Herbalists and holistic doctors have been prescribing echinacea for hundreds of years for enhancing the immune system. It is used for the treatment of coughs, sneezing hoarseness, tonsillitis, sinus infections, bladder or kidney infections, gynecological infections and general immune deficiency. Native Americans also used for toothache, battle wounds and even rattle snake bites.
Echinacea is a beautiful flower with purple daisy like petals. The immune-boosting effect of echinacea is ascribed primarily to its two main active ingredients: echinacosides (in the flower and root) and polysaccharide heteroxylan (in the leaves). To guarantee that a full range of active ingredients is present, store-bought preparations are usually made from the flower, leaves, and root.
Echinacea is produced in a variety of forms: pills, liquid, chewable tablets and even an instant tea. Sometimes echinacea preparations can be fortified with other plant extracts to increase their effectiveness.
Echinacea doesn’t work like the pharmaceutical antibiotics that “kill” bacteria. Instead, echinacea arouses immune cells that patrol and defend the body against these invaders. It increases the number and activity of diseases-fighting white cells, and it activates antiviral chemicals such as interferon. Echinacea can even activate the immune cells that fight tumors.
Since echinacea enhances the action of your immune cells, it is also effective against bacterial, fungal and yeast infections. This is especially helpful if you are fighting a bacterial infection because many bacteria are now resistant to antibiotics.
Duration of use: continuous use of echinacea is not advised. Remember that it is a booster. Some studies suggest that its effectiveness lasts only 10 days. It is safe to take it for several weeks, but after that you will need to take a 1 break before repeating the herbal treatment.
Side effects? There have been no reports of adverse side effects. Some echinacea preparations contain alcohol to prolong shelf life- children should be given pure pressed juice or chewable tablets.
Maria Strangler
