COMMON NAMEStandardized:Echinacea purpureaOther: purple coneflowerBOTANICAL NAMEEchinaceapurpurea(L.) MoenchPlant Family:AsteraceaeSYNONYMSRudbeckiapurpureaL.OVERVIEWEchinaceais one of the most widely known herbal medicines in American folk herbalism.Used extensively by traditional herbalists and Native Americans alike in NorthAmerica for generations, echinacea eventually gained popularity in Europe inthe 1900's. One of its main uses is to support healthy immune function,although many of its historical uses were related to topical applications. Itis now one of the most available dietary supplements in health food stores andcontinues to be a subject of many scientific studies investigating its immunesupport properties.Echinaceasupports healthy immune system functioning.*BOTANYNinespecies ofEchinaceaare native to the United States andsouthern Canada, with much of the population centered in Kansas, Arkansas,Oklahoma and Missouri.3These species are perennial members ofthe sunflower, orAsteraceae, family and mostly prefer rocky,disturbed soils in open fields, prairies, and along railroad tracks.3Thematerial found in commerce is generallyE. purpurea,E.angustifolia, and occasionallyE. pallida.1E.purpureais big bushy shrub, growing 4-5 feet tall, with vivid purpleconeflowers (hence the common name 'purple coneflower'). The leaves are widerthanE. angustifolia, which has more angular and hairy leaves (thespecific name refers to this, literally meaning 'narrow-leaved)2,and grows to only around one foot in height.4OftenE.pallidaandE. angustifoliaare confused1 as theyboth have light pink petals and are quite similar medicinally.4Thegenus nameEchinaceais derived from the Greek 'echinos' whichliterally means hedgehog and refers to the appearance of the spiny seed head.2CULTIVATION AND HARVESTINGE.purpureais the most widely cultivated of theEchinaceaspecies,yet little is found in the wild now due to overharvesting.E. pallidaandE.angustifoliaare much more difficult to grow.4Commercially,preparations ofE. pallidaare occasionally labeled incorrectly as 'Echinaceaangustifolia.' (Herbal E)HISTORY AND FOLKLOREEchinaceawas used at length by Native Americans and by traditional herbalists in theUnited States and in Canada. One of the first written accounts was by anequestrian from Louisiana who used this herb topically on horses.4Accordingto the ethnobotanical work,Uses of Plants by the Indians of the MissouriRiver Region, written in 1914 by Melvin Gilmore, "echinacea seems tohave been used as a remedy for more ailments than any other plant."5Avariety of tribes, including the Pawnee, Dakota, Omaha-Winnebego relied heavilyupon this plant. It was used for situations ranging from swellings to distemperin horses. This healing herb was administered as a fresh juice, herbal smudgeor smoke, and often either the leaf or root was simply chewed on.5Echinaceawas used traditionally for supporting the immune system and also for topicaluse.TheEclectic physicians in the United States popularized Echinacea in the late1800's showing particular interest inE. angustifolia.1JohnUri Lloyd and John King were major proponents of this herb, extolling itsvirtues far and wide for several years until it became the single most widelyused herb by the Eclectics.3,4It was all the rage until theEclectic schools closed down in the mid 1930's at which point the popularity ofechinacea declined in the United States. It fell out of fashion until the1970's when herbalists resurrected it.4However, during thistime,E. purpureawas gaining recognition in Germany.1,3Ironically,E.angustifoliawas the species that most traditional herbalists andNative Americans used medicinally, yetE. purpureawas thespecies that the Germans ended up researching and therefore the one that becamethe most popular, first in Europe, and then in the United States.1,3,4Thus,the species which had the most substantiated historical evidence, has the leastscientific research.1,3,4As the story goes, in the 1950's theSwiss naturopathic doctor, Dr. Vogel, came to the U.S. to studyEchinaceainSouth Dakota. He brought seeds back which he believed were fromE.angustifoliaand gave them to a German doctor who planted them andmade medicine. Soon it was discovered that the species was actuallyE. purpureawhichis why it became so popular and widely studied in Europe.4HERBAL ACTIONSImmunesupporting, depurative, vulnerary, lymphatic, sialagogue6USES AND PREPARATIONSRootfresh or dried as a tea or tincture or powdered and encapsulatedAll aboveground parts fresh or dried as a tea or tincture or powdered andencapsulatedFresh plant juicePRECAUTIONSSpecific:Personswith allergies to other members of theAsteraceaefamilyshould exercise caution with Echinacea, due to the presence of Echinacea pollen.General:We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcarepractitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant,nursing, or on any medications.*Thisstatement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Thisproduct is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.For educational purposes only.