The narrow-leaved purple coneflower, also known as blacksamson echinacea, or Echinacea angustifolia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is indigenous to North America, where it can be found in large numbers throughout much of the Great Plains in central Canada and the central United States, as well as in nearby areas. [3]
E. angustifolia is a perennial herb with taproots that resemble spindles and are frequently branched. Moderate to dense hairiness covers the stems and leaves. At the end of each lengthy peduncle, the plant develops one flower head per branch. Each flower head has 80250 orange disc florets and 821 pink or purple ray florets. [2]
The late spring to mid-summer blooming period for Echinacea angustifolia. It grows in rocky to sandy-clay soils in dry grasslands and deserts. [2] Two subspecies exist: [4] [5]
- Native to central Canada and the United States, Echinacea angustifolia subsp. angustifolia can be found from Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the north to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana in the south.
- In Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana, Echinacea angustifolia subsp. strigosa has a more constrained distribution.
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Although there is no scientific proof that this plant is safe or beneficial for treating any condition, it was utilized as traditional medicine by many Native American tribes. [7][8]
How does the body respond to Echinacea angustifolia?
One of the most widely used herbs in America right now is echinacea. Native Americans gave the medicinal herb echinacea its name because of the prickly scales that mimic the enraged hedgehog’s spines on its enormous conical seed head (echinos is Greek for hedgehog).
Native Americans may have used echinacea for more than 400 years to treat wounds and illnesses as well as a general “cure-all,” according to archaeologists who have discovered evidence of this. Echinacea has been used historically to treat blood poisoning, diphtheria, syphilis, malaria, and scarlet fever. Although this herb was widely used in the 18th and 19th centuries, its use started to diminish in the US once antibiotics were developed. In Germany, echinacea preparations gained popularity during the course of the 20th century. In actuality, Germany has been the site of the majority of echinacea scientific research.
Today, individuals take echinacea to lessen the severity of the common cold and flu and to lessen symptoms including fever, coughing, and sore throats (pharyngitis). Echinacea is another plant that many herbalists advise taking to help the body fight infections and strengthen the immune system.
General Uses
Echinacea may include active ingredients that improve immunological function, ease pain, lessen inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects, according to a number of laboratory and animal studies. Because of this, qualified herbalists may suggest echinacea as a treatment for slow-healing wounds, ear infections, athlete’s foot, sinusitis, vaginal yeast (Candida) infections, ear infections, otitis media, hay fever, and slow-healing wounds. Echinacea and cichoric acid may help suppress colon cancers, according to preliminary laboratory studies. According to one study, using echinacea extract before contracting the herpes simplex virus (HSVI) may have an antiviral effect on the recurrence of cold sores.
Common Cold
It is debatable if echinacea aids in the prevention or treatment of the common cold. According to certain research, the herb can hasten your recovery. Others claim that echinacea has no effect at all on a cold. According to several clinical studies, persons who take echinacea as soon as they start to feel unwell have milder colds and experience less symptoms than those who do not. In a study of 95 patients who had fever, runny nose, scratchy throat, and other early signs of the flu and cold, it was discovered that those who drank many cups of echinacea tea daily for five days felt well more quickly than those who drank tea without the herb.
Echinacea decreased cold risk by 58 percent and cold duration by 1 to 4 days, according to a study of 14 clinical trials. Some experts, however, contest these results, arguing the research had a number of flaws. Clinical trials have used a variety of echinacea formulations. It’s crucial to get a high-quality echinacea supplement and to start taking it as soon as a cold starts, numerous times each day for the first few days. For advice, consult your health care practitioner.
How safe is Echinacea angustifolia?
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.
What is the herb angustifolia?
One of the most well-known herbs in American folk herbalism today is echinacea. One of nine echinacea species that are indigenous to North America, Echinacea angustifolia is a perennial member of the sunflower family. This particular type grows to a height of about one foot and has angular, narrow, hairy leaves. Our echinacea root is grown organically, and it can be blended into topical oils, tinctured, or steeped to make echinacea tea.
