Echinacea Benefits

How Echinacea health benefits were found?

Echinacea is used as an herbal supplement to boost immunity against many infections such as flu, common cold and skin infections, etc. North America is the native place of this plant. There are nine different varieties of Echinacea with the same genus, but Echinacea purpurea or Echinacea Angustifolia are primarily used in dietary supplement preparation. [1] This plant belongs to the Asteraceae family and most widely cultivated for its application for herbal medicinal purpose. Not only North America, but Europe also cultivate and use this herb for therapeutic purposes. [2]

In traditional medicine, Echinacea is used to treat multiple disease conditions including abdominal pain, toothache, chronic arthritis, snake bite, seizure, skin disorders, and cancer. The laboratory-based research studies showed that the health benefits of Echinacea are obtained due to its immunomodulatory effect. [3]

What are the phytochemicals present in Echinacea?

The primary phytochemicals present in Echinacea include alkamides, caffeic acid derivatives, glycoproteins, and polysaccharides. The chemical composition of Echinacea is not the same for all the species or even plant parts. For example, both root and aerial part of E. purpurea and root of E. Angustifolia contain some specific phenolic compounds such as caftaric, cichoric, caffeic, chlorogenic acid, cynarin, and echinacoside. Echinacea species also contain essential oils, flavonoids, ketones, polyacetylenes, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids. [4]

What is the Mode of action of Echinacea health benefits?

• The echinacea health benefits are due to the synergistic effect of all the phytochemicals present in this herb. Polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and caffeic acid derivatives present in Echinacea species have immunoactivity.
• The immuno-stimulant activity of Echinacea is achieved by activation of phagocytic activity, stimulation of fibroblast, and improving respiratory activity lead to improve mobility of leukocyte. Echinacea species activates many immune mediators, such as leukocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, polymorphonuclear and natural killer (NK) cells against pathogenic infections. Alkamides, which are fatty acids of amide acts on cannabinoid receptor type 2 and provide immunomodulatory properties to Echinacea species. [3]
• Echinacea species provide an anti-inflammatory effect by stimulating interleukin-10, inhibiting tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase enzymes and natural killer cell activity and also reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-12p70, IL-8, IL-6, and TNF-α. [3]
• The antitumor property of Echinacea species obtained as Echinacea species effective to increase in monocytes, neutrophils, and white blood cells. [3]
• Echinacea has psychoactive activity. Alkamides present in Echinacea can act on both cannabinoid receptor type 1 and type 2 receptor and provides cannabinomimetic properties. [3]
• Echinacea flower extract contains cichoric acid, which induces apoptosis against cancer cells by reducing telomerase activity. [3]
• There are several research studies showed that Echinacea has potent antimicrobial activity and can interact with the viral and other microbial growth. Echinacea also affects epithelial cells signaling pathways to inhibit the microbial attack induced inflammatory mediators such as cytokines/chemokines and cause respiratory symptoms. The combination of phytochemicals present in Echinacea acts synergistically and provide overall benefit on immunological functioning. [2]

Different forms of Echinacea

Echinacea is widely used as an herbal dietary supplement to support the immune functioning of the body. There are different dosage forms available as herbal formulations, which can be oral, topical or injection. However, the FDA has not approved Echinacea for medicinal purposes. In the USA, Echinacea injections are not available, but some of the European manufacturers formulate Echinacea injections. The dosage of different formulation of Echinacea preparation is not standardized, therefore, before taking these supplements it is recommended to consult with your general physicians. Echinacea formulations are available in health food stores, chemists or online health suppliers. Following are different dosage forms of Echinacea:

• Tablet
• Capsule
• Tincture
• Ointment
• Injection

Echinacea Uses

Echinacea is widely used for infection control, but this herb is also used for other therapeutic benefits. Following are some medicinal uses of Echinacea: 

Echinacea helps with Infection control

The broad-spectrum anti-microbial property of Echinacea species suitable to prevent and treat various infectious diseases such as upper and lower respiratory infections, pelvic organ infection and wound infections. Echinacea species also has potent anti-fungal activity and prevent skin infections. The antiviral effect of this herb also controls viral infections like flu, influenza, etc. The anti-microbial property of Echinacea species effective to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Legionella pneumophila, Haemophilus influenzae, etc. [3]

Echinacea benefits in Respiratory infections

Echinacea extracts is an effective remedy for upper respiratory tract infections including “Colds”, “flu”, and “bronchitis” due to its anti-viral property. This herbal remedy can reduce the associated symptoms such as excess mucus production, sneezing, cough, stuffy nose, sore throat, sinusitis, malaise, irritation, fever, and other discomforts. The anti-inflammatory property of Echinacea extracts can also control the exacerbation of asthma and COPD. [2]

ECHINACEA USE IN INFLUENZA TREATMENT

Echinacea extract has an inhibitory effect on the influenza A and influenza B virus as it blocks the receptor-binding activity of influenza A and thus restricts the entrance of the virus in the body tissue. [2]

ECHINACEA BENEFITS FOR SKIN

A variety of skin infections like Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 cause recurrent painful skin eruption. Echinacea has strong antiviral activity and topical application of this herbal paste helps to prevent and treat skin infections that occur due to Herpes simplex viral attack. Both oral consumption and topical application of Echinacea species help to control acne due to both its anti-inflammatory properties and anti-microbial activity. [2]

ECHINACEA AS MOSQUITO REPLANT

Echinacea species is a safe herbal alternative to chemical containing mosquito replant. Alkamides has mosquitocidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae. [3]

ECHINACEA HAS ANTICANCER PROPERTY

The cytotoxic property of Echinacea species can inhibit colon cancer growth and thus gives preventive effect against colon cancer. [3]

ECHINACEA SIDE EFFECTS

Some individuals show hypersensitive reactions with Echinacea species. They may have experienced gastrointestinal symptoms and skin rashes. The dose and duration of the herbal ingredient are very important. Excessive dose often leads to side effects. To avoid such a problem, some herbalists recommended Echinacea containing products should not be used continuously for more than eight weeks to avoid side effects. But research conducted in 2012 reported that Echinacea is safe to take for up to four months. [5]

Some identified side effects of Echinacea are, pain in the abdomen, nausea, breathing difficulty, angioedema, skin reactions such as pruritus, rash, erythema, and urticaria. Increase dose of Echinacea containing herbal products can cause male infertility by reducing the sperm motility, sperm penetration and also disrupt sperm DNA. [3]

When should I avoid Echinacea?

Echinacea species containing herbal drugs are contra-indicated in some of the disease conditions due to their immunomodulatory properties. Patients who are suffering from tuberculosis, leukemia and leukemia-like diseases, collagen disorders, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune diseases should not take Echinacea containing products. 

Echinacea can inhibit certain liver and intestinal enzymes including cytochrome P450 1A2 and intestinal CYP3A4. Inhibition of these enzymes may interfere with the metabolism of other medications and cause contra-indication reactions. [3]

REFERENCES

1. Echinacea. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
2. James B. Hudson. Applications of the Phytomedicine Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) in Infectious Diseases
3. Azadeh Manayi et al. Echinacea purpurea: Pharmacology, phytochemistry and analysis methods
4. Marlies Karsch-Völk et al. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold
5. Echinacea. Cancer Research UK