In general, echinacea is safe to consume, and serious adverse effects seem to be uncommon.
The more frequent echinacea adverse effects are as follows:
- headaches
- dizziness
- feeling unwell
- belly pain
- constipation
- skin repercussions (redness, itchiness and swelling)
- Children are more likely to have them.
Echinacea use for longer than 8 weeks at a time may cause liver damage or immune system suppression. If you are taking medications known to have an adverse effect on your liver, herbalists advise against taking echinacea.
If you use any additional medications, herbs, or supplements, check with your doctor first.
Using echinacea safely
If you want to substitute echinacea for your cancer therapy, let your doctor know. Additionally, if you are considering taking it concurrently with your cancer therapy.
In some people, it may not be safe to use in conjunction with other cancer treatments.
Echinacea may impair the effectiveness of some chemotherapy medications, including etoposide.
Sometimes pharmacists and medical professionals advise lymphoma patients not to consume echinacea. This is so that it won’t affect how they’re being treated.
Researchers discovered that echinacea and etravine were safe to ingest together in HIV-positive individuals.
If any of the following apply to you before consuming echinacea:
- are breastfeeding or pregnant
- have a medical condition like autoimmune illness, HIV, or AIDS that impairs your immune system
- are medicating to weaken your immune system because it might fight them
- are under 12 years old
- There is a possibility of allergic responses including skin rashes, according to the medical health regulatory association (MHRA).
Always discuss the use of complementary or alternative cancer therapy with your doctors and nurses. They could affect how well your other therapies work.
Your treatment team can point you in the direction of further resources if they don’t have the knowledge you need.
What medicines and echinacea interact?
The purple coneflower is another name for the genus of native North American plants known as echinacea. An extract derived from the root of the herb Echinacea purpurea is the most popular herbal product in the country. Commercial echinacea preparations are often not standardized to any specific component because the plant’s active ingredient has not been discovered. The variability of the products utilized in different studies makes it challenging to evaluate the echinacea study literature. The herb is frequently used for this purpose and has been suggested as a preventative therapy for upper respiratory infections. However, it appears from the available research that taking preventive echinacea has little to no effect on the frequency, severity, or duration of upper respiratory infections. The evidence for treating upper respiratory infections seems to point to a slight favorable impact. Echinacea has not been associated with any significant herb-drug interactions, and the few and mild side effects that have been documented include nausea, dizziness, and gastrointestinal distress.
The purple coneflower is another name for the genus of plants known as echinacea, which are indigenous to the Midwest of North America. Three of the nine species of echinacea—Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida—are used to make echinacea preparations. The preparation that is used the most frequently in this nation is a liquid extract prepared from E. purpurea root. There are many different trade names used to market echinacea.
Native Americans were the first to employ this plant medicinally, using E. angustifolia to cure everything from respiratory ailments to snakebites. Echinacea was employed as a blood purifier and a dizziness remedy during the 19th century. Up until the invention of current antibiotics, it was utilized as a cold and flu cure as well as an anti-infective. Echinacea is one of the top three plants sold in the US thanks to its recent revival as a remedy for upper respiratory infections (URIs). 1
Echinacea: Is it dangerous?
The United States and Canada are home to the blooming plant echinacea. Additionally known as coneflower. It belongs to the family of plants known as daisies. For many years, echinacea has been used as a herbal treatment. The viruses that cause colds, sore throats, and the flu are now frequently prevented or treated with it.
Most drug stores and health food stores carry echinacea products. It is available as teas, pills, liquid extracts, capsules, or dried plants. It is one of the most widely used herbs in the country.
Path to improved health
Echinacea is frequently used as a dietary supplement to treat infections like the common cold. They contend that it strengthens the immune system. This improves the body’s ability to combat the infection. As a result, the illness might not persist as long. When feeling well, some people use it to avoid getting sick.
Consult your primary care physician before using echinacea to treat a cold or the flu. Make sure to conduct your study as well. Before being sold, dietary supplements do not require FDA approval. The components in some supplements may not be what is listed on the label. Look for a business that quality tests their goods. You will then be certain that you are acting appropriately.
Pay close attention to the package label. Echinacea is available in a wide range of doses and strengths. Additionally, it may be combined with other nutrients. Observe the instructions on the packaging. Take only the prescribed amount. It can be hazardous to take more than is advised.
The majority of companies advise against eating echinacea on an empty stomach. They advise drinking a lot of water or eating before taking it. Echinacea shouldn’t be taken for more than a few weeks. Long-term safety has not been sufficiently investigated.
Before taking echinacea or any supplements, consult your doctor. If it will conflict with any other medications you take, he or she can let you know. They can also suggest the appropriate dosage for you.
