collagenous disease, multiple sclerosis, polyarthritis, HIV infection, organ transplantation, pneumonia, or fungal infections, other infections not involving the respiratory tract, known inflammatory GI disease or impairment of resorption, acute influenza, chronic diseases of the respiratory tract; patients taking any immunosuppressants including corticosteroids, antibiotics, or cytostatic therapy; pregnancy or lactation; fever; hypersensitivity to plants of the Asteraceae/Compositae family; and any type of acute infection.

SUMMARY

 Echinacea is a native American plant that has been documented in traditional herbal medicine for more than a century. Its uses have included topical application to stimulate wound healing and ingestion to improve immune function. Studies have indicated that the plant does possess pharmacologic activity that supports some of these traditional uses.

Echinacea has been shown to have some beneficial effects on the symptoms of the common cold. A few studies have shown echinacea (E. purpurea and E. pallida) to be effective for the treatment, but not prevention, of the common cold. However, the variation in products used in clinicial trials (some products are not available in the US), including part of the plant used, variable dosing, treatment duration, and different extraction methods (eg, alcoholic extraction, pressed juice) makes specific dosing recommendations difficult to determine .

PATIENT INFORMATION — Echinacea

    Uses: There is some evidence that echinacea (purpurea and pallida species) is effective in shortening the duration of symptoms of URIs, including the common cold, but it has not been shown to be effective as a preventative. The variation in available products makes specific recommendations difficult to determine.

    Side Effects: Side effects are rare. Patients with allergies, specifically allergies to daisy-type plants (Asteraceae/Compositae family) might be more susceptible to reactions. Nausea and other mild GI effects have been reported in clinical trials. Because of the potential immune stimulating property of echinacea, patients who are immunocompromised should not take echinacea. Many patients were excluded from clinical trials (see Pharmacology, Clinical Trials, Toxicology).

    Dosing: Echinacea clinical trials for prevention or treatment of cold symptoms have been run primarily on the frest pressed juice of the herb, which is preserved with 22% alcohol. Typical daily doses are 5 to 10 mL of the juice. Echinacin (Madaus, EC31) and Echinagard are fresh juice prepared from the herb. Extracts of the root are available, including Echinaforce and Echinacea Plus. These have been given at doses corresponding to 1 g of the crude herb or root 3 times/day.