Infections, treatment echinacea

Most herbalists recommend that echinacea should be taken at the initial signs of infection, when symptomsfirst become apparent. Smalt repeated dosesthroughout the day may be better than taking larger doses less frequently. Because it isan immunosuppressant, the herb should not be taken for more than eight consecutive weeks. Seven to fourteen days of treatment is usually sufficient. 

Echinacea has been used investigationally to enhance hematologic recovery following chemotherapy. It has also been used as an adjunct in the treatment of urinary tract and vaginal fungal infections. These indications require further research before they can be accepted in clinical practice. E purpurea is ineffective in treating recurrent genital herpes. 

Echinacea Echinacea species (E angustifolia E pallida purpurea) Roots and seeds from the echinacea plant Immune stimulant treatment of colds and upper respiratory tract infections applied topically to promote wound healing... 

Echinacea was originally utilized by Native Americans as a blood purifier and was used in the treatment of snake bites, infections, and malignancy. Today, echinacea is promoted primarily in oral dosage forms as an immune stimulant that helps increase resistance to colds, influenza, and other infections, although topical products for wounds and inflammatory skin conditions are also available. 

Echinacea is most often used to enhance immune function in individuals who have colds and other respiratory tract infections. Systematic reviews and cold treatment trials generally report favorable results for Echinacea in reducing symptoms or time to recovery if the agent was administered within the first 24 hours of a cold. To date, however, most of these trials have contained multiple variables (eg, formulation, dose, duration) that make it difficult to make a clear therapeutic recommendation or ensure reproducible outcomes. At best, symptoms and duration may be reduced by about 25-30%. Echinacea has also been evaluated as a prophylactic agent in the prevention of upper respiratory tract infection. These trials have generally been less favorable and have reported no effect. 

Echinacea Treatment and prevention of upper respiratory infections, common cold Rash, pruritis, dizziness, unclear long-term effects on the immune system. 

Echinacea remains a popular supplement used as an immunostimulant in the prevention and treatment of infection. Despite inconsistent results from clinical trials attempting to assess effectiveness, its relatively wide margin of safety makes the herb an attractive alternative for prevention and treatment of common infections such as upper respiratory infections. Given the herb s inherent ability to inhibit various C YP450 enzymes, further studies to identify the clinical implications for herb-drug interactions are needed. 

In the United States, Echinacea is marketed primarily in oral dosage forms (tablet, capsule, and liquid) as an immune stimulant used to help with the symptoms of upper respiratory infections (URIs). It has also been promoted as a general immune stimulant to help fight various other infections. Topical preparations are also available for treatment of wounds and inflammatory skin conditions. 

Phase III trials R01 Janies Taylor/ University of Washington Study echinacea for die treatment of upper respiratory infection... 

Phase III trials K23 Bruce Barrett/ University of Wisconsin Test the efficacy of echinacea as early treatment for upper respiratory infection explore dose dependency, compare specific preparations, investigate mechanisms of action... 

Echinacea is without equal in the treatment of three conditions abnormal Papanicolaou (pap) smear, strep throat, and the very early onset of flus and colds. It is exceptionally useful in two other conditions as an additive to antibiotic powders and ointments for external application to burns, wounds, and skin infections and as a wash for poisonous stings and bites. 

Strep throat Direct contact with the tissue at the back of the throat with a tincture of echinacea liberally mixed with saliva is a certain remedy for cases of strep throat. Echinacea actively stimulates saliva and numbs the tissue it comes into contact with, making it perfect for this condition or for any infection causing a sore, swollen throat. I have found this reliably effective, again if treatment is assertive and consistent. In several cases (including a doubting physician), the throat had been positively cultured for Streptococcus healing generally occurs within 24 hours. 

Caruso TJ, Gwaltney JM Jr (2005) Treatment of the common cold with Echinacea A structured review. Chn Infect Dis 40 1237-1241... 

Medici TC, Shang H, Grosgurin P et al (1985) No demonstrable effect of sobrerol as an expectorant in patients with stable chronic bronchial diseases. Bull Exp Physiopathol Respir 21 477-83 Melchart D, Linde K, Fischer P et al (1999) Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold, Cochrane Database Syst Rev Issue 1, Art No, CD000530 Melchior J, Spasov AA, Ostrovskij OV et al (2000) Double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot and phase 111 study of activity of standardized Andrographis paniculata Herba Nees extract fixed combination (Kan Jang) in the treatment of uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection. Phytomedicine 7 341-350... 

Echinaceae pupureae herba adjuvant treatment of recurrent respiratory and urinary tract infections (systemic use) healing of wounds (local use)... 

In Germany in 1989 the then Federal Institutes of Health (EGA) approved the oral use of the squeezed sap of Echinacea purpurea (2.5 1 dilution, Echinacin Liq-uidum) for the supportive treatment of recurrent infections of the respiratory tract and the urinary tract given for continual periods of administration of up to eight weeks [7]. 

A recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study indicates that a dose of450 mg/day of E. purpurea root extract (1 5 in 55% ethanol) significantly relieved the severity and duration of flu symptoms. A double-blind, monocentric, placebo-controlled clinical trial examined the immunostimulating influence of an expressed fresh juice E. purpurea preparation on the course and severity of colds and flulike symptoms with patients deemed to have greater susceptibility to infections. At a dose of 2-4 mL/day, patients with diminished immune response (expressedby a low T4 T8 cell ratio) were found to benefit significantly from preventative treatment with the Echinacea... 

Echinacea preparations, especially oral (liquid extract), topical (ointment), and parenteral products of the firesh aboveground preparations of E. purpurea, and, to a lesser extent, the roots of E. angustifolia and E. pallida, are used in Germany for the external treatment of hard-to-heal wounds, eczema, burns, psoriasis, berpes simplex, and so on. As immu-nostimulants internally a prophylactic at the onset of cold and flu symptoms and for treatment of Candida albicans infections, chronic respiratory infections, prostatitis, polyarthritis (rheumatoid arthritis), and so on. ... 

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