ACTIVE COMPONENTS

Pediatric

Adjust the recommended adult dose to account for the child's weight. Most herbal dosages for adults are calculated on the basis of a 150 lb (70 kg) adult. Therefore, if the child weighs 50 lb (20 to 25 kg), the appropriate dose of echinacea for this child would be 1/3 of the adult dose.

Use alcohol-free preparations for children.

Adult

For general immune system stimulation, during colds, flu, upper respiratory tract infections, or bladder infections, choose from the following forms and take three times a day:

• 1 to 2 grams dried root or herb, as tea
• 2 to 3 mL of standardized tincture extract
• 200 mg of powdered extract containing 4% phenolics
• Tincture (1:5): 1 to 3 mL (20 to 90 drops)
• Stabilized fresh extract: 0.75 mL (15 to 23 drops)

For slow-healing wounds, creams or ointments should be applied as needed.

MODE OF ACTION

Echinacea stimulates the immune system against bacterial and viral infections. Echinacea protects against many pathogenic infections by stimulating phagocytosis and T-cell formation. Echinacea prevents the production of an enzyme, which destroys the barrier between healthy tissue and pathogenic microorganisms. The Sioux Indians used fresh scraped root for rabies (hydrophobia), snakebites, and septicemia. Echinacea's antibacterial properties can stimulate wound healing and are of benefit to skin conditions such as burns, insect bites, ulcers, psoriasis, acne and eczema. Its anti-inflammatory properties may relieve arthritis and lymphatic swelling. Many studies have showed that Echinacea can improve the migration of white blood cells to attack foreign microorganisms and toxins in the blood. Echinacea should be taken frequently, every few hours when the inflammation is still acute and 2 times daily afterwards. Echinacea is also used as homeopathy treatments of chronic fatigue syndrome, indigestion and weight loss

Precautions

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a practitioner knowledgeable in the field of botanical medicine.

The American Herbal Products Association gives echinacea a class 1 safety rating, which indicates that it is safe when used appropriately (as instructed by the product label) and with the guidance of a healthcare professional. In Germany, use of echinacea is restricted to no longer than eight weeks at a time. This is because after eight consecutive weeks, echinacea losses its effectiveness and may even diminish immune function. Regular users of this herb, need "break" periods – namely, periods of time that they are not taking echinacea in order for it to maintain its ability to enhance immune function and fight infection.

Individuals with tuberculosis, leukemia, diabetes, connective tissue disorders, multiple sclerosis, HIV or AIDS, any autoimmune diseases, or, possibly, liver disorders should not take echinacea. There is some concern that echinacea may reduce the effectiveness of medications that suppress the immune system. For this reason, people receiving organ transplants (who must take immunosuppressant medications) should avoid this herb.

In rare cases, echinacea may cause allergic reactions ranging from a mild rash to anaphylaxis (a life threatening reaction accompanied by throat tightening, shortness of breath, and, possibly, fainting). People with asthma and allergies may be at an increased risk for developing these adverse reactions.

There has been one report of an individual developing erythema nodosum (a painful skin condition) after taking echinacea to treat the flu.

When taken by mouth, echinacea may cause a temporary numbing and tingling sensation on the tongue.

Despite concerns that echinacea may be unsafe for pregnant or breastfeeding women, new evidence suggests that the use of echinacea during pregnancy does not increase the risk of birth defects or other pregnancy-related health problems.

Possible Interactions

If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use echinacea without first talking to your healthcare provider:

Econazole
Echinacea may be useful in combination with econazole, an antifungal agent used to treat yeast infections (such as athlete's foot). When echinacea is used together with econazole, recurrence rates of these infections may be reduced.

Immunosuppressants
Immunosuppressants refers to a group of medications that are used for two main purposes -- treat cancer and suppress the immune system following organ transplant so that the new organ is not rejected. Because echinacea can enhance immune function, it is not advisable to use the herb with medications in this class, especially for organ transplant.

In terms of cancer treatment, however, a couple of test tube studies imply that echinacea may prove useful when used in conjunction with cyclophosphamide, one medication in this class. The idea is that using echinacea with this or other chemotherapy agents that act as immunosuppressants, may allow the cancer-fighting medicines to kill the tumors while the immune system continues to be protected. If this theory proves to be correct, then, echinacea could possibly prevent many of the untoward side effects of chemotherapy.