Echinacea: flower power or not?
| Published: 17th January 2008 17:05 |
Echinacea is a word that has been on many people's lips recently, especially those who have been struck down by winter colds and flu.
It has appeared on the scene as some sort of new wonder drug, with many of us shovelling it down at the first sign of a cough or sniffle.
But there's nothing new about this so-called drug. The herb has been around for ages and, like many others, was discovered to have curative properties by wise native peoples.
Resembling a black-eyed Susan, echinacea , or purple coneflower, is a North American perennial that is indigenous to the central plains where it grows on road banks, prairies and fields and in dry, open woods.
It is also called snakeroot because it grows from a thick black root, which American Indians used as a medication.
The Plains Indians used various species of echinacea to treat poisonous insect and snake bites, toothaches, sore throats and wounds, as well as mumps, smallpox and measles.
Echinacea was the Plains Indians' primary medicine. They applied root poultices to all types of wounds, used it for teeth and gum pains and drank echinacea tea to treat colds, smallpox, arthritis, measles and mumps.
Colonial settlers quickly saw the possibilities of the plant. In 1870, Native Americans in Pawnee City, Nebraska, taught a certain Dr Meyer about the use of echinacea. Meyer soon concocted his own Meyer's Blood Purifier and promoted it as an absolute cure for rattlesnake bite, blood poisoning and a host of other illnesses.
Widespread use of echinacea fell by the wayside for a while, but in the 1970s herbalists in the US rediscovered this wonder herb. Manufacturers began to make echinacea products again and it is now one of the top selling herbs in the US.
Since the early 1900s, hundreds of scientific articles have been written about echinacea. Most of the research during the past 10 years has focused on the immuno-stimulant properties of the plant.
Herbalists consider echinacea one of the best blood purifiers and an effective antibiotic. It activates the body's immune system, increasing the chances of fighting off any disease. This popular herb is now widely used to help ward off the common cold and to relieve the symptoms of hay fever.
Over 500 scientific studies have documented the chemistry, pharmacology and clinical applications of echinacea. The most consistently proven effect is stimulating phagocytosis - encouraging white blood cells and lymphocytes to attack invading organisms.
It is claimed that echinacea:
- increases the number and activity of immune system cells, including anti-tumour cells;
- promotes T-cell activation;
- stimulates new tissue growth for wound healing;
- reduces inflammation in arthritis and inflammatory skin conditions;
- inhibits the bacterial enzyme hyaluronidase, to help prevent bacterial access to healthy cells.
Not everyone is convinced however. Researchers at the University of Washington found that echinacea was not effective in young children. Their studies concluded that use of echinacea from the onset of symptoms did not lessen the number of days colds lasted or the severity of the symptoms.
And with long-term use, echinacea appears to lose effectiveness. The recommended period for continual use is six to eight weeks.
Always read the label on the bottle and any accompanying medical notes. If in doubt or if symptoms persist consult a doctor.
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