For many years, both traditional herbalists and Native Americans in North America used echinacea extensively. In the 1900s, echinacea gradually became well-known in Europe. Although many of its previous uses were associated with topical treatments, one of its principal functions is to enhance healthy immunological function. It is currently one of the most widely available dietary supplements in health food stores, and numerous scientific studies looking into its immune support capabilities are ongoing.
In order to feel your best and maintain strong immune defenses in the body, echinacea helps immunological health.
Nine species of Echinacea are indigenous to the United States and southern Canada, with Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri hosting the majority of the species. These perennial sunflower species, which belong to the Asteraceae family, favor rocky, disturbed soils in open fields, grasslands, and by train tracks. Typically, E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and occasionally E. pallida make up the material found in commerce. The common name “purple coneflower” comes from E. purpurea, a large, bushy shrub that reaches a height of 4-5 feet and bears brilliant purple coneflowers. Compared to E. angustifolia, which only reaches a height of about one foot and has narrower, hairier leaves (the specific name relates to this and literally means “narrow-leaved”), the leaves are wider. Since both E. pallida and E. angustifolia have light pink petals and are employed similarly, they are frequently mistaken.
The name Echinacea, which alludes to the look of the spiny seed head, is derived from the Greek word “echinos,” which literally translates as “hedgehog.”
Native Americans and traditional herbalists in the United States and Canada used echinacea extensively. An equestrian from Louisiana who used this herb topically on horses provided one of the earliest written records of its use. Echinacea appears to have been employed as a treatment for more ailments than any other plant, according to Melvin Gilmore’s 1914 ethnobotanical work, Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region. Numerous tribes, such as the Pawnee, Dakota, and Omaha-Winnebego, primarily relied on this plant. It was applied to conditions like swellings and equine distemper. This plant was used topically as a fresh juice, in herbal incense or smoke, and frequently the leaf or root was just consumed. Echinacea has historically been applied topically and for boosting the immune system.
In the late 1800s, Eclectic doctors in the United States championed echinacea, with a focus on E. angustifolia. Major supporters of this plant included John Uri Lloyd and John King, who spread the word about its benefits for many years before it became the Eclectics’ most popular herb. Up until the closure of the Eclectic schools in the middle of the 1930s, when it became less popular, echinacea was all the rage in the US. It went out of style until herbalists brought it back in the 1970s. E. purpurea was, nevertheless, gaining popularity in Germany at the time. Despite the fact that E. angustifolia was the species that was used by the majority of traditional herbalists and Native Americans, E. purpurea was the species that the Germans ultimately focused on studying and as a result, it was the one that gained the most popularity, first in Europe and then in the United States. As a result, the species with the most historical evidence supporting it has the least scientific research. According to the legend, Dr. Vogel, a Swiss naturopathic physician, traveled to South Dakota in the 1950s to investigate echinacea. He took them to a German doctor who planted them and prepared them when he returned with seeds he thought came from E. angustifolia. The species was soon identified as E. purpurea, which is why it quickly gained popularity and was the subject of much research in Europe.
Dried root can be tinctured, used to make herbal remedies, or decocted into tea.
Precautions Due to the presence of Echinacea pollen, people who have allergies to other Asteraceae members should use Echinacea with caution. Before using herbal products, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any drugs, we advise you to speak with a trained healthcare professional.
*The Food and Drug Administration has not reviewed this statement. This item is not meant to be used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of any disease. only for instructive reasons.
Is it okay to take echinacea every day?
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.
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.
What is the most important information I should know about Echinacea?
If you have any of the following conditions, you shouldn’t use this product:
an autoimmune disease like lupus, psoriasis, or rheumatoid arthritis.
If you have any allergies, particularly plant allergies, see a doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional to determine whether it is safe for you to use this product (especially ragweed, mums, marigolds, or daisies).
Never give a child any herbal or nutritional supplement without consulting a doctor. Children under the age of 12 should not take echinacea.