Echinacea angustifolia Echinacoside

Stoll et al. [39] isolated echinacoside from the roots of Echinacea angustifolia. It is the major polar constituent and is present at a concentration of 0.3-1.7% [15, 31, 39-41]. It occurs in . pallida at a similar concentration and is therefore not suitable for the discrimination of these two species [42]. However, they can be distinguished by the occurrence of 1,3- and 1,5-O-dicaffeoyl-quinic acids (Fig. 3), which are only present in the roots of . angustifolia [31]. 

Stoll A, Renz J, Brack A (1950) Isolierung und Konstitution des Echinacosids, eines Glykosids aus den Wurzeln von Echinacea angustifolia D.C. Helv Chim Acta 33 1877-1893... 

Facino RM, Sparatore A, Carini M, Gioia B, Arlandini E, Franzoi L (1991) Field desorption mass spectrometry, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry of echinacoside, the main caffeoyl-glycoside from Echinacea angustifolia roots (Asteraceae). Org Mass Spectrom 26 951-955... 

The purple coneflower Echinacea purpura, and its close relatives, E. angustifolia and E. pallida, are the source of the herb Echinacea, which is widely popular as a nonspecific immune stimulant. These perennials are native to the prairies of North America and are now widely grown garden ornamentals. The root and aerial parts of the plant are the portions used, and the preparation s potency can be verified by the transient tingling sensation produced when it is tasted. Echinacea contains alkamides, caffeic acid esters (echinacoside, cichoric acid, caftaric acid), polysaccharides (heteroxylan), and an essential oil. Some echinacea products are standardized for their echinacoside content. In the past, adulteration with American feverfew (Parthenium integri-folium) was common. Echinacea is now sold either by itself or in combination with golden seal or zinc for the treatment of colds and influenza. 

The three most widely used species of Echinacea are Echinacea purpurea, E pallida, and E angustifolia. The chemical constituents include flavonoids, lipophilic constituents (eg, alkamides, polyacetylenes), water-soluble polysaccharides, and water-soluble caffeoyl conjugates (eg, echinacoside, chicoric acid, caffeic acid). Within any marketed echinacea formulation, the relative amounts of these components are dependent upon the species used, the method of manufacture, and the plant parts used. Epurpurea has been the most widely studied in clinical trials. Although the active constituents of echinacea are not completely known, chicoric acid from E purpurea and echinacoside from E pallida and E angustifolia, as well as alkamides and polysaccharides, are most often noted as having immune-modulating properties. Most commercial formulations, however, are not standardized for any particular constituent. 

A qualitative determination of the CAP in E. pallida showed that the roots contain high echinacoside levels whereas, cichoric acid was the predominant CAP in the flowers and leaves (Cheminat et al., 1988). This qualitative evaluation is a reasonable approximation of the CAP distribution in plant tissue however, the level of the individual CAP is dictated by the Echinacea species evaluated. Pietta et al. (1998) presented a qualitative evaluation on the CAP in E. purpurea, E. pallida and E. angustifolia using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). These authors noted that echinacoside was present in the roots and aerial parts of the E. pallida and E. angustifolia, but not E. purpurea. Cichoric acid is the predominant CAP in E. purpurea roots and aerial parts but is virtually absent in all parts of E. angustifolia and roots of E. pallida. The presence of other CAP in plant tissues is variable and species-variety-dependent (Tables III-V). 

Ointment, oral liquid, intravenous and intramuscular ampoules from expressed juice of fresh flowering E. purpurea-, tinctures, extracts, capsules, tablets, and so on of E. angustifolia, E. pallida, and E. purpurea. More than 280 echinacea pharmaceutical products are available in Europe. Echinacea extracts standardized to echinacoside persist in the marketplace, despite the fact that the compound has insignificant biological... 

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