Echinacea Supplements As Immune System Boosters

The Purple Cone Flower As an Herbal Cold and Flu Remedy

Oct 31, 2009

Echinacea supplements are often used as a cold and flu remedy. The following discusses echinacea benefits, side effects and what precautions to take when using this herb.

Historically, echinacea, also known as purple coneflower, has been used to boost the immune system for a variety of ailments, including the common cold and flu. Prior to the discovery of antibiotics, echinacea was widely used by North American Indians. Besides using it as a cold and flu remedy, they also used it for insect bites, wound healing and other infections.

Echinacea is an herb that belongs to the sunflower family (Asteraceae).There are three species that convey the healing ability of echinacea and they are: Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallid and Echinacea purpurea. Echinacea purpurea is the most studied of all the echinacea species.

Can Echinacea Supplements Boost the Immune System?

Studies regarding the effectiveness of echinacea are inconclusive. Some studies, however, have shown that echinacea can reduce the duration of a cold by one to two days. Echinacea may be most effective as a remedy for a cold or flu, if taken as soon as cold or flu symptoms occur.

Can Echinacea Prevent a Cold?

Based on numerous studies performed with echinacea, this herbal remedy is not effective in preventing a cold. It only appears to be effective in actually treating the cold or flu.

Echinacea Benefits

Echinacea appears to have immune stimulating effects by activating certain white blood cells which are part of the immune system. The particular cells affected are T lymphocytes, macrophages and natural killer cells. The theory is that echinacea stimulates these cells to remove bacteria and other cellular debris. These effects have only been found with short term use of echinacea, about eight weeks.

Echinacea Side Effects

Only a few side effects have been reported with the use of echinacea. The most common side effects are as follows:

Long term use of this herb can cause the opposite, namely reduce the immune system. It is not recommended to use echinacea for more than eight weeks. The theory is after the eight weeks, a person would need to stop taking echinacea for one week, and then he or she could possibly resume taking the herbal supplement again for another eight weeks, and so on.

Who Should Not Take Echinacea Supplements?

People who have allergies to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds and daisies may have an allergic reaction to echinacea. People who have an auto-immune disease such as Crohn’s disease, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis should not take echinacea. Auto-immune diseases are caused by the immune system attacking its own tissues. Since echinacea works by stimulating the immune system, it can cause these types of diseases to flare up.

Echinacea is also not recommended for people who have HIV or other immune disorders.People who are considering taking echinacea should first consult a doctor, especially if they are taking prescription medications; have allergies or other medical conditions.

Echinacea angustifolia DC. USDA, NRCS. 2007. The Plants Database. Accessed October 27, 2009.

Perri D, Dugoua JJ, Mills E, Koren G. Safety and efficacy of Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, e. purpurea and e. pallida) during pregnancy and lactation. Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Fall;13(3):e262-7.

The copyright of the article Echinacea Supplements As Immune System Boosters in Herbal Medicine is owned by Esther Salyer. Permission to republish Echinacea Supplements As Immune System Boosters in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.