Echinacea is a group of flowers, also called cone flowers, that are related to the daisy. Some species of echinacea even closely resemble daisies. Though with a larger, raised center with petals that usually grow down and out from the center.
Many species of echinacea also have purple or pink rather than yellow petals. Various parts of the flower, particularly the roots, can be made into tea. It is also available commercially in other forms including juices and supplements.
Unlike many other medicinal plants, echinacea was commonly used in the medical community to fight infections before the widespread use of modern antibiotics. According to WebMD, many people believe that there are many other uses for this colorful flower.
Treating Upper Respiratory Infections
A meta-analysis published by the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2002 found that echinacea has generally shown promising results for treating upper respiratory tract infections.
The results of the study were complicated because different products use different parts of the plant. And because echinacea supplements found on the U.S. market were found to have varying and often ineffectual amounts of echinacea. So, if you want to use echinacea medicinally, consider the teas and juices out there before looking for a pill. Resources are also available for growing your echinacea and making your teas and juices.
Putting the Immune System In Gear
A somewhat older study published by the International Journal of Immunopharmacology found that echinacea juice in particular helped activate macrophages, important elements of the immune system.
This suggests that preparations from this flower are better for you than just inhaling any steam when you’re sick. Rhe healthy chemicals in echinacea actively help to get your immune system up and running. It also recommends juice over tea, especially if you have a sickness other than an upper respiratory infection.
Preventing Illness (When Taken With Other Ingredients)
Interestingly, in a more recent study published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, taking echinacea before having a cold did not make subjects less likely to develop symptoms.
While taking echinacea after symptoms develop seems to be beneficial, it is not likely that drinking echinacea regularly will protect you from sicknesses. Not on its own, anyway.
A 2004 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a mixture of echinacea, vitamin C, and propolis – a natural product similar to honey – did help to prevent the incidence of sickness when taken before symptoms manifested. Vitamin C is easy enough to find in grocery stores and health food and supplement stores. Through propolis is a little more obscure. It can be found in some health food and supplement stores, natural remedy stores, and online.
Notes On Growing And Using Echinacea
Echinacea seeds and starters can be purchased from some home and gardening stores, florists, or through mail order. The plants also grow wild in dry grassy areas like prairies, meadows, and some forests. The plants are native to the Eastern United States but also grow throughout North America and Europe.
Always be careful, do your research. Consult an expert before using plants that you find in the wilderness for medicine. And be aware that only three of the nine species of echinacea are commonly used medicinally.
Some allergic reactions have been reported by people using echinacea. A 2004 study published in the journal Medicine also found that regular use of echinacea over more than a month led to reduced testosterone levels in male rats.
While a study replicating these results in humans was not discovered during the research for this article, it may be wise for men, especially elderly men, not to use echinacea daily for more than a few weeks.
