Echinacea pharmacokinetics

To date, only one study has evaluated the pharmacokinetics of the alkamides contained in the Echinacea products administered to humans (27). Subjects (n - 11) received a single oral 2.5-mL dose of the 60% ethanolic extract from E. angustifolia roots or placebo (60% ethanol). Six different alkamides were analyzed (1) Undeca-2D/Z-ene-8,10-diynoic acid isobutylamides (2) Dodeca-2D,4Z-diene-8,10-diynoic acidisobutylamide (3) Dodeca-2E-ene-8,10-diynoic acid isobutylamide (4) Dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10E/ Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamides (5) Dodeca-2E,4E,8Z-trienoic acid isobutylamide and (6) Dodeca-2E,4E-dienoic acid isobutylamide. The extract contained approx 2.5 mg of (4), and approx 0.5 mg of all other components. The Cmax and area under the curve (AUC) for (4) were approx 10-fold that achieved with each of the other components. Thus, despite a fivefold higher amount per dose, the 10-fold greater Cmax and AUC achieved with (4) suggest it exhibits a greater bioavailability than the other components. 

Woelkart K, Koidl C, Grisold A, et al. Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of alkamides from the roots of Echinacea angustifolia in humans. J Clin Pharmacol 2005 45 683-689. 

Echinacea does not have a clinically relevant effect on the pharmacokinetics of tolbutamide. 

In a pharmacokinetic study, 12 healthy subjects were given Echinacea purpurea root 400 mg four times daily for 8 days with a single 500-mg dose of tolbutamide on day 6. The AUC of tolbutamide was increased by 14%, and the time to maximum levels was increased from 4 to 6 hours. ... 

Echinacea appears to have a variable effect on the pharmacokinetics of caffeine. 

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