Echinacea: What Should I Know About It?

What is echinacea

Echinacea is the name of a group of flowering plants in the daisy family.

They’re native to North America where they grow in prairies and open, wooded areas.

Altogether, this group has nine species, but only three are used in herbal supplements — Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida .

Both the plant’s upper parts and roots are used in tablets, tinctures, extracts, and teas.

Echinacea plants contain an impressive variety of active compounds, such as caffeic acid, alkamides, phenolic acids, rosmarinic acid, polyacetylenes, and many more.

In addition, studies have linked echinacea and their compounds to many health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, improved immunity, and lower blood sugar levels.

Benefits of Echinacea

Research on echinacea suggests that it offers several impressive health benefits.

• Positive effect on the immune system

Echinacea is best known for its beneficial effects on the immune system.

Numerous older studies have found that this plant may help your immune system combat infections and viruses, which could help you recover faster from illness .

That’s one reason why echinacea is often used to prevent or treat the common cold.

In fact, one review found that echinacea could reduce the risk of developing an upper respiratory tract infection by 22%. However, researchers did not find any significant effect on the duration of illness .

According to a 2014 review, many studies on this topic are poorly designed and show no real benefit. This makes it hard to know if any benefits on colds are from taking echinacea or simply from chance .

In short, while echinacea may boost immunity, its effects on the common cold are unclear.

• May lower blood sugar levels

High blood sugar can raise your risk of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and several other chronic conditions.

Test-tube studies have found that echinacea plants may help lower blood sugar levels.

In a test-tube study, an Echinacea purpurea extract was shown to suppress enzymes that digest carbohydrates. In theory, this means that echinacea might be able to reduce the amount of sugar entering your blood.

Other animal studies suggest that the antioxidants found in echinacea could help improve blood sugar and insulin sensitivity.

Still, human-based research on the effects of echinacea on blood sugar is lacking.

• May reduce feelings of anxiety

Anxiety is a common problem that is estimated to affect nearly 7% of adults in the United States .

In recent years, echinacea plants have emerged as a potential aid for anxiety.

Some older research has discovered that echinacea plants contain compounds that may reduce feelings of anxiety. These include alkamides, rosmarinic acid, and caffeic acid.

One study found that taking 40 milligrams (mg) of echinacea extract twice daily for 7 days significantly reduced anxiety compared to a placebo .

In another study, taking 40 mg or 80 mg of echinacea extract per day was not associated with improvements in anxiety compared to a placebo. However, it did lead to improvements in positive and negative affect and emotional wellbeing.

Still, research is limited and more studies are needed before echinacea products can be recommended as a possible treatment.

• Anti-inflammatory properties

Inflammation is your body’s natural way of promoting healing and defending itself.

Sometimes inflammation can get out of hand and last for longer than necessary and expected. This may raise your risk of chronic diseases and other health problems .

Several studies have shown that echinacea can help reduce excess inflammation.

In one mouse study, echinacea compounds helped reduce important inflammatory markers and memory loss caused by inflammation.

In another 30-day study, adults with osteoarthritis found that taking a supplement containing ginger extract and echinacea extract significantly reduced inflammation, chronic pain, and swelling.

Interestingly, these adults did not respond well to conventional non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) but found the supplement containing echinacea and ginger extract helpful .

Furthermore, a review of 105 studies concluded that echinacea supplementation could be associated with several decreased markers of inflammation, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor .

• May help treat skin concerns

Research has shown that echinacea plants may help treat common skin concerns.

In one study, a supplement containing a botanical extract derived from eggplant and echinacea was effective at improving mild to moderate acne compared to a placebo. However, it’s unclear how much of this could be attributed to echinacea specifically .

In another 2010 study in 10 people, skin care products containing echinacea extract were found to improve skin hydration and reduce wrinkles .

Similarly, a cream containing Echinacea purpurea extract was shown to improve eczema symptoms and help repair the skin’s thin, protective outer layer .

However, echinacea extract appears to have a short shelf life, making it difficult to incorporate into commercial skin care products.

• May offer protection against cancer

Cancer is a disease that involves the uncontrolled growth of cells.

Test-tube studies have shown that echinacea extracts may suppress cancer cell growth and even trigger cancer cell death.

In one 2012 test-tube study, an extract of Echinacea purpurea and chicoric acid — a compound naturally found in echinacea plants — was shown to trigger cancer cell death.

In another older test-tube study, extracts from echinacea plants (Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida) killed human cancer cells from the pancreas and colon by stimulating a process called apoptosis, or controlled cell death.

It’s believed that this effect occurs due to echinacea’s immune-boosting properties.

There was some concern that echinacea could interact with conventional cancer treatments, such as doxorubicin, but older studies have found no interaction .

That being said, more recent studies in humans are needed before making any recommendations.

What form of echinacea is best?

Which form and dose of Echinacea is best? Echinacea comes in various forms and concentrations, but most positive clinical studies used products extracted from aerial parts (leaves, flowers, stems) of E. purpurea or the roots of E. angustifolia. XI’AN Aogu biotech offer echinacea extract powder and echinacea capsules.

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