* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Name
Echinaceae angustifolia DC, E. pallida (Nutt) and E. purpurea (L.), Moench (Asteraceae), commonly called the American coneflower root, the narrow-leaved or purple cone flower. In French it is Rudbeckie á feuilles étroites; in German it is Kegelbiume.
Source
Along with the artichoke, Echinacea is a member of the Asteraceae family. Three different kinds of echinacea are used medicinally, but many more than that grow in the United States. The active constituents of the three species differ and, until recently, there was some confusion over their naming. It now turns out that much of the E. angustifolia grown in Europe was (and still may be) E. pallida. The roots of E. pallida are used to stimulate the immune system, and the juice of the roots for treating skin diseases. The roots contain entirely different chemicals than are found in the flowers, and not all of the active agents have been identified.
History
Unlike many of herbal remedies, echinacea is an American discovery. A physician from Nebraska first learned about its medicinal value from American Indians. Echinacea was used to treat infections of every sort, and for a variety of other conditions including eczema and even rattle snake bites. By the early 1900s, American drug companies were selling echinacea-based products, mainly for their ability to fight infections. When sulfa, the first antibiotic, was introduced in 1930s, commercial production of echinacea essentially ceased.
Traditional Claims
Antiseptic, as a compress for infected wounds, as a gargle for dental abscess.
Commission E Recommendations
Echinacea is used to treat colds, flu, influenza, chronic respiratory infection, skin ulcers, urinary infection or inflammation, and wounds.
Proven Effects
Echinacea, taken either as fresh pressed juice or dried juice, stimulates the immune system, causing increased production of interleukin and tumor necrosis factor (a hormone that causes cell death), two members of a class of hormones called cytokines. The exact mechanism responsible for cytokine stimulation is not known, but treatment with echinacea activates white blood cells and increases their ability to fight infection, even if the white blood cells come from patients with HIV. Other components (fat soluble flavonoids like luteolin, quercetin and rutin, and water soluble components called caffeoyl derivatives) are potent free radical scavengers, capable of preventing the skin from the damage produced by intense sunlight. Results of trials done by German drugmakers (in particular the makers of a widely prescribed echinacea formulation called Resistan™) suggest that, when taken in the early stages of a cold or other mild respiratory infections, echinacea shortens the duration of symptoms by as much as one third. The results of other European studies suggest that using echinacea on a regular basis might even prevent colds in the first place.
User Group Forum
Share your questions and information with the ZooScape community!
Be the first to post!
Directions
Take 1 capsule, 3 times daily, with meals.
Cautions
No known toxicities.
If symptoms are severe or persist for more than two days, consult a physician.
Echinacea is contraindicated in those with an auto-immune disease (ie. Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS etc.) or allergies to plants in sunflower family.
Not recommended for preqnant or lactating women or those with allergies to soya.
Concerns
Buyers need to closely read labels. Root products derived from Echinaceae anugstifolia might not work, or at least not work as well as products made from root extract of E. Pallida. Except for the fact that the formulation used may not work, there is very little cause for concern. Serious episodes of toxicity related to echinacea have never been reported, and even mentions of minor complications are rare. Single oral or intravenous doses of Echinacea purpurea have proven virtually nontoxic to rats and mice, even when truly huge doses were given over a prolonged period.
Warnings
A recent report described a case of anaphylactic shock in a woman with atopic dermatitis after taking, among other dietary supplements, echinacea. Patients with atopy (very bad eczema) should be cautioned about the risk of developing life-threatening reactions.
Drug Testing
None of the constituents found in the flower or in the roots should interfere with standard workplace urine drug tests. However, echinacea is often sold in a mixture with other herbs, especially goldenseal. If you are subject to drug testing, you may want to avoid such mixtures, because goldenseal is commonly taken by drug users attempting to thwart the drug-testing process. Contrary to popular wisdom, using goldenseal will not help one pass a drug test (unless the goldenseal is taken with a gallon or so of water just before the test), but the presence of some goldenseal components in your urine sample (specifically a molecule called berberine) might suggest to the testing laboratory that you have something to hide.
Additional Information
The TerraVita Premium Collection uses only the finest, purest and most potent plant extracts from around the world.
The TerraVita Premium Collection is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
The TerraVita Premium Collection is packed in child-proof, tamper-proof pharmaceutical-grade recyclable containers.
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
