Echinacea

Echinacea

Echinacea belongs to the composite family, one of the largest plant families consisting mainly of herbs, but also subshrubs, succulents, and climbing plants. The leaves are scattered and usually simple. The inflorescence is a head composed of many petals implanted on a flower base. Echinacea is a genus of plants comprising 9 different species originating from the eastern part of North America.

• Echinacea angustifolia
• Echinacea atrorubens
• Echinacea laevigata
• Echinacea pallida
• Echinacea paradoxa
• Echinacea purpurea
• Echinacea sanguinea
• Echinacea simulata
• Echinacea tennesseensis

Of all these Echinacea species, three are specifically used in herbal preparations: Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea, and Echinacea pallida. The most well-known of these is perhaps Echinacea purpurea, also known as the Purple Coneflower.

Discovery of the herb

The Native Americans used Echinacea long before the settlers took over their land, to aid in poorly healing wounds, when there was fever, and bites from insects or other creatures such as snakes. Echinacea angustifolia is the species originally used by the indigenous peoples of the United States. It is also prescribed in the pharmacopoeia, an official handbook with the preparation instructions for a medicine and the requirements it must meet.

Of course, the use of Echinacea did not go unnoticed by the settlers, and they soon found their way into applying Echinacea. The first description of the plant in medical literature dates back to 1762, where it is described as a remedy for treating saddle sores in horses. Over 100 years later, Echinacea was introduced into traditional Western medicine by the German doctor H.C.F. Meyer. He was fascinated by the customs of the indigenous peoples, who were still abundantly represented in America at the time. He also noted the good health they were in and discovered the use of Echinacea, which was employed by many tribes. By crushing and chewing the plant, the Native Americans made a paste that they mixed with hops and wormwood, which they applied to wounds and infections. The German doctor also started working with Echinacea and in 1870 brought a preparation to the market under the name "Meyer's Blood Purifier," which could be used both internally and externally. The label stated that it was for rheumatism, stomach and intestinal complaints, open wounds, erysipelas, ulcers, eczema, dizziness, sore eyes, rattlesnake bites, syphilis, gangrene, typhoid, malaria, diphtheria, and rabies. Flu and colds were not mentioned at the time. Dr Meyer initially didn't even know exactly which plant he was working with and sought the help of John Uri Lloyd, who, along with his two brothers, ran a pharmaceutical company. The brothers identified the plant and discovered that it was Echinacea angustifolia, the species used by the Native Americans, as previously mentioned. The Lloyd brothers also decided to develop a herbal preparation based on Echinacea angustifolia. The product became extremely popular in the United States and grew into a big hit at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

Active compounds

For an Echinacea herbal preparation, both the root and the above-ground part of the plant can be used. The plant is extremely versatile due to the many different active compounds found in the root and the above-ground part. It varies per species in which part of the plant the active ingredients are found. Sometimes the concentration of an active compound is most found in the above-ground plant parts of one species and in the roots of another species. Active compounds found in Echinacea include:

• Alkaloids
• Phenols such as caffeic acid derivatives like chicoric acid, echinacoside, and cynarine
• Alkylamides
• Polysaccharides such as heteroxylan and arabinogalactan
• Inulin