Information on Echinacea
| Latin Name |
| Echinacea angustifolia |
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| Other Names |
| Purple coneflower |
|
| Part Used |
| Root, Flowers, Seeds |
|
| Affects |
| Immune system, Integumentary system |
|
| Herb Forms |
| Tincture, capsule, tablet, lozenge, mouthwash, throat spray, soap, salve, teabag, bulk herb, powder. |
|
| Dosages |
Tincture: 2 droppersful 3-4 x daily
Powder: 2 capsules 3 x daily
Decoction: 1 cup 3-4 x daily |
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| Cautions |
| Long-term use in people who have chronically weakened immune systems may lead to further immune suppression. Commission E, an official body who has evaluated commonly-used herbs, has recommended that echinacea not be used in people with AIDS or chronic a |
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| Botanical Information |
| A perennial plant with large purple flowers and cone-shaped spiny seed heads. |
|
| Description |
Echinacea is a popular, non-toxic herb widely revered and used for its immune-stimulating, anti-bacterial, and antiviral activity. It enhances one's resistance to colds and flu (particularly when taken at the onset), is useful for septicemia and skin complaints (such as boils, abscesses, or carbuncles), and is used as a mouthwash for gum problems. Echinacea is taken for chronic infections of the urinary and respiratory tracts. It is also used locally as an antiseptic for burns, wounds, bites, skin ulcers, and eczema and psoriasis.
Echinacea has a taste of SPICY and a temperature of COOL, WARM. |
|
| References |
| Blumenthal, Mark et al. 1998. The Complete Commission E Monographs. Austin: American Botanical Council.
Newall, C. et al.. 1996. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-care Professionals. London: The Pharmaceutical Press.
Leung, A. and S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients. New York: J. Wiley & Sons.
McGuffin, M. et al. 1997. Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Felter, H.W. and J.U. Lloyd. 1983. (1898). King's Dispensatory. Portland, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications.
Weiss, R. 1988. Herbal Medicine. Beaconsfield, England: Beaconsfield Publishers.
Wren, R.C. 1988. Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs. Essex: C.W. Daniel Co. Ltd.
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Ailments treated by Echinacea
| Ailment |
Treatment Support |
Application |
| Abscess |
immune stimulant |
apply cotton pad soaked with tincture; take internally |
| Appendicitis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, capsule, tablet |
| Bad breath |
antibacterial |
tincture, capsule, tablet |
| Bee stings |
immune stimulant |
tincture, internally and externally |
| Blood poisoning |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Boils |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Candidiasis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Carbuncles |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Catarrh |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Cholecystitis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Colds, acute |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Conjunctivitis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Croup |
immune enhancing |
tincture |
| Endocarditis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Endometritis |
immune strengthening |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Flu |
antifungal |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Frostbite |
immune stimulant |
tincture internally |
| Gastroenteritis |
antibacterial, immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Gonorrhea |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet |
| Lymph glands, swollen--acute |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Mastitis |
immune stimulant |
internally |
| Impetigo |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Infections |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Inoculation, side effects from |
immune modulator, blood purifier |
tincture, capsule, tablets, tea |
| Insect bites |
immune modulator, anti-inflammatory |
tincture, cream, salve |
| Kidney, infection |
immune stimulant |
tincture, extract or herb in capsules or tablets |
| Chicken pox |
immune stimulant, antiviral |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Mumps |
immune stimulant |
tincture, capsule, tablet |
| Orchitis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet |
| Pericarditis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Pharyngitis |
immune stimulant |
tincture, capsule, tablet |
| Pneumonia |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule, tea |
| Poison oak |
immune stimulant |
tincture, capsule, tablet |
| Poisoning |
immune stimulant, blood cleanser |
tincture, tablet, capsule, tea |
| Rhinitis, acute |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Septicemia |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Staph |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Stings |
immune stimulant |
tincture externally and internally |
| Strep throat |
immune stimulant |
tincture |
| Stye |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
| Throat, sore--acute |
immune stimulant |
tincture |
| Thrush |
immune stimulant |
tincture |
| Tonsils, infected--acute |
immune stimulant |
tincture, capsule, tablet |
| Toothache |
anaesthetic, immune stimulant |
tincture, chewed dried root as a poultice |
| Urinary passage inflammation |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, tea, capsule |
| Uterine inflammation |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule, tea |
| Vitality, low |
immune stimulant |
tincture, tablet, capsule |
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