Echinacea: a myth?
Echinacea is one of the best selling herbs in America and Europe. It is an American wildflower and a perennial garden plant otherwise called Purple Cone flower. Echinacea would refer to the nine varieties of the same species of the Echinacea plant growing in the opens woods and road banks of the Great Plains and eastern regions of North America. It was perhaps the native Americans who found the medicinal properties of Echinacea and False Unicorn. Echinacea preparations are derived from three of the nine species namely Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida. Echinacea Purpurea is the most medicinal of the species. Americans believe a great deal in the medicinal uses of the plant and they use the root extract of Echinacea Purpurea. It is also one of the popular herbs in England.
Why is Echinacea so popular?
The Plains Indians used echinacea to treat even insect and snake bites, toothaches, sore throat, wounds, as well as mumps, smallpox and measles.
Echinacea is said to be a great blood purifier and an effective antibiotic.
The leaf and root are mildly antibacterial and antiviral and can help wound healing.
Echinacea has been used to help ward off the common cold and to relieve the symptoms of hay fever.
It can help with upper respiratory tract infections. Hence is highly used in winter.
Echinacea angustifolia is able to fight infections, blood disorders, septicemia etc.
It can treat prophylaxis of URI.
And there are no side effects.
An article by a famous newsgroup casts doubts on the effectiveness of the herb. There are also disagreements to the view that it stimulates or boosts the body’s immune system. An Ayurvedic expert comes up with the theory that Echinacea can be helpful only to Fire or Water-predominate people based on the Tridosha System. He says that it will have no effective on Air-dominant patients.
Let’s see the constituents of Echinacea:
- essential oil
- polysaccharides
- polyacetylenes
- betain
- glycoside
- sesquiterpenes
- alkamides
- chicoric acid
- caryophylene
- Vitamin A, C and E
- copper
- iron
- tannins
- protein
- fatty acids
There is no solid proof of the efficacy of Echinacea. But studies in Germany proves that Echinacea Purpurea can strengthen the body’s immune system and also act as a natural remedy for ailments like cold and flu. Echinacea can certainly improve the immune system if not fully stimulate it. The polysaccharides are the immune-stimulating components present in Echinacea. They increase the production of immune cells like T-cells. Also, by attaching themselves to the immune cells the polysaccharides activate them. Glycocide in Echinacea (echinacoside) will empower the immune further. It can enhance a weak immune system and increase the body’s ability to fight off any disease. Echinacea purpurea can thus ward off cold and fever.
Echinacea can improve the migration of white blood cells to attack foreign microorganisms and toxins in the bloodstream. Research supports the view that echinacea’s activity in the blood will help even in the defense of tumor cells.
A doctor of chiropractic medicine points out in his article on Echinacea that it is a natural antibiotic and more effective than antibiotics in fighting infections. While antibiotics deplete the immune system Echinacea can kill viruses by enhancing immunity. It also stimulates the guard cells of the body, Neutophils and t-lymphocytes.
Hence Echinacea can be used as an effective treatment for ailments like
-colds and the flu
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