Keep all herbal products out of young children’s sight and reach. To prevent them from losing their potency, keep them in a cool, dry area. Avoid keeping them in restrooms, which tend to get warm and muggy.
Does it work?
On the impact of echinacea on the common cold, numerous studies have been conducted. Researchers have not yet discovered concrete proof of its efficacy. They don’t think that taking it as soon as a cold hits will make it go away faster. Taking it when you are healthy may somewhat lower your risk of contracting a cold.
What are the side effects?
Minor adverse effects are possible with echinacea. These symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, and a queasy stomach. Allergic reactions such as redness, swelling, and breathing difficulties are considered serious adverse effects. It may exacerbate asthmatic symptoms. Inform your doctor as soon as possible of any negative effects you have.
Daisy family plants can cause allergy reactions in some people. These could include chrysanthemums, marigolds, ragweed, daisies, or other flowers. This could increase your chance of experiencing an allergic reaction to echinacea.
Adult
Take echinacea three times daily for the first ten days of a cold, flu, upper respiratory infection, or bladder infection to stimulate the immune system generally.
Echinacea should NOT be taken on an empty stomach. Take it with food or a big glass of water instead.
Which diseases are echinacea’s side effects?
What Negative Effects Are Linked to Echinacea Use?
- stomach ache.
- allergy symptoms
- modified fertility
- diarrhea.
- dizziness.
- redness (topical use)
- concomitant skin rash and fever (topical use)
- fever.
Can you take vitamin D and echinacea together?
Vitamin D3 and echinacea did not interact in any way. This does not imply that there are no interactions, though. Always get advice from your doctor.
Brief overview
However, no studies utilizing Echinacea in the prevention or treatment of illnesses similar to COVID-19 have been found. Current research suggests that echinacea supplementation may reduce the duration and severity of acute respiratory tract infections. There were not many side events reported, indicating the relative safety of this herbal medication. Clinical studies have shown that Echinacea lowers levels of immunological molecules associated with cytokine storm, despite the fact that it might boost immune activity, which raises concerns that it can worsen over-activation of the immune system in cytokine storm.
Verdict
When given at the earliest sign of infection, Echinacea supplements may help with the symptoms of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and the common cold. No trials employing Echinacea in the prevention or treatment of illnesses like COVID-19, however, have been found. When taken at the outset of symptoms, Echinacea may lessen the intensity and/or duration of ARI, according to earlier research. E. purpurea or a mixture of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia having standardized levels of active components were employed in trials claiming benefit.
Echinacea use hasn’t been associated with many side effects, which suggests that this herbal remedy is generally harmless. No human studies using echinacea for up to 4 months could be found that showed cytokine storm symptoms.
The results were largely consistent with a reduction in the pro-inflammatory cytokines that are involved in the progression of cytokine storm and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), factors that are highly significant in the death of COVID-19 patients when looking at all human trials that reported changes in cytokine levels in response to Echinacea supplementation. Even though there isn’t any research on the therapeutic benefits of echinacea in the treatment of cytokine storms right now, this evidence shows that more study is necessary.
Introduction
Popular herbal remedy echinacea is made from the flowering plant echinacea purpurea, which is indigenous to the eastern United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Echinacea has traditionally been used to treat and prevent upper respiratory conditions like the common cold. The use of echinacea has been linked to isolated cases of elevated serum enzyme levels and clinically obvious liver damage, despite the fact that it is typically well tolerated with few and moderate side effects.
Background
Echinacea (ek” I nay’ sha), also known as American coneflower and a perennial plant native to North America, is the source of this widely used herb. To manufacture teas, juices, extracts, capsules, or tablets, the echinacea plant’s aerial portions and roots are employed, either fresh or dried. The primary use is for the treatment or prevention of upper respiratory infections, but it is also said to have other uses, including the improvement of immune function, protection against other viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, and the relief of anxiety, migraine headaches, dyspepsia, skin rashes, and bee stings. There are at least 9 different species of echinacea, and their medicinal properties can vary. The most widely used extracts come from Echinacea purpurea, pallida, and angustifolia, which are used in thousands of commercial herbal and nutritional products. Although the exact composition of the active components in echinacea is unknown, plant extracts do contain a variety of polysaccharides, volatile oils, caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives, flavonoids, alkamides, and polyenes. Mixed findings have been found in controlled studies of echinacea in the prevention and treatment of common upper respiratory infections, and the majority of systematic reviews have come to the conclusion that there is little proof of its therapeutic efficacy. Echinacea extracts, however, have consistently been reported to be well tolerated and free of serious side effects. Minor stomach discomfort and skin rashes have been the most often reported side effects. Rare allergic responses have been reported, including urticaria, angioedema, and anaphylaxis.
