Evidence suggests that echinacea may strengthen the immune system, aiding the body’s defense against viruses and illnesses ( 33 ). Echinacea can reduce the duration of the common cold, diminish the intensity of its symptoms, or even prevent it, according to numerous research ( 33 ).
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.
How does echinacea strengthen your defenses?
Mixed findings have emerged from studies. Echinacea extracts do appear to affect the immune system, your body’s line of protection against pathogens. According to research, it boosts the quantity of white blood cells, which fight illnesses. The herbal medicine had a very little advantage in avoiding colds, according to an analysis of more than a dozen research that was published in 2014.
However, neither children nor adults who took echinacea for a cold reported any relief from it in two trials supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
However, because different studies examine different echinacea varieties and potencies as well as various plant or root portions, it might be challenging to compare the findings of several studies. There’s a chance that certain variations are superior to others. Additionally, it’s probable that the herbal cure will work against some but not all of the more than 200 cold-causing viruses.
Do viruses benefit from echinacea?
Commercial Echinacea extracts generally have poor characterization and standardization, which is a problem shared by many other herbal products. Therefore, diverse commercial sources with distinct chemical compositions, sourced from various species and plant sections, may exhibit a variety of bioactivities, or in some cases, very little bioactivity [17]. As a result, research investigations, particularly clinical trials, have produced erratic outcomes. The assay methods should take this requirement into account in order to verify that any antiviral activity found in a herbal preparation is actually significant, meaning the extract should be able to inactivate a large amount of virus at a realistic non-cytotoxic dosage.
Early studies on the antiviral properties of echinacea [18] suggested that a variety of methanol and aqueous extracts from E. purpurea could be able to partially shield cultured cells from infection by the influenza A virus, herpes simplex virus type 1, or vesicular stomatitis viruses. Although the potential for virucidal activity was not mentioned, this implied an intracellular inhibition.
Why echinacea shouldn’t be taken?
Consult your doctor before using echinacea if you regularly take other medications. Additionally, if you smoke, use illegal substances, drink alcohol or caffeine-containing beverages, you should disclose this to your doctor. These might impact how echinacea functions.
If you have an autoimmune ailment (like lupus), an infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, echinacea may not be beneficial to you (AIDS). Before beginning to use echinacea, you should discuss with your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing.
Echinacea allergy risk may be increased if you have a history of allergies to daisies, ragweed, marigolds, chrysanthemums, or other related plants.
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.
Can echinacea be taken with vitamin D?
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.
Can echinacea increase T cells?
There are nine species of the herbaceous plant genus echinacea. Due to the rising demand for alternative herbal medicines, three species of Echinacea—Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea purpurea—have been used medicinally in the United States and Europe and are now being imported into other countries. There are numerous pharmacological actions of echinacea. It has been demonstrated that, in addition to its typical role as a supportive therapy in the management of upper respiratory tract infections and the common cold, in which it shortens the duration and/or severity of the symptoms,1,2, it also has palliative effects on wound damage, inflammation,3,4, and tumor growth.
It is crucial to understand the mechanism of action of this popular over-the-counter and self-prescribed herbal medicine in order to maximize therapeutic benefits and reduce toxicity. The bulk of research to date have found that Echinacea possesses non-specific immunomodulatory characteristics through the activation of innate immune cells, which is the most consistent finding. 6,7 Echinacea, for instance, had a significant impact on the number of immune cells, granulocyte migration, macrophage phagocytosis, natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, cytokine generation, and macrophage migration in animal studies. 8,11 Additionally, an arabinogalactan protein isolated from E. purpurea promotes complement activation through both the conventional and unconventional pathways. 14
The majority of studies have used various Echinacea preparations, and these preparations are greatly influenced by a variety of factors, such as phytochemical variability due to growing conditions and a lack of extraction standardization, making the evidence for Echinacea effects unclear and inconsistent.
2,7 Additionally, contamination of the extraction processes with bacteria-derived endotoxins may result in false-positive results by activating the immune system, particularly when using in vitro cell culture experiments or injecting the extracts into animals. While some earlier papers mentioned it, many ignored the confounding influence of endotoxins. 1922
The dry powder or alcohol extract of Echinacea purpurea root was discovered to be able to boost splenic T-cell proliferation and NK cell cytotoxicity in our preliminary investigations employing oral administration of the herb. The current study’s objectives were to (1) compare the immunomodulatory activity of three species of Echinacea, (2) clarify Echinacea’s effects on particular acquired immunity, and (3) pinpoint variations in immune activation based on variations in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiles. These objectives were based on experimental data on Echinacea that have been made available to date. In order to examine the effects of the three Echinacea species’ alcohol extracts on various immunological parameters, such as NK cell activity, plaque-forming cell (PFC) reaction to sRBC, B- and T-lymphocyte proliferation, and T-cell and macrophage cytokine secretion in healthy BALB/c mice. We discovered that Echinacea preparations had an impact on a variety of functional immunological assays, indicating that this herb not only boosts innate immunity but also adaptive immunity.
What dosage of echinacea should I take each day?
Depending on the product, different echinacea dosages are advised. The most frequently prescribed medication in the US is a liquid extract of the E. purpurea root, which is typically dosed at 3 mL every three to four hours for the first one to two days of upper respiratory sickness and then three times per day for the following week. Patients utilizing echinacea tea (prepared from the root of E. angustifolia or E. purpurea) must start with greater doses, usually 6 to 8 oz four times per day for the first two days before reducing it to once or twice per day on days three to seven.
Echinacea with pneumonia: does it work?
Echinacea extract was proven to lower the risk of recurring respiratory tract infections and consequences such pneumonia, tonsillitis, and ear infections in a study with approximately 2,500 participants ( 5 ).
Can echinacea benefit the lungs?
There is limited proof that Echinacea helps treat other ailments, and researchers have not yet established if it might lessen the severity of a cold.
The authors of a review discovered in 2011 that various echinacea extracts may aid in the treatment of viral respiratory infections. They do, however, make the point that the lack of uniformity among Echinacea products may prevent consumers from discovering efficient treatments.
A commercial medicine containing Echinacea extract may help prevent severe respiratory illnesses brought on by coronaviruses, according to a study from 2020.
However, other researchers point out that this little study did not examine how the product affected the virus that causes coronavirus illness 19 (COVID-19).
In addition, the product had not been tested on actual humans but rather solely on cell lines and viral particles. Additionally, the study was not peer-reviewed, and it in no way suggests that echinacea can treat COVID-19.
The scientists who issued the warning also mention that autoimmune disease sufferers may be at risk from the product.
There is no proof that Echinacea or any other herbal medication component can treat COVID-19 or other severe respiratory disorders.
What occurs if echinacea is consumed in excess?
Echinacea is probably short-term safe for the majority of people when taken orally. It is safe to utilize different echinacea products for up to 10 days. Some products, like Echinaforce (A. Vogel Bioforce AG), offer a six-month safe usage period.
The most frequent adverse reactions are rash, diarrhea, heartburn, constipation, and stomach pain. Some people may experience adverse responses, particularly those who are allergic to ragweed, mums, marigolds, or daisies.
Echinacea may be safe for short-term use when applied topically. Echinacea-containing cream (Linola Plus Cream) has been used safely for up to 12 weeks. Echinacea topical application may result in skin redness, itching, or rashes.