PDR for Herbal Medicines

262/ECHINACEA PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

Caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives (0.6-2.1%): including
cichoriic acid, cichoriic acid methyl ester, 2-0- caffeoyl
tartaric acid
Alkamides (0.01-0.04%): including undeca-2E,4Z-dien-8,10-
diinacetyl- and dodeca-2E,4E-8Z,10E/Z-tetracetyliso-buty-
lamide
Polyynes (0.01 mg/%): including trideca-l-en-3,5,7,9,11 -pen-
tain, trideca-1,1 l-dien-3,5,7,9,-tetraine, trideca-8,10,12-trien-
2,4,6-triine, pontica epoxide
Effective pyrrolizidine alkaloids: tussilagine, isotussilagine
COMPOUNDS: ECHINACEA PALLIDA HERB
Volatile oil (0.1%)- including 1,8-pentadecadien
Flavonoids: in particular rutin
Caffeic acid derivatives: Cichoriic acid, chlorogenic acid,
isochlorogenic acid, verbascoside
Alkamides: including dodeca-2E,4E-8Z,10E-tetracetyliso-
butylamide
COMPOUNDS: ECHINACEA PALLIDA ROOT
Water-soluble immunstimulating polysaccharides (arabino-
rhamnogalactans)
Volatile oil (0.2 - 2%): chief components include pentadeca-
8Z-en-2-on, pentadeca-1,8Z-dien, 1 -pentadecan
Caffeic acid derivatives: echinacoside
Alkamides: including isomeric dodeca-2E,4E-8Z,10E/Z-tet-
raenic acid-isobutylamide
Polyynes: including trideca-l-en-3,5,7,9,11-pentain, pontica
epoxide
COMPOUNDS: ECHINACEA ANGUSTIFOLIA HERB
Volatile oil (under 0.1%): typical components consist of
epishyobunol, beta-farnesene, alpha- and beta-pinenes, myr-
cene, carvomenthene, caryophyllene
Flavonoids
Caffeic acid derivatives: cichoriic acid, chlorogenic acid,
isochlorogenic acid, verbascoside, echinacoside
Alkamides: including dodeca-2E,4E-8Z,10E-tetracetyl-
isobutylamide
Polyynes: including trideca-l-en-3,5,7,9,11-pentaine, pontica
epoxide
COMPOUNDS: ECHINACEA ANGUSTIFOLIA ROOT
Volatile oil (under 1%): components include dodeca-2,4-
dien-1-ylisovalerate, as well as palmitic acid, linolenic acid

Flavonoids

Caffeic acid derivatives (0.3 to 1.3%): echinacoside, cynarin

Alkamides (0.01%): including dodeca-2E,4E-8Z,10E/Z- tet-

racetyl isobutylamide

Polyynes: including trideca-l-en-3,5,7,9,11-pentaine, pontica

epoxide, in dehydrated roots only traces

EFFECTS: ALL VARIETIES

General

Echinacea activity is directed towards the nonspecific

cellular immune system. The herb exerts anti-inflammatory,

immunostimulating, bactericidal, and wound healing actions,

depending on the type of plant species. The main active

principles of the immunostimulating, antibacterial and viros-

tatic drug are the alkamides, glycoproteins, caffeic acid

derivatives (cichoriic acid and echinosides) and

polysaccarides.

Immunostimulating

Ethanolic root extracts of the Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea

pallida and Echinacea angustifolia were shown to cause a

23% increase of the phagocytosis rate in granulocyte smears

in vitro (Jurcic, 1989; Melchart 1995). Confirmed by the

carbon clearance test and granulocyte tests, the ethanolic root

extracts significantly enhance phagocytosis (Bauer, 1988).

The ethanolic extracts of aerial parts of Echinacea angustifo-

lia and Echinacea purpurea exert immunostimulatory effects

also through metabolic and bactericidal activities of perito-

neal macrophages. The ethanolic extracts of both Echinacea

plants also increase the total weight of the spleen (Bukovsky,

1993).

Anti-Inflammatory

Polyunsaturated alkamides in Echinacea angustifolia exert

anti-inflammatory effects through inhibition of cyclooxyge-

nase and 5-lipoxygenase (Muller-Jakic, 1994). The polysac-

charide fraction of Echinacea angustifolia exerts anti-

inflammatory effects (Tubaro, 1987), and the polysaccharide

from Echinacea purpurea induces an acute phase reaction.

The acute phase reaction occurs with enhancing the sponta-

neous motility of PMN and increasing the ability of these

cells to kill bacteria such as staphylococci. (Roesler, 1991).

Cytokine Stimulation

Arabinogalactan, a highly purified polysaccharide from plant

cell cultures of Echinacea purpurea, is effective in activating

macrophage cytotoxicity actions against tumor cells and

microorganisms (Leishmania enriettii). This polysaccharide

induces macrophages to produce tumor necrosis factor

(TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (TL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), inter-

leukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-beta. The component also

induces a slight increase in T-cell proliferation (Burger,

1997; Luettig, 1989; Roesler, 1991). Extracts of Echinacea

purpurea stimulate cell-mediated immunity through the