Echinacea

Cone-flower, Purple Cone-flower, Black Sampson
Picture Echinacea purpurea
Witte, H., Flora. Afbeeldingen en beschrijvingen van boomen, heesters,
éénjarige planten, enz., voorkomende in de Nederlandsche tuinen, 1868

Picture Echinacea purpurea
(Photo by James St. John) (Wikimedia)

Picture Echinacea root
A Manual of Organic Materia Medica and Pharmacognosy, Sayre, 1907

Botanical name:


Echinacea spp.
  1. E. purpurea (syn. Rudbeckia purpurea)
  2. E. pallida
  3. E. angustifolia

Parts used:


Root

Temperature & Taste:


Neutral, dry. Sweet, Pungent, numbing

Uses:


1. Clears Heat and Poison:
-Colds, Flu, both to prevent and treat early stages
-acute sore throat, Tonsilitis, Diphtheria, Glandular Inflammations; also Goiter
-Fever, Eruptive Fevers (Measles, Chickenpox), Malarial Fever, Typhoid Fever, Cholera
-Septicemia, Meningitis, Pneumonia, Syphilis
-topically and internally for Snake and Insect Bites (incl. Rattlesnake) and Rabid Dogs

2. Clears Heat from the Blood:
-toxic states of the Blood; Boils, Abscesses, old Sores, chronic Ulcers
-Eczema, Psoriasis
-claimed to be beneficial in Cancerous cachexia

3. Aphrodisiac:
-traditionally claimed to have aphrodisiac effects

4. Externally:
-powdered has long been applied to Wounds, including Septic Wounds (Native Americans)
-applied to the gums for Toothache (tincture)
-also mouth sore and ulcers and cankers sores
-applied topically to Cancers (of the Breast etc.) to remove the fetid smell and stop its growth or reduce it
-tincture is applied topically for Alopecia (Dr. Christopher)


Dose:


Powder: 500mg–3 grams
Infusion: 1–2 teaspoonfuls steeped in a cup of boiling water.
Decoction: 3–9 grams
Tincture (1:5 in 40% alcohol): 2–5mls three times daily
Fluid Extract (1:1 in 45% alcohol): 0.5–1 mls; 1–5 drops regularly in acute conditions (King’s); up to 60 drops has been used
Expressed juice (E. purpurea): 6–9mls daily.

Main Combinations:


1. Acute Cold or Flu:
i. make an infusion of Echinacea with fresh Ginger
ii. Echinacea with Yarrow, Elder flower
2. Recurring Fever:
i. Echinacea with Yarrow
3. Bronchitis:
i. Echinacea with Thyme
ii. Echinacea with Asclepias
iii. Echinacea with Plantain, Elecampane, Licorice
iv. Echinacea with Coltsfoot, Horehound, Elecampane, Coltsfoot
v. Echinacea with Yarrow, Lobelia, Licorice
4. Sinusitis:
i. Echinacea, Eyebright
ii. Echinacea, Elder flower, Yarrow
iii. from Wind-Cold (Cold-Damp), with Thyme, Aniseed, Fenugreek
iv. with purulent discharge, Echinacea with Golden Seal
v. Chronic, Echinacea with Eyebright, Elder flower, Hyssop
5. Allergic Rhinitis:
i. Echinacea, Ephedra
ii. Echinacea, Nettle, Eyebright, Elder flower
6. Strengthen Immunity against Cold, Flu and Epidemic diseases:
i. Echinacea, Calendula, Red Clover
ii. Echinacea, Astragalus
7. Strengthen the Immune system in general:
i. Echinacea with Astragalus and Reishi
8. To clear Heat and Poison from the Blood:
i. Echinacea with Wormwood and Hops (Meyer’s Blood Purifier)
ii. Echinacea with Red Clover and Burdock root
9. General Infections:
i. From Cold-Damp Echinacea with Garlic
ii. From Heat and Damp, Echinacea with Golden Seal
10. Skin conditions:
i. Echinacea with Burdock root, Dandelion
ii. Echinacea with Fumitory, internally and topically
iii. Echinacea, Burdock root, Cleavers
iv. skin conditions, acne etc, Echinacea with Yellow Dock and Sarsaparilla
11. Boils:
i. Echinacea with Baptisia
ii. Echinacea, Burdock seed, Dandelion, Rhubarb
iii. Echinacea and Ground Pine topically, Echinacea internally (Dr. Christopher)
12. Eczema and Pruritus and other skin complaints, combine with Plantain for topical application
13. Hepatitis, Echinacea with St. Mary’s Thistle, Dandelion
14. Urinary Tract Infections:
i. Echinacea with Bearberry
ii. Echinacea with Yarrow and Agrimony
15. Prostatitis, Echinacea, Bearberry, Saw Palmetto
16. Cancer:
i. Echinacea, Thuja
ii. Echinacea, Astragalus, Agrimony, Rhubarb
17. Tuberculosis:
i. Echinacea with Elecampane
ii. Echinacea with Licorice, Elecampane, Plantain
iii. Echinacea, Comfrey, Plantain
18. Obesity, Echinacea with Kelp, Hawthorn berry, Parsley root, Fennel seed, Chickweed, Licorice (Dr. Christopher)
19. Apthous Ulcers, Echinacea with Cleavers and Calendula
20. Topically for Sprains, Neuralgia and Rheumatism, combine the tincture of Myrrh, Echinacea and Cayenne (Dr. Christopher)

Major Formulas:



Cautions:


Generally Safe.
1. Some people have allergic reactions to Echinacea.

Main Preparations used:


Tincture, Fluid Extract