ECHINACEA - (Coneflower)

Compositae/Asteraceae

Nine species of hardy rhizomatous perennials make up this genus, which is native to Eastern and Central US. E. purpurea is one of several species, including E. pallida and E. angustifolia, used by native North Americans, mainly to treat wounds. Coneflowers give a colorful display in the border from midsummer to early autumn, and are excellent for cutting. The generic name Echinacea comes from the Greek echinos "hedgehog" and refers to the prickly scales of the flowers' central cone. It has been grown in European gardens for nearly 300 years. Being one of the most important medicines used by the N. American Indians, the Chenenne chewed the root to quench their thirst, particularly useful when doing the strenuous "Sun Dance", as it stimulates the flow of saliva. The Comanche used it as a remedy for toothache and sore throats and the Sioux took it for rabies, snakebite, and septic conditions. Others used it to relieve toothache, headaches, stomach pain and back ache. It was regarded as an antidote to snake bites and excellent for infections such as coughs and colds, measles and mumps, boils and abscesses. The Plains tribes regarded E. angustifolia as a cure-all, and it was listed in the U.S. National Formulary (1916-50).

These three species (E. angustifolia, E. pallida, and E. purpurea) have similar constituents and are used interchangeably. E. purpurea is the most widely used, being much more easily cultivated. It is now considered the most effective detoxicant in Western Herbal medicine for the circulatory, lymphatic, and respiratory systems, and the most important immune stimulant, and has been adopted by Ayurvedic practitioners. Research into this species followed the import of seed by the German Herbal Company Madaus in 1939.

Today, Echinacea makes an excellent remedy for all kinds of infections, and is particularly helpful for chronic infections such as post-viral fatigue syndrome (ME), and is becoming increasingly popular. Taken every two hours it will help the immune system fight off sore throats, colds and flu, chest infections, skin disorders, respiratory problems and glandular fever to name a few. It has antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal actions, as well as anti-allergenic properties, helpful for treating asthma. Its benefits in the treatment of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS are currently being investigated. Echinacea also has anti-inflammatory properties, excellent for relieving arthritis and gout and problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease. It enhances the circulation and when hot will bring down a fever.

ECHINACEA

Used for centuries by the Plains Indians for its ability to prevent and fight infections from colds to skin problems, Echinacea is leading the revival of Herbal medicine. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Eclectic doctor and pharmacist John Uri Lloyd studied Echinacea and predicted it would be "ardently sought and widely used." By 1921 it had outsold more than 300 North American plant-based products prepared by Lloyd Brothers of Cincinnati, a premier pharmacy of the time. Indeed, Lloyd was right: today Echinacea is the best-selling Herbal product in the U.S. and Germany.

SPECIES AND NICKNAMES

Native to the plains of central North America, Echinacea has three major species, all similar: Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower), E. purpurea (purple coneflower), and E. pallida (pale purple coneflower). Although all three of these members of the sunflower family have been used in folk medicine, E. purpurea now has the widest distribution in North America and has received the most scientific attention.

The Indians used a variety of descriptive names for Echinacea. Because the seed head was used to comb the hair, the Lakota called it on'glakcapi ("comb"). The Omaha has differentiated between nuga (male and larger) and miga (female and smaller) Purple Coneflowers, preferring the latter - possibly the shorter E. angustifolia - for medicinal use. The Pawnee used two names: ksapitahako ("to whirl," after a children's game), and saparidu hahts ("mushroom medicine").

The settlers, too, had myriad names for Echinacea. Snakeroot, scurvy root, and combflower all refer to specific uses. Coneflower, Indian head, black Susan, black root, cock-up-hat, hedgehog (echinos is Greek for "hedgehog"), and sea urchin variously describe the plants appearance - its cone-shaped flowers, its spiny, dark-colored seed head, and its dark medicinal root. Black Sampson, once a popular name for the herb, was coined by slave owners after a common slave name.

