echinacea plant uses

Echinacea, also known as the purple coneflower, is an herbal medicine that has been used for centuries, customarily as a treatment for the common cold, coughs, bronchitis, upper respiratory infections, and some inflammatory conditions.

What is echinacea plant good for?

Echinacea is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family and a common ingredient in cold remedies. Promoters of Echinacea believe that the supplement boosts the immune system and can reduce symptoms of infections and other illnesses, including the common cold.

Is echinacea plant edible?

Leaves and flower petals are edible. All parts of the plant have been used in tinctures or other medicinal methods.

Are echinacea plants poisonous?

The purple coneflower is not listed as toxic to canines, but the ingestion of a large amount may result in undesirable effects that can cause discomfort for your pet. ... The purple coneflower is a plant that flourishes well and is found all over North America.

Which echinacea plant is best for medicine?

Echinacea purpurea has many traditional and modern medical uses, and therefore, many different parts of the plant are used to varying effect. The flowers, leaves, stems and roots flower are all used for medicinal treatments.

Does Echinacea kill viruses?

Evidence has shown that echinacea may help boost the immune system, which could help the body fight off viruses or infections ( 33 ). Many studies have found that echinacea can shorten the duration of the common cold, lessen the severity of its symptoms or even prevent it ( 33 ).

Who should not take echinacea?

have a medical condition that affects your immune system, such as an autoimmune disease, HIV or AIDS. are taking drugs to suppress your immune system, because it may work against them. are under the age of 12 – the medical health regulatory association (MHRA) says there is a risk of allergic reactions such as skin ...

Can you eat echinacea raw?

Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) is both an ornamental and an herb. ... Coneflowers also provide a key ingredient in many herbal tea blends. Although all parts of the plant are edible, the leaves and flower buds are most commonly harvested for herbal tea.

What parts of Echinacea can be used?

The roots and aerial parts are used from the Echinacea plant. The aerial parts are most often used for herbal teas, while the roots hold the most powerful medicine from the plant. Harvesting the aerial parts can be done in the second year of growth.

How do you use fresh echinacea?

To consume echinacea, either make an infusion from the leaves and petals or a decoction out of the dried roots. For petals and leaves, use one to two teaspoons of the dry material per one cup of water. Steep in boiling water for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Can I give echinacea to my child?

This herb flies off the shelves on the premise that it boosts the immune system and helps fend off colds. Scientific studies, however, have found conflicting results. Kemper reports that taking echinacea can cause dermatitis, but, like chamomile, it seems to be generally safe for children who aren't allergic to it.

Is Echinacea safe for pets?

Echinacea is safe for dogs, too, and can even help treat chronic respiratory infections!

Does echinacea plant spread?

Spacing: Coneflowers are clumping plants. One plant will tend to get larger, but it will not spread and overtake the garden via roots or rhizomes. ... Because Echinacea establish deep taproots, you need to plant them where you want them. They do not like to be moved once established.

Is it OK to take echinacea every day?

For general immune system stimulation, during colds, flu, upper respiratory tract infections, or bladder infections, take echinacea 3 times a day until you feel better, but not for more than 10 days. DO NOT take echinacea on an empty stomach. Instead, take it with food or a large glass of water.

Does Echinacea really work?

Recent research suggests that some echinacea supplements may shorten the duration of a cold by about half a day and may slightly reduce symptom severity. But these results were too minor to be deemed significant. In the past, some studies have found echinacea to be helpful while other studies have found no benefit.

Is Echinacea bad for your liver?

Hepatotoxicity. In multiple controlled trials, echinacea by itself has not been linked to liver injury, either in the form of transient serum enzyme elevations or clinically apparent acute liver injury.

Is Echinacea an antiviral?

Early reports of antiviral activity of Echinacea [18] indicated that several different methanol and aqueous extracts derived from E. purpurea could partially protect cultured cells from infection by influenza A virus, herpes simplex virus type 1, or vesicular stomatitis, viruses.

What foods kill viruses?

2) Sweet potatoes, winter squash, dark green veggies, and carrots- these foods have a ton of vitamin A which in combination with Zinc can be a flu killer. Vitamin A is an integral part of “Natural Killer” cells and other immune chemicals which are part of the response to fighting an infection.

What helps your body fight a virus?

Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin C are all vital nutrients for the immune system. If you take high doses of vitamin C to fight a virus, remember that you should not abruptly stop taking vitamin C.

What are the side effects of taking echinacea?

Some side effects have been reported such as fever, nausea, vomiting, bad taste, stomach pain, diarrhea, sore throat, dry mouth, and headache. In rare cases, echinacea has been reported to cause serious allergic reactions and liver damage.

Which is better elderberry or echinacea?

The antioxidant levels in Elderberry are higher and more comprehensive. This herb contains several different types of antioxidants and vitamin C, whereas Echinacea contains only a handful of different antioxidants. Elder can be used as a tonic and eaten regularly, but Echinacea cannot.

How much echinacea should you take daily?

How much echinacea should you take? There is no standard dose of echinacea. It depends in part on the form you use. For example, the usual dose range for pressed juice is 6-9 milliliters daily, and the usual dose range for tinctures (usually a solution of alcohol and herbal extract) is 0.75-1.5 milliliters daily.