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2005.
Awaiting revision 2007
ECHINACEA
- in every
herbalist's TOP TEN!
Echinacea is
one of the most popular herbs bought over the counter. UK Retailers
have reported an extra surge this year - even more than the usual
seasonal demand - as customers stock up to fight off 'flu, and
other Winter ailments.
One leading UK company was selling 5 times its usual weekly average
during early January. A busy UK health food store said; "we bought
enough Echinacea for Christmas and the New Year - but sold out
within 72 hours".
So what makes Echinacea so popular. And is it partly hype?
It's certainly not the catchy name, which many people struggle to
pronounce, which has made it popular! (It's eck-in-ay- cia,
if you want to be sure.) No - the reason for its popularity is, IT
WORKS!
THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT THEY'RE
DOING
If a remedy for 'flu and coughs and colds sells like
wildfire, year after year, you know it's got to be effective. When
people buy Echinacea they want to see results within hours or days.
If it wasn't reliable, they'd stop buying it pretty quickly!
IS ECHINACEA A WONDER
CURE?
Echinacea is one among many herbal Immune System
cleansers.
Others include:
- Cat's
Claw
- Pau D'Arco
- Marigold (also called Calendula - the latin name
- Poke Root
- Garlic
- Myrrh.
So what sets Echinacea apart from these other herbal Immune
System boosters?
It is Echinacea's power.
In herbal terms, Echinacea is 'stimulating', and is an
'alterative'.
Its stimulating effect means that it boosts a weakened body,
and helps give the Immune System the energy to fight off an
infection.
An alterative is a herbal term which means 'alters disease
processes'. In other words, it 'persuades' the body to change its
path from sickness towards health.
Other herbs have this 'alterative' property - eg Burdock and Red
Clover; but NONE combines the 'alterative' property with an 'Immune
System booster' as does Echinacea.
THIS IS ECHINACEA'S SECRET
WE HAVE THE AMERICAN INDIANS TO THANK
Echinacea is one of
the main herbs introduced to us by the American Indians. They have
used it for centuries for all manner of treatment - such as snake
bites, and treating wounds.
Echinacea's use for healing wounds has been highlighted by Douglas
Schar - a specialist in disease-preventing medicinal plants - in
the British Journal of Phytotherapy (vol 5/2 1998). In this article
he says that wound management is a huge problem in hospitals. It's
a problem not only after surgery, but also with cases of bed sores,
leg ulcers, and in many other
situations.
Schar further says: "Echinacea angustifolia's use as a wound
healing agent seems to have been entirely forgotten ... and needs
to be resurrected."
The 'Eclectic' herbalists (a herbal group of the early 20th
century) made great use of Echinacea. In fact, they claimed it was
they who discovered Echinacea angustifolia - not the American
Indians.
One of the 'Eclectic's' leaders - Finley Ellingwood - highlighted
the importance of using the 'angustifolia' variety, rather than the
inferior 'purpurea'. He then mentions several instances in which
Echinacea angustifolia was used directly on sores with excellent
benefits. He says:
"In bed sores, fever sores and chronic
ulcerations it is
exceedingly useful. It is diluted and
applied directly,
while it is given internally. It is of
much value in old
tibial (leg) ulcers... and specific skin
disorders."
[Next: Is it safe to put herbs
directly onto a wound?]
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