IMMUNITY BOOSTER

Various Indian tribes found Echinacea worked on a host of ailments, and often took the tea or juice from the root internally and externally at the same time. The Choctaw and the Crow used the herb for colds and coughs at the onset of symptoms. The Dakota and the Omaha treated bacterial infections with Echinacea, and the Sioux and the Delaware applied it to the lesions of gonorrhea and other venereal diseases. The Lakota and the Mesquakie drank the root tea to remedy stomachaches and cramps and sometimes to boost strength and alertness.

As settlers learned of Echinacea's uses by the Indians, they adopted many - especially those for colds and influenza - and expanded the herbs reach to include bronchitis, whooping cough, bladder infections, allergies, and food poisoning. In fact, as its popularity grew in the late 19th century, Echinacea forged a reputation as an all-around tonic that would improve the blood, clean out toxins, prevent colds, and fight any number of infections. Oklahomans even gave it to their ailing horses and cattle to stimulate the appetite. Confidence in the plant was so high that both the Indians and the settlers used the tea against rabies-a serious condition that no herb can cure.

Numerous scientific tests, most of them conducted in Germany, have confirmed Echinacea's "nonspecific" boost to the immune system. It has been found that no one principle is at work, but different constituents (including echinacein and polysaccharides) work to guard the bloodstream, inhibit infection, and stimulate the production of white blood cells and new tissue. Most significant, Echinacea tea and extract may help ward off colds and relieve cold symptoms.

WIDER INDIAN USE

The Indians used Echinacea in several different forms to relieve discomforts of the skin and mouth. The juice, root tea, or mashed root salve were applied to relieve skin irritations, including measles and smallpox, as well as the swelling that is symptomatic of mumps. Root applications were also used to soothe the pain of snakebite, arthritis, and sore muscles and to speed the healing of eye infections, wounds, boils, frostbite, and gangrene.

Tribes of the Great Plains, including the Cheyenne and Sioux, chewed the root or gargled the tea to numb toothaches, mouth sores, swollen tonsils, and sore throats. The Omaha and Winnebago used the salve as a local anesthetic.

In Indian rituals, the mildly numbing root juice was applied to the feet before walking on hot coals, to the mouth before holing a hot coal there, or to the hands before pulling meat from boiling water-practices that symbolized spiritual power. Believed to help purify bodily systems, the root was also added to the steam water used in sweat-lodge ceremonies.

Many of these original uses of Echinacea remain valuable today. Research has found hints of anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and wound-healing properties. The extract is reported to be mildly insecticidal, although the plant cannot treat insect or snake bites beyond its possible anti-inflammatory activity. In Germany, it is approved for chronic respiratory and urinary tract infections and for external sores and wounds.

Researchers have also found potential new uses for Echinacea. Extracts may prevent and help cure yeast infections, and patients undergoing radiation treatment may experience fewer side effects when taking the herb. Other studies are looking at Echinacea's effect on cancer cells and arthritis. Around the world, the herb is used topically for arthritis, burns, boils, eczema, psoriasis, and herpes and internally for colds, tonsillitis, and bladder infections.

BUYING AND USING

Although more than 150 conventional medicines are made from Echinacea in Germany, it is not yet recognized as bona fide by the medical community in Canada and the United States. Nevertheless, many varieties of the plant are available.

When buying the fresh herb, look for the Latin name: for years, other plants have been fraudulently sold as Echinacea. In bygone days, button snakeroot (Eryngium praealtum) was an imposter. More recently, Missouri snakeroot (Parthenium integrifolium) has been substituted. Also, Echinacea's old genus names - Rudbeckia and Brauneria - may still be in use.

Echinacea products are usually labeled "organically grown","pesticide-free" or "farmed" indicating that the plant is neither from the wild nor endangered. Tinctures and extracts are the most common forms; these should produce a slight tingling sensation when applied to the tongue. Other forms are tea bags, juices, tablets, and capsules. If you are buying the raw plant material, look for either the plant's aerial parts or the powdered root.

