A Perennial Plant Native to North America

Echinacea is a popular garden plant with beautiful flowers that is a member of the aster/daisy family. There are three species of Echinacea used medicinally: Echinacea Angustifolia, Echinacea Purpurea, and Echinacea Pallida. Echinacea Angustifolia and Purpurea are the most commonly seen today. Also called Purple Coneflower or Rudbekia, the roots and the whole herb are used for medicinal purposes. The most important active ingredient is echinacosides, a glycoside with slight antibiotic properties. In addition, the plant contains volatile oils, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and a whole range of other principles. The action of this herb is based on the combined effect of all its principles. Taken internally, Echinacea enhances resistance and stimulates the lymphatic system and the fibroblasts (cells repairing tissue). It has been proven to be a useful drug in improving the body's resistance to infectious conditions of all kinds, particularly influenza and colds.

Safe & Effective Immune Stimulant

Echinacea exerts its natural antiviral and antibacterial effect on the body's immune system by:

• Promoting the phagocytic (engulfment and destruction) action of leucocytes (white blood cells)
• Increasing the production of interferons (proteins that inhibit virus multiplication) by macrophages (phagocytic cells)
• Promoting cell-mediated immunity, by stimulating T-cell (killer cell) activity.

  Echinacea also inhibits the enzyme production by some germs and disease causing organisms (especially some bacteria), and hinders their entry and spread. These activities prove to be very effective, especially against viral infections. This is the main reason Echinacea is so effective in treating the common cold and flu and a wide variety of other infections.

  Wide Ranging Without the Side Effects of Modern Antibiotics

  Historically, Native Indians used Echinacea as a blood purifier, analgesic, antiseptic and snakebite remedy. Today, Echinacea is used for the treatment of a wide range of viral and bacterial infections, including:

  • The common cold and flu.
  • The promotion of wound healing, especially old wounds and ulcers that refuse to heal (Echinacea has the ability to stimulate the fibroblasts in the body to repair the connective tissue).
  • The treatment of recurrent vaginal Candida infection.

  In spite of its wide spectrum of activities, Echinacea seems to exhibit very little side effects. Neither does it seem to pose the problem we face with modern antibiotics, namely the development of resistant bacterial strains and the appearance of completely new disease forms. (An example of this is antibiotic induced diarrhea due to resistant organisms gaining the upper hand after the normal intestinal flora (friendly and useful bacteria in our gut wall) is destroyed by antibiotics. Because Echinacea is a nonspecific immunostimulant, one will never have to change the drug according to the bacterial or viral strain, and worry about resistance: your own body's immune system takes care of the infection for you.

  How To Take Echinacea

  Modern Echinacea is largely available as standardized extracts, capsules and tinctures. It is also available as the raw herb, tablets, expressed juice, topical creams and ointments, throat lozenges and sprays, even toothpaste. At the first sign of a cold or flu (sore throat, dry mouth, aching body), take one capsule three times a day or 20 - 30 drops of the extract or tincture directly in the mouth or in a cup of water three times daily until recovery. If you start early, the treatment normally takes 3 to 4 days. Due to the anesthetic action of the herb, you will feel a tingling sensation of the tongue when administering drops directly on the tongue. For wound healing, clean the wound first and then apply a few drops of pure Echinacea. Leave it to dry, and apply dressing with a neutral ointment, preferably zinc. The treatment may be repeated, but not too many times to avoid irritation.







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