WHAT IS ECHINACEA? 

Echinacea is a flowering plant. It is sometimes called Purple Coneflower. It grows mainly in Europe and  the North America. There are several closely related species: Echinacea purpurea, angustifolia,  and pallida. They  have slightly different medicinal  properties. Echinacea purpurea seems more active  in the test tube. Echinacea angustifolia appears more effective in people. 

Echinacea was the main medicinal  herb used by Native Americans in  the Great Plains region. Since  the late 1930s, German researchers  have studied echinacea and its effects on  the immune system. Echinacea is one  of the most frequently sold herbs  in the United States. 

The German government has approved Echinacea pallida root and Echinacea purpurea leaf for use against colds, flu, and chronic respiratory  or urinary infections. Many studies support its use. However,  a US study in 2006 found no benefits from one particular preparation. 

HOW IS ECHINACEA USED? 

Advocates  of Echinacea suggest drinking it from small batches made from herbs less  than one year old.  Echinacea is available in capsules containing a powder  of the dried plant or root,  and also as  a tincture (an alcohol-based preparation). In some cases, people drink pressed juice from fresh plants.  For treating skin conditions, special preparations containing pressed juice are used. 

The suggested dosage  of echinacea depends on which species  and which parts of the plant were used. In general, it should not be used  for more than 1-2 weeks at a time. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ECHINACEA? 

The major  use of echinacea is to treat colds  and flu. It is also used for urinary tract infections, skin wounds that aren’t healing well, and skin  conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. 

Echinacea stimulates the immune system. It promotes CD4 cell activation and increases the activity  of the immune system. It helps white blood cells attack germs. These  effects may decrease if people take  echinacea for more than a few weeks. 

Echinacea is generally not recommended  for use by people with diseases of the  immune system such as HIV, multiple sclerosis,  or tuberculosis. The German government recommends against using echinacea if you have these conditions. Some researchers believe that echinacea could actually worsen these immune system problems. 

WHY DO PEOPLE WITH HIV USE ECHINACEA? 

Many people with HIV  have used  echinacea because it stimulates the immune system, or  for short-term treatment  of colds  and the flu. The use of echinacea for people with HIV is controversial. 

Some doctors believe that it is not a good idea to stimulate  the immune system in people who have some type  of immune disorder. Increasing  the activation of CD4 cells could give HIV more “target cells” to infect. Other doctors believe that some parts  of the immune system are already overactive, causing damage  to healthy cells  and tissues. 

They  are also concerned about an animal study showing  that echinacea increased levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), a substance produced  by the immune system to kill unhealthy cells. High levels  of TNF-alpha have been linked to  the progression of HIV disease. 

Unfortunately, as  with most herbal products, there is no careful  research in people with HIV. There  is no published  research to document any dangerous results from  the use of echinacea by people with HIV. There  is no  research on the use  of echinacea by pregnant women.  They should be careful  with tinctures due  to their high alcohol content.
Some researchers believe that short-term use  of echinacea (up  to two weeks)  to treat colds  or flu does not present any serious risks  to people with HIV. However, both AIDS researchers and  herbalists warn against long-term use of echinacea. 

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS? 

There are no known side effects from internal or external use  of echinacea.  The warnings about negative effects  of echinacea use  in people  with immune disorders are  based on laboratory studies.  There are no human studies that document these  side effects.

HOW DOES IT INTERACT WITH OTHER THERAPIES? 

There  are no known interactions between  echinacea and medications  or other herbs. However, most interactions between herbs and medications  have not been studied. Tell your doctor if you are using herbal supplements.