Studies have yet to pinpoint the best form or recommended dosage, but extensive usage had determined amounts that are generally agreed upon. Tinctures are usually applied to the back of the tongue or added to drinks: 15 to 30 drops (usually a dropper-full) at a time, two to five times a day. Tablets and capsules are usually taken once or twice a day.

The pressed juice of E. purpurea is yet another product- usually taken at 1-2 teaspoons a day. Teas (made from tea bags or 2 teaspoons raw root) can be taken up to three times a day but are reportedly less potent because not all the healing components are water-soluble. For the best results, two weeks of use should be followed by two weeks of non-use. Any uninterrupted use should not exceed eight weeks. Externally, salves and ointments are also widely used, as are cotton pads soaked with the tea or extract.

IN INDIAN SWEAT LODGES, Echinacea was added to the steam water to help sweat out impurities in the body.

THE "DISCOVERY" OF ECHINACEA

Although Echinacea was first mentioned in Flora Virginica (1762) as a remedy for saddle sores on horses, H.F.C. Meyer, a doctor and patent medicine salesman from Pawnee City, Nebraska, is credited with its modern discovery. In 1871 he used it in his secret Blood Purifier for treatments first known to the Indians, such as snakebite.

Fifteen years later, Meyer sent samples of the plant to booth John King, author of the American Dispensatory, and the Lloyd Brothers pharmacy. (He even sought to show off its virtues in person - with a snake). The Lloyds identified the plant as Echinacea angustifolia, and King added it to his book (although without Meyer's boasts). As a result, Echinacea was said by John Uri Lloyd in 1917 to be "consumed in larger quantities" than any other North American drug "introduced in the last 30 years."

Despite no official recognition by the Canadian Medical Association, many doctors used Echinacea before the rise of modern antibiotics.

GROWING YOUR OWN

Echinacea is a hardy, drought-resistant wildflower that is popular for its colorful blooms. It generally ranges from Saskatchewan south through Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma into northern Texas, but it can live in any garden that has proper soil and sun.

To grow your own, sow the seeds in January on a sandy soil surface, and then tamp them down. The seeds should sprout in spring. Echinacea does not like competing with weeds or being transplanted. If you wish to harvest the roots, grow the plants for three to four years and gather the roots in autumn. To prepare the roots for medicinal use, rinse them off completely and lay them in the hot sun (or in low oven heat) to dry.

Echinacea angustifolia, which grows only 15-50 cm (6-20 in) high, is smaller than most Echinacea species. E. purpurea and other species grow up to 1.2 m (4 ft) high. Cultivars of E. purpurea are also grown, the most popular being those that produce white flowers. These include "White Lustre" and "White Prince"; all of which can be used medicinally.

ACTIVE PLANT PARTS:  Roots, leaves, flower heads.

USES:  Colds and flu, cuts and abrasions, yeast infections.

CAUTIONS:  No toxic effect have been reported for Echinacea, yet the herb is not recommended for pregnant women, nursing mothers, diabetics, or children under two. Short-term reactions may include fever, nausea, and vomiting. Allergic reactions are also possible. Those suffering from severe illnesses, such as tuberculosis, leukemia, collagen diseases, multiple sclerosis, and all autoimmune diseases, should not use Echinacea.

Echinacea angustifolia

(Narrow leaf Echinacea)

Medicinally more active than E. purpurea. Difficult to germinate, rarely exceeding 50%; requires 30-90 days at 5 c/40 f to germinate. Recent evidence suggests treatment with Ethrel quickens germination.

Echinacea pallida

(Pale-purple Echinacea)

Similar to the Narrow-leaf species in both appearance and medicinal action. The taller (1m/39 in.) and the paler of the two, and may, in fact, be the more important commercially because much of what is sold as E. angustifolia may actually be this species. R. Bauer and H. Wagner of the University of Munich, the leading European research group working on Echinacea, suggest that E. pallida is the correct name for the plant commonly traded in Europe as E. angustifolia. Like E. angustifolia, germination rates are often less than 40% and may benefit from pretreatments suggested for E. angustifolia.