Hepatotoxicity
Echinacea by itself has not been connected to liver injury in several controlled trials, either in the form of temporary serum enzyme increases or clinically obvious acute liver impairment. Toxic hepatitis and high serum aminotransferase levels have been linked to echinacea, according to summary data from national registries of adverse reactions. However, there have been sporadic case reports of clinically evident liver impairment with jaundice. There were little data about the liver damage, but according to two published accounts, hepatitis with jaundice appeared one to three weeks after commencing echinacea extracts, with moderate jaundice, noticeable ALT and AST rises, and a swift and complete recovery upon discontinuing. One of the cases had autoimmune characteristics, but neither instance displayed hypersensitive characteristics (fever, rash, lymphadenopathy or eosinophilia). It is unknown whether the cases were caused by a specific species, a method of preparation, or product contamination because of the variety in the components of echinacea products.
Echinacea in COVID-19
Echinacea appears to be effective against COVID-19 due to its antiviral and immunomodulatory properties [13, 26]. Echinacea has been studied for its potential to treat and prevent respiratory tract infections like the common cold, but not for other medical conditions [27]. Echinacea and COVID-19 have not yet been the subject of any investigations [28]. The safe and efficient use of echinacea in the treatment or prevention of viral infections was determined by a meta-analysis of 17 clinical trials. Echinacea was found to enhance or not modify anti-inflammatory or immune-stimulatory cytokines, while decreasing or not changing pro-inflammatory cytokines linked to cytokine storm (IL-6, IL-1, and TNF-). This analysis involved 12 clinical trials (IL-10, IL-2, IL-8, IL-3, and IFN-). Since immune stimulatory and anti-inflammatory actions are required during infections yet pro-inflammatory cytokines might worsen the condition, these effects are advantageous. The most often reported adverse effects were insomnia, digestive problems, and anxiety. There was one case of severe erythema recorded. It is challenging to assess the safety of echinacea in patients with comorbidities because the majority of trials only involved healthy volunteers and the dose and extraction method were quite diverse [28].
Echinacea in diabetes
The effects of echinacea on diabetes haven’t been the subject of many investigations. 33 days of echinacea root extract in Wistar rats demonstrated hypoglycemic efficacy comparable to glibenclamide. There was no research done on safety parameters [29]. The activities of -amylase, -glucosidase, and ACE were decreased by echinacea purpureaflower extract and caffeic acid derivatives in a concentration-dependent manner [30].
Echinacea in heart disease
The impact of echinacea on cardiac diseases including hypertension and hypercholesterolemia has seldom ever been investigated. In a study with 374 older participants, 349 reported using over-the-counter medications, whereas 43 reported using herbal remedies. Aspirin, acetaminophen, laxatives, antiacids, and vitamins were the most often used over-the-counter medications, whereas echinacea was the most popular herbal treatment [31]. The possibility of echinacea interacting with medications is suggested by this one study.
Echinacea toxicity
Echinacea was rated as having good or medium levels of evidence for its safety and efficacy in a review article [32]. It is debatable if echinacea use for longer than 8 weeks causes hepatotoxicity [6]. Echinacea, on the other hand, has been demonstrated to protect the liver and kidneys from toxins in rats while having no effect on the liver and kidney markers AST, ALT, ALP, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine [33]. After giving Echinacea purpurea to rats and mice at high dosages orally or intravenously, no harmful effects were noticed. There is no proof that hamster embryonic cells are carcinogenic or mutagenic in mice or in vitro [34]. Echinacea should not be used by people who have autoimmune diseases. There is not enough data to determine how echinacea affects renal impairment [35].
Echinacea pharmacokinetics
Echinacea purpurearoot inhibited CYP1A2 and increased CYP3A enzymes in 12 healthy men and women when tested in vivo [36]. Echinacea purpurea increased CYP3A enzymes in a separate research with 13 healthy people, but it had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of ritonavir. Since ritonavir inhibits CYP3A, it probably prevented the induction brought on by echinacea. P-glycoprotein was not affected [37]. Echinacea purpurea revealed conflicting results on CYP3A4 and a little suppression of CYP2C9 in an in vitro research [38]. Echinacea has a significant likelihood of drug-herb interactions, according to a review article [39].
Echinacea safety summary
When consumed by healthy individuals for a brief period of time—up to 8 weeks—echinacea is probably safe. Patients with diabetes or heart problems are unknown to be safe. When combined with drugs metabolized by CYP3A, 1A2, and 2C9 enzymes, caution should be exercised.