Echinacea

What is Echinacea?

Echinacea herb species are perennials that belong to the Aster family and originate in eastern North America. Echinacea is traditionally used for a range of infections and malignancies. The roots and herb of Echinacea species have attracted recent scientific interest due to purported "immune stimulant" properties.

While Echinacea is most commonly known for it medicinal effects, it is also a common garden plant with beautiful purple flowers. While already popular as a medicinal herb, the true potential of Echinacea has yet to be fully explored by the medical industry.

Echinacea is thought to serve as a stimulant to the body's immune system by activating white blood cells, whereby making it more difficult for foreign bodies to infect cells. Some evidence from other clinical studies appears to indicate that Echinacea may have antiviral and antifungal effects, possibly adding to its infection fighting ability.

Echinacea has been used in various dietary supplements that claim to help in the easing of:

• Prevention of upper respiratory tract infections - standardized extracts of Echinacea were effective in the prevention of symptoms of the common cold after clinical inoculation, compared with placebo.
• Cancer 
• Immune system stimulation 
• Low white blood cell counts after X-ray treatment 
• Uveitis - Oral Echinacea purpurea may offer some benefits in people with low-grade uveitis. 
• Vaginal yeast infections 
• Genital herpes
  

Side Effects and Warnings of Echinacea

You should always consult your medical practitioner before you use Echinacea based supplements. This is because there those who have serious allergic reactions to the herb. Injected Echinacea may alter blood sugar levels and cause severe reactions and should be avoided.

Multiple cases of anaphylactic shock and allergic rash have been reported with Echinacea taken by mouth. Allergic reactions including itching, rash, wheezing, facial swelling, and anaphylaxis may occur more commonly in people with asthma or other allergies.

Few side effects from Echinacea are reported when it is used at the recommended doses. Reported complaints include stomach discomfort, nausea, sore throat, rash, drowsiness, and headache, dizziness, and muscle aches.

People with liver problems, young children and pregnant women should seek medical advise since there have been serious allergic cases while using Echinacea.

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