FACT FILE
Echinacea
There are three species of echinacea: Echinacea angustifolia, E. purpurea and E. pallida . The first two are most widely used and researched for medicinal purposes. Both the roots and leaves of echinacea are used to make herbal medicines to prevent and treat colds, flu, nasal congestion and a sore throat; it can be administered as a liquid extract, tablets and capsules, on its own or with other synergistic plants. Echinacea is an immune stimulant, meaning that it helps strengthen the body’s natural immune response and increase resistance to infection. This makes it an effective remedy for colds and flu, upper respiratory tract infections, as well Indigenous to the North American plains, echinacea was used by native Americans to treat wounds, infections and snake bite.
as genitourinary infections. It is especially useful for people with weakened immune systems. It has been shown to be an effective antiviral agent, against the herpes virus and to noticeably increase phagocytosis, the process by which foreign bodies are engulfed by the body’s protective immune cells. It is particularly favoured for treating the all-too-common cold, restoring the body to health quickly while helping the immune system to fight off other secondary infections which often strike when the body’s systems are overwhelmed. Health professionals recommend starting to take echinacea right at the onset, within 24 hours of the first symptom. No adverse side effects have been reported from taking echinacea; however, speak with your health professional before using it for prolonged periods.
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ISSUE 68 • 2023
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