About Herbs and Nutrition
Echinacea
Ginseng
Ginkgo
Milk thistle
St. John's wort
Saw palmetto
Bay
Bilberry
Black cohosh
Licorice
DHEA
Royal Jelly
Garlic
Ginger
Coenzyme Q10
Lutein
rutin
Clarinex, Claritin D, Flonase, Nasacort, Patanol...
Amitriptyline, Bupropion, Celexa, Fluoxetine, Lexapro, Paxil, Paxil CR, Prozac, Wellbutrin, Zoloft...
Amoxicillin, Griseofulvin, Sumycin, Tetracycline, Zithromax...
Buspirone, Buspar...
Singulair...
Alesse, Estradiol, Mircette, Ortho Tricyclen, Seasonale, Triphasil, Yasmin...
Aldactone, Microzide, Norvasc, Spironolactone...
Lipitor, Zocor...
Propecia...
Imitrex, Imitrex Oral...
Acyclovir, Condylox, Valtrex, Zovirax...
Antivert, Meclizine, Transderm scop...
Carisoprodol, Cyclobenzaprine, Flexeril, Skelaxin, Soma, Zanaflex...
Butalbital, Fioricet, Tramadol, Ultracet, Ultram, Zyloprim...
Cialis, Levitra, Viagra...
Aldara, Elidel, Kenalog, Nizoral, Protopic...
Rozerem...
Phenterprin, Xenical...
|
 |
|
|
All About Echinacea:
An Introduction
"When you go on a trip, don't leave home without it."
What is Echinacea ?
Family: Asteraceae
Genus and Species: Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea, better known as purple coneflower, is truly native to the United States. Echinacea
does not grow wild anywhere else in the world, except the United States and some fields in southern
part of Canada. Ecinacea can easily be found growing as a wildflower in the prairies of the Great Plains
states, from the midwest states, and as far south as Texas. Nowadays this flower is welcome as an ornamental
in many gardens, and cultivated as a herb with beautiful confluence of purplish blossoms.
While echinecia has become popular as a favorable herb in the fight against colds and flu as well as other
viruses and infections in recent years, its true potential for health benefits still remain to be
fully understood. For several generations, Native Americans were aware of the usefulness of this plant echinasia
along
with other herbs in dealing with ailments. Of the several varieties of echinecea with widely varying appearances,
the three most
popular are purpurea, angustifolia and pallida. They can be distinguished from other less potent species
by chewing their leaves. More potent ones would give your toungue numbness, an indication of isobutylamides.
Echinacea species are harvested
for their roots, flowerheads, seeds, or juice of the whole plant, which can then be made into capsules, extracts,
tinctures and tea. Other species of ecinesia could also be medicinally effective although little research has been performed
for them.
Echinacea is best known for its ability to enhance immune function, and also has proven to offer other health
benefits as well.
To find out more detailed information on echinacea, visit the sites listed below, keeping in mind that doing
your own research could be a rewarding venture.
History
Echinacea is a relatively recent medicinal herb that have received a global spotlight, mainly due to the
geographical confinement of its habitats. Echinacea was the Plains Indians' primary medicine. They applied root
poultices to all types of wounds including insect bites and snakebites. They used echinacea for teeth and gum
pains, and drank echinacea tea to treat colds, smallpox, arthritis, measles, and mumps. Echinacea was widely in
use by Native Americans, and later by colonial settlers before 19th century. In 1870, Native Americans in Pawnee
City, Nebraska, taught Dr. Meyer about the use of echinacea, and Meyer soon concocted his own "Meyer's Blood
Purifier", and promoted it as an absolute cure for rattlesnake bite, blood poinsoning, and a host of other
illnesses. In 1902, homeopathic physicians used echinacea for some of the disease treatments, and by 1907,
echinacea became the most popular herb in the United States, both among eclectic physicians and conventional
doctors. In 1910, research has found immune stimulating properties of echinacea, such as increasing white blood
cell counts. Echinacea then spreads to Germany around 1930: in the year 1930 alone, about 50,000 pounds of
echinacea were exported from the US to Germany. With the discovery and production of antibiotics in 1940-1950
period, the popularity and fervor on echinacea decreased remarkably. In 1970s, herblists in the United States
rediscover echinacea, and herbal product manufacturers began to produce eccinacea products again. The trend
continued until 1986 when the annual sales of echinacea in the US reached 100,000 pounds. Since then, and
today, the interest in echinacea and other herbal medicine continues to grow.
Usage
German Commission E monograph and WHO support the use of Echinacea angustifolia root as supportive therapy for
colds and infections of the respiratory and urinary tracts.
German Commission E and WHO support the use of Echinacea pallida root as supportive therapy for flu-like
infections, colds and infections of the respiratory and urinary tracts.
Commission E approved and WHO supports the use of Echinacea purpurea herb as supportive therapy for colds and
chronic infections of the respiratory tract and lower urinary tract. Commission E approved external use of
Echinacea purpurea herb for poorly healing wounds and chronic ulcerations.
Chemistry and Pharmacology
A rather complete chemical composition list of echinacea can be found in Dr.
Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. Ecinacea angustifolia herb contains caffeic acid derivatives (such as
cichoric acid, echinacoside, verbascoside,
chlorogenic acid, and isochlorogenic acid); flavonoids of the quercetin and kaempferol type in free and glycoside forms
including rutoside, luteolin, kaempferol, quercetin, apigenin, and isorhamnetin; alkamides, mainly of the undeca-2,4-diene
type with the isomeric mixture of dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10E/Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamides; polysaccharides; and < 0.1%
essential oil; trideca-1-en-3,5,7,9,11-pentayne and ponticaepoxide have been detected in the flowerbuds.
Echinacea angustifolia root contains caffeic acid derivatives, mainly echinacoside (0.3-1.7%) followed by chlorogenic acid,
an isochlorogenic acid, its characteristic constituent cynarin (1,5-O-Dicaffeoyl-quinic acid); polysaccharides, including
inulin (5.9%) and fructans; glycoproteins comprised of approximately 3% protein of which the dominant sugars are arabinose
(64-84%), galactose (1.9-5.3%) and glucosamines (6%); 0.01-0.15% alkamides, mainly derived from undeca- and dodecanoic acid,
primarily the isomeric dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10E/Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamides; and < 0.1% essential oil.
Echinacea pallida herb contains caffeic acid derivatives, including cichoric acid, caftaric acid, echinacoside, verbascoside,
chlorogenic acid, and isochlorogenic acid; flavonoids (mainly rutoside); alkamides (mainly of the 2,4-diene type with the
isomeric mixture of dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10E/Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamides; and < 0.1% essential oil [Herbal Medicine - Expanded
Commission E monographs, by Mark Blumenthal, Alicia Goldberg, and Josef Brinckmann, first edition, 2000].
Other Notes
You may need echinacea when you want to avoid the flu, often feel sickly and run-down, have a hard time fighting colds
or find that they linger too long, suffer from recurring vaginal yeast infections (external use), or are worried about
the danger or side effects of taking antibiotics.
Approximately 1 gram of cut roots or herbs in boiled water (infusion for 10 minutes) or 6-9 ml of expressed jiuce are
generally taken several times a day. Almost no side effects are known for oral, non-parenteral application. There have
been very few clinical tests on echinacea or any herb for women at pregnancy, and they should take precaution largely
due to the lack of data and our ignorance.
Echinacea Research: Click Here for the next page.
Echinacea Research Links
Echinacea, an immune booster
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12222657&dopt=Abstract
Phytomedicine 2002 Jul;9(5):390-7 - Immunological studies of Revitonil, a phytopharmaceutical containing Echinacea purpurea and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12218779&dopt=Abstract
J Immunother 2002 Sep-Oct;25(5):413-20 - Oral administration of freshly expressed juice of echinacea purpurea herbs fail to stimulate the nonspecific immune response in healthy young men: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12165361&dopt=Abstract
J Nutr Biochem 2002 Aug;13(8):487 - Echinacea stimulates macrophage function in the lung and spleen of normal rats.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12110390&dopt=Abstract
J Pharm Biomed Anal 2002 Aug 1;29(6):1053-60 - GC-MS analysis of the lipophilic principles of Echinacea purpurea and evaluation of cucumber mosaic cucumovirus infection.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12108738&dopt=Abstract
Equine Vet J 2002 May;34(3):222-7 - Immunological and haematinic consequences of feeding a standardised Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) extract to healthy horses.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12015912&dopt=Abstract
Curr Infect Dis Rep 2002 Jun;4(3):206-210 - Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Influenza.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11991793&dopt=Abstract
Altern Med Rev 2002 Apr;7(2):138-49 - Immunological activity of larch arabinogalactan and Echinacea: a preliminary, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11933115&dopt=Abstract
Phytother Res 2002 Mar;16(2):138-42 - Polysaccharides isolated from Echinacea purpurea herba cell cultures to counteract undesired effects of chemotherapy--a pilot study.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11899052&dopt=Abstract
J Food Prot 2002 Mar;65(3):528-33 - Inhibition, resistance development, and increased antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance caused by nutraceuticals.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11890433&dopt=Abstract
J Altern Complement Med 2002 Feb;8(1):49-58 - The effect of immunization with killed tumor cells, with/without feeding of Echinacea purpurea in an erythroleukemic mouse model.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11884218&dopt=Abstract
Pharmacol Res 2002 Mar;45(3):213-220 - Inhibitory effect of herbal remedies on 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-promoted Epstein--Barr virus early antigen activation.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11801391&dopt=Abstract
J Ethnopharmacol 2002 Feb;79(2):265-72 - Anti-inflammatory and cicatrizing activity of Echinacea pallida Nutt. root extract.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11694031&dopt=Abstract
Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2001 Aug;23(3):411-21 - Multiple immune functions in rats fed Echinacea extracts.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11505787&dopt=Abstract
Arzneimittelforschung 2001;51(7):563-8 - Efficacy of Echinacea purpurea in patients with a common cold. A placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind clinical trial.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11439845&dopt=Abstract
J Altern Complement Med 2001 Jun;7(3):241-51 - Echinacea purpurea and melatonin augment natural-killer cells in leukemic mice and prolong life span.
reference source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10978684&dopt=Abstract
Exp Gerontol 2000 Aug;35(5):627-39 - Natural killer cells from aging mice treated with extracts from Echinacea purpurea are quantitatively and functionally rejuvenated.
|
|
