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Echinacea
(natural antibiotic)
For a few years now, this
popular immune booster (Echinaceapurpurea and related species) has been
the top-selling herb in the country: Even consumers who'd never set foot in a
health-food store are plucking it regularly off their local pharmacy shelves.
And for good reason—it's one of the best ways I know to stop the common cold in
its tracks. I'd recommend tincture of echinacea to anyone at the first sign of
a cold or flu—symptoms like a scratchy throat or body aches—and I often
prescribe it as a first line of treatment for common infections such as sore
throats or ear infections before resorting to conventional antibiotics.
HISTORY
& RESEARCH
Familiar to gardeners as the
ornamental purple coneflower, echinacea (also called snakeroot or hedgehog)
hails from the Native American herbal tradition, where Plains Indians used it
widely to treat snakebites, toothaches, and many other ailments. In the late
19th century, the herb was discovered by doctors in this
country and became one of
their most trusted medicines. While it fell out of favor in the United States
with the rise of modern antibiotics, echinacea has remained popular in Europe:
In Germany today echinacea is officially approved as an over-the-counter drug
for respiratory infections and other ailments.
In recent years, a body of
research done mostly in Germany has shown that echinacea increases the number
and activity of key white blood cells involved in immunity: It's known to boost
the activity of T-cells (natural killer cells) as well as the production of
interferon. One placebo-controlled 1992 study of 180 patients found that four
dropperfuls of echinacea extract a day significantly relieved the severity and
duration of flu symptoms, while another double-blind study indicated that
patients with diminished immune response benefited significantly from
preventative treatment with the herb.
This country's first
controlled trial of echinacea, conducted at Bastyr University in Seattle, is
now under way.
HOW TO
USE IT
some areas.
• Liquid remedies should
produce a curious and distinctive numbing sensation when held in the mouth for
a few minutes. If a commercial preparation doesn't do this, it's not good.
To stave off a cold or the flu at the first sign of symptoms,
I recommend
taking a dropperful of tincture in water or tea four times a day and continue
until symptoms are gone. Children 3 to 12 may be given half the adult amount.
I'd also advise taking a full dose of echinacea while you're battling
infections such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, or ear infections, as well as the
day before and after major dental work to prevent bacterial infection.
The use of echinacea as a
preventative tonic is a bit more controversial. I don't usually recommend it
for this purpose, but if you do want to use it to build up your immunity, halve
the adult dose and take as long as you feel you need to—although you should
probably take a break from the herb on occasion to avoid developing tolerance.
(Germany's Commission E—the national agency that regulates botanical medicines—recommends
taking echinacea for no longer than eight consecutive weeks.)
I myself use echinacea as a
preventative when I'm planning a long plane flight where several hours of
breathing stale air is likely to take a toll on my respiratory system: If you
tend to get coughs or sore throats from flying, start taking a full dose of
echinacea the day before your flight and continue for a day or two after.
CAUTIONS
Echinacea is nontoxic. Rarely
it may cause mild side effects such as stomach upset and diarrhea. If so, try
taking only half the dose. I don't recommend echinacea for people with
immune-function disorders such as multiple sclerosis or collagen disease.
DR. ANDREW WEIL'S CONSUMER
GUIDE TO HERBAL MEDICINES
17
• Choose a tincture made
primarily from the root of the plant.
• Avoid combination echinacea/
goldenseal remedies, as there is no evidence that goldenseal has health
benefits when taken internally, and it is now an endangered species.
• Look for a product made from
plants that are certified organically grown—wild echinacea is threatened in
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