E
ECHINACEA, PURPLE CONEFLOWER (Echinacea spp.) +++True Confessions: I have taken the heretical view here of believing that much of the specific splitting
done by European investigators on the pharmacognostic activities of the various species and parts
of Echinacea were not backed up by voucher specimens and hence, cannot be proven or disproven.
Since much of the research has been sponsored by people promoting one or the other species, but
again not vouchering what they were working with, I consider the new data almost as suspect as
some of the original, when they were studying Parthenium integrifolium instead of Echinacea.
Even today, I think of this as good for Parthenium and not necessarily bad for Echinacea the herb.
I would seek Parthenium integrifolium and/or Rudbeckia spp. if I couldn’t find an Echinacea. I
think they are all good immunostimulants and confess, unlike the hypsters, that I don’t know which
is best. Yes, this is a lazy way out.
Activities (Echinacea) — Alterative (f; PED; PNC); Analgesic (1; DEM; FNF; PED); Antibac-
terial (1; PED; PNC); Antiedemic (1; PHR; WHO); Antiexudative (1; PED); Antihyaluronidase
(1; BGB; MAB; PNC; WHO); Antiinflammatory (1; FNF; PH2; WAM; WHO); Antiintegrase (1;
FNF; JAD); Antiseptic (1; PED); Antispasmodic (1; CAN); Antitumor (1; PNC; WHO); Antiviral
(1; APA; WAM; WHO); Bactericide (1; FAD; PH2; WAM; WHO); Bifidogenic (1; AKT; FNF);
Bitter (f; PED); Candidicide (1; BGB); Collagen Sparing (1; MAB); Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor
(1; MAB; PH2); Fungicide (1; FAD; PED); Immunostimulant (1; CAN; PH2; WAM; WHO);
Interferonigenic (1; APA); 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitor (1; PH2; WHO); Phagocytotic (1; KOM;
PIP; WHO); Prebiotic (1; AKT; FNF); Protisticide (1; MAB); Sialagogue (1; DEM; PED); TNF-
genic (1; APA); Trichomonicide (1; MAB; PNC); Vasodilator (1; CAN); Vulnerary (1; APA;
MAB; PH2; PNC).
Indications (Echinacea) — Abscess (1; APA; MAB; PH2); Acne (1; MAB); Adenopathy (1;
PHR; PH2); Allergy (1; MAB); Arthrosis (f; APA; DEM; WHO); Bacteria (1; PED; PH2; PNC);
Bite (f; PH2); Boil (1; APA; PNC); Bronchosis (2; APA; PHR; PH2; PNC); Bug Bite (f; APA);