Products
Preparations from the herb or root of echinacea are commercially available in many countries in the form of drops, tablets, as a hot drink, oral sprays, and lozenges, among others (e.g., Echinaforce, Echinacin, Echinadoron). Furthermore, the medicinal drug and mother tincture are also available in pharmacies and drugstores.
Stem plants
The medicinal drugs and the preparations are obtained from the following three perennial plants of the genus, which are native to North America. They belong to the composite family (Asteraceae):
- – Purple coneflower, red coneflower (Fig. 1).
- – Narrow-leaved coneflower (Fig. 2)
- – Pale coneflower, pale narrow-leaved coneflower.
Medicinal drug
The coneflower herb (Echinaceae herba) and coneflower root (Echinaceae radix) are used as the medicinal drug. Extracts are prepared mainly with ethanol. The pressed juice (succus) from the fresh herb is also frequently used.
Ingredients
Ingredients include:
- Alkylamides (alkamides)
- Glycoproteins
- Essential oil
- Polyacetylene
- Caffeic acid derivatives
- Polysaccharides
Effects
The preparations are believed to have immunostimulant and immunomodulatory properties. Echinacea is said to reduce susceptibility to colds, promote the healing process and reduce the duration of illness. Different data are found on clinical efficacy (see references).
Indications
For the prevention and treatment of colds.
Dosage
According to the package insert. The dosing interval depends on the preparation. As a rule, medicines are taken several times a day, for example, three to five times a day. More concentrated preparations need to be administered only twice a day. It is recommended that the therapy should not last longer than two months.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity, including to other composites.
- Infants
- Children, depending on the product
- Autoimmune diseases and systemic diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.
Full precautions can be found in the drug label.
Interactions
Drug-drug interactions mediated via CYP450 isozymes cannot be ruled out.
Adverse effects
Possible adverse effects include hypersensitivity reactions and digestive disturbances.
