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.
Is it safe to consume echinacea daily?
A Cochrane Library systematic review was released by researchers in 2006. A systematic review is when a team of professionals compiles all the information available on a specific topic. Then they examine it to determine whether there is any supporting evidence. 13 trials were examined in the review by the researchers. The studies investigated whether echinacea could be used to treat and prevent the common cold.
Some studies suggested that it might shorten the duration of colds and ease symptoms. Others, though, proved that it was ineffective.
According to the review, there is no proof that echinacea can shield you from the common cold. More study of how echinacea might combat infections was advised. to find out more about its side effects, as well.
In 2010, a study examined how successfully echinacea root treated persons who were already congested. It was discovered that ingesting echinacea had no effect on how long colds lasted.
Over 700 participants were the subject of a study in 2012 by researchers. They discovered that daily echinacea users for at least 4 months saw few adverse effects and fewer colds.
In 2014, researchers conducted a further Cochrane review. They discovered that the echinacea products sold on the market vary greatly.
Additionally, they discovered that 10 to 20 out of every 100 persons may be less likely to have a cold as a result of certain varieties (10 percent to 20 percent ).
The researchers believed that this was a little effect and that there was conflicting data to back it up. This is so because various echinacea preparations were employed in the experiments.
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.
What is the health benefit of echinacea?
Echinacea extracts may inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even cause cancer cell death, according to experiments conducted in test tubes (25, 26).
An extract of Echinacea purpurea and chicoric acid, which is naturally present in echinacea plants, was demonstrated in one test-tube investigation to cause cancer cell death (25).
In another experiment, echinacea plant extracts (Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida) destroyed colon and pancreatic cancer cells in test tubes by inducing apoptosis, or regulated cell death (26).
It is thought that the immune-stimulating components of echinacea cause this effect (27).
Conventional cancer medicines like doxorubicin were once thought to interact with echinacea, but more recent investigations have found no evidence of this (28, 29).
Echinacea has been demonstrated to enhance skin health, blood sugar control, anxiety, and immunity. It might even possess anti-cancer qualities. However, there hasn’t been much human-based study on these advantages.
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.
Does 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 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.
Is echinacea effective for chest infections?
- Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), such as the common cold, can be prevented and treated with echinacea, a well-known nutritional supplement.
- With no notable side effects, echinacea may slightly lower the risk of developing a URTI, but the importance of this benefit may vary depending on how the preparations/products are manufactured and used.
- The use of echinacea does not seem to shorten the duration of a URTI.
- Consider your current health conditions and any combinations with other vitamins or medications you use when determining how echinacea may affect you specifically. Always incorporate advice from your healthcare provider into your own research.
More and more individuals are using dietary supplements to prevent and cure a variety of health issues, from selenium for cancer to vitamin D for diabetes to fish oil capsules for high blood pressure (13). The common cold, which affects the pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), sinuses, or nose, is one example of an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (45).
Many people are turning to echinacea, a collection of North American wildflowers in the daisy family, to cure or prevent URTIs (4;6-9). E. angustifolia, E. purpurea, and E. pallida are three species in particular that are used medicinally. Different echinacea products use different parts of the plant, different combinations of species are used, different methods are used to extract the therapeutic compounds, and different natural ingredients may be added (10). Additionally, they come in a variety of forms, including tablets and capsules, juices, teas, extracts, drops, and powders (4).
How many individuals have jumped on the echinacea bandwagon? It’s safe to state that “a lot” with yearly sales in the US ranging from $10100 million. You might be surprised to learn that echinacea’s safety and effectiveness are still under question given this devoted following (4;1116). One recent systematic review contributed to the conversation by focusing on the question of whether echinacea can treat or prevent URTIs (4).
Echinacea: Is it safe?
When taken by mouth: Echinacea is likely safe for most people in the short-term. 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.