I was recently gifted a fully grown Echinacea plant by a friend that I was house-sitting for. “Here, this one’s for you”, she’d said; “harvest it when you’re ready”. So I did! And I have to admit that it was the first time I’d ever actually stopped to smell a fresh Echinacea flower before. I was quite surprised at its sweet aroma; not too dissimilar to a heavenly floral honey! After satisfying my senses with its sweet perfume, I proceeded to clean and pound the roots and chop up the arial parts, making a whole of plant (alcohol) tincture.
Native to North America, these pretty members of the daisy (Asteraceae) family grow typically in open and sunny fields, though I have also seen them coaxed into vegetable patches and pretty cottage gardens too. Sometimes referred to as purple coneflower due to their cone-like flower head structure, these perennials can grow to two metres in height. Their corolla and sepals (petals) are linear to elliptic or obovate in shape, droop downwards (further enhancing the spiny cone-like centre) and can be purple, pink, yellow or white in colour, depending upon the species.
Of the twelve species of Echinacea, the two that are most commonly used in herbal medicine are E.angustifolia and E.purpurea. Echinacea pallida is also used medicinally (more so in the Americas), however it is considered less active (medicinal) than those of the aforementioned species. With great thanks to Professor Kerry Bone (Bio chemist and founder of the Mediherb company in Australia), there has been a great deal of clinical and scientific research on this incredible plant.
E.angustifolia has been revered and utilised for centuries by the First Nations peoples of North America, and the Eclectic physicians (late 19th/early 20th Century in North America) who adopted the natives’ use of Echinacea. They preferred making remedies from the root rather than the aerial parts, as this is where the alkylamides (bio active natural amides) are found. These compounds have been shown to attach to the cannabinoid receptors in the body (just as CBD does), which help to modulate inflammatory responses. Of its active constituents, it is the isobutylamide echinacein that is responsible for the tingling sensation on the tongue. Once thought of as an ‘immune booster’, the chemistry of Echinacea is much better understood today for its immune modulating nature; where it possesses the ability to either enhance or suppress the immune system, as the body requires.
E.purpurea found its popularity in the 1930’s when German herbalist Madaus began promoting it's medicine. He claimed it was far easier to grow than E.angustifolia, and began administering a medicine made from juicing the aerial parts of the plant. At the time, however, he was not aware of the key differences in medicinal properties of the species and also of the qualities and potencies from the differing manufacturing processes. It would be at least another half century until such information would be properly recognised by scientists. However, the Eclectics understood E.purpurea to be less effective than its cousin E.angustifolia, and the homeopaths proved and generally used the E.angustifolia species as well.
In today’s modern world of phytotherapy, we now understand these two species to carry slightly different compounds to one another, just as the differing parts of the plant do too. The method of preparation also needs to be considered when assessing a plant’s medicine; for example, an hydrophilic type of extraction will be lower in alkylamides than say an alcohol extraction. I generally tend to use alcohol tinctures in clinic, however the power of a good cup of tea should never be discounted.
Of its many uses, Echinacea comes into itself as a remedy for “exhausted, prostrated, tired people who have been run down by too much work or study” (Matthew Wood, American herbalist and author). It is indicated for people who have trouble slowing down and taking a rest, who push themselves into ‘getting the job done’, then get sick on the eve of taking holidays. As a lymphatic, vulnerary (wound healing) and alterative (blood cleansing) medicine, it is an excellent remedy for skin related conditions and complaints; think boils, blisters and carbuncles, eczema, rashes, psoriasis and acne. It is also considered an hydrating herb and therefore has its place in moisturising formulas for the skin. Its other medicinal actions include circulatory stimulant, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antipyretic (reduces fever). These characteristics help to enhance its widely known and well accepted anti-inflammatory and immune modulating components, rendering it a most useful and broad spectrum remedy for most things pertaining to immune and inflammation based illness in the body.
I have recently stocked the shelves in my clinic with a range of Echinacea-based products by Kiwi Herb. They are available to purchase over the counter, without prescription. If you are interested in purchasing or discussing these products with me further, please call me or use the contact me form on my website.
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Blessed Be!