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

Tall rhizomatous perennial with ovate-lancelet leaves. Purple, honey-scented, daisy-like flowers with conical, orange-brown centers are produced in summer and early autumn.

PERENNIAL:  HEIGHT:  4 feet (1.2m), SPREAD:  18 inches ((45 cm.).

PARTS USED:  Roots, and rhizomes.

KEY CONSTITUENTS:  Alkamides (mostly isobutylamides with olefinic and acetylenic bonds), caffeic acid esters (mainly echinacoside and cynarin), polysaccharides, polyacetylenes, glycoside, volatile oil (humulene), echinolene, betaine, resin, and sesquiterpene.

KEY ACTIONS:  Immune stimulant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, detoxifying, increases sweating, heals wounds, anti-allergenic.

PROPAGATION:  By seed sown in spring, by root cuttings in late winter,

or by division when dormant.

SPACING:  12 inches apart.

CULTIVATION:  Moderately rich/moist well-drained soil in sun/dappled shade.

HARVEST:  Roots and rhizomes are lifted in autumn and dried for use in decoctions, infusions, liquid extracts, powders, tablets, tinctures. Roots are harvested 3-4 years after planting seed, two years after root division. The flowers are gathered in full bloom.

PROPERTIES:  A bitter, slightly aromatic, alterative herb that stimulates the immune system, promotes healing, and has anti-viral and antibacterial effects; A highly regarded blood purifier used to treat diseases caused by impurities; Increases bodily resistance to infection; Is considered the most effective detoxicant in western medicine for the circulatory, lymphatic and respiratory systems.

MEDICINAL:  Internally for skin diseases, fungal infections, septicemia, gangrene, boils, abscesses, slow-healing wounds, upper respiratory tract infections, and venereal diseases. NOTE: Excess causes throat irritation.Externally: For herpes, acne, psoriasis, and infected injuries. Often combined with Hypericum perforatum for herpes, Arctium lappa for boils, and with Baptisia tinctoria or Commiphora myrrha for throat infections.

RESEARCH:

Echinacea's effect is not yet fully understood, but it is known that a number of constituents stimulate the immune system to counter both bacterial and viral infections. The polysaccharides have an anti-hyaluronidase action, inhibiting the ability of viruses to enter and take over cells, while the alkamides are antibacterial and anti-fungal. Echinacea also has a general stimulating effect on the body's immune defenses and is currently being investigated as a treatment for HIV and AIDS.

KEY PREPARATIONS & THEIR USES:

Decoction: To treat infections, gargle with 50 ml 3 times a day.

Tincture:  For chronic infections, take 1/2 tsp. in water 3 times a day.

Capsules:  For colds, take a 500 mg. capsule 3 times a day.

Tablets:   Take as an immune-stimulant for infections.

Acne and boils:  Take tablets or capsules, or make a decoction of 10g of root to 750 ml of water and drink during the day.

Bites, stings and swelling: Take tablets or capsules.

Cankersores:  Mix equal parts of the tinctures of Myrrh (Commiphora molmol), Echinacea, and Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and apply neat or diluted (1 part tincture to 5 parts water) every hour.

Chilblains:    Apply either fresh Ginger, undiluted lemon juice, or neat Echinacea tincture to unopened chilblains twice a day.

Coldsores, chickenpox, shingles warts: Take 1/2 tsp. of tincture with water 2-3 times a day. Alternatively, take tablets or capsules.

Coughs & bronchitis:  Take 1/2 tsp. of tincture with water 2-3 times a day, or take tablets. In addition, eat 2 Garlic cloves daily.

Flu with muscle aches and pains:  Take tablets or capsules, or up to 1/2 tsp. of tincture with water twice a day. Alternatively, make a decoction with 5g of root to 750 ml of water and drink 2-4 cups a day.

Mild bronchial asthma from colds chest infections:  Take tablets or capsules, or 1/2 tsp. of tincture with water 2-3 times a day.

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