Echinacea, the purple coneflower, is perhaps the best known and one of the most studied medicinal herbs today. This member of the aster family is a native North American wildflower and has been used for many hundreds of years by indigenous peoples across North America for its ability to treat viruses and bacteria, reduce allergies and enhance the immune system and was also commonly used to treat external wounds, psoriasis and eczema. Echinacea was used by the peoples of First Nations across the central plains of North America for more uses than any other medicinal plant. The Encyclopedia of Popular Herbs: A Guide to 40 Leading Medicinal Plants refers to more than 350 scientific studies that document the clinical applications, pharmacology and chemistry of Echinacea. The primary use of Echinacea is for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, with secondary uses including the prevention and treatment of viral, bacterial and fungal infections and as a complementary therapy to “support the immune system”. There is general agreement in the research that there are 3 major categories of chemical constituents that contribute to Echinacea’s immuno-stimulating actions: phenolic compounds, alkylamides and polysaccharides. No single constituent has been identified as Echinacea’s ‘active ingredient’, rather research indicates clearly that a combination of constituents work together to produce immune stimulation.
Echinacea is considered an extremely safe herb with no known toxicity.

From the early 1800’s through the 1920s, Eclectic physicians (mainstream medical doctors that favoured the use of herbs and botanicals in clinical practice) prescribed Echinacea remedies to their patients. During the 1920s, Echinacea was the most widely prescribed remedy of this group of doctors. Following the introduction of antibiotics in the 1930s, and the demise of the Eclectic Schools of Medicine in the United States, the use of Echinacea all but disappeared in North America even though it remained listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia until 1950.

Cautions/Contraindications
• Consult a health practitioner if you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, progressive systemic disease such as TB, Leukosis, Collagenoisis, MS, AIDS, or HIV infection
• Consult a health practitioner if you are suffering from auto-immune disorders or are taking immunosuppressants
• Do not use if pregnant or breast feeding
• Do not use if you have an allergy to Asteraceae/Compositae(daisy family)

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