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Echinacea
Aka: Echinacea- Epidemiology
- Use is popular in Germany
- Indications (Purported benefits)
- Systemic use
- Immunostimulant for preventing and treating infection
- Topical use
- Stings and bites
- Wounds including Burn Injury
- Inflammation
- Systemic use
- Efficacy
- Recent studies suggest no benefit in Common Cold
- Previously thought to be effective in Common Cold
- Decreases Common Cold symptom duration
- May have slight benefit in preventing the Common Cold
- Mechanism
- Increases Phagocytosis
- Increases lymphocytic activity
- Increases activity against tumor cells
- No known bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties
- Dosing
- Echinacea 800 mg per day
- Contraindications
- Daisy Allergy
- Progressive autoimmune or systemic disease
- Acquired Immune Deficiency (AIDS)
- Tuberculosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Precautions
- Some recommend limiting to under 8 successive weeks
- Adverse Effects
- Immunosuppression may occur with prolonged use
- Opportunistic infections
- Impaired Wound Healing
- Hepatotoxicity risk with prolonged use
- Immunosuppression may occur with prolonged use
- Drug Interactions
- References
- Shaughnessy (1997) Fam Practice Recert 19(10):53-6
- Ang-Lee (2001) JAMA 286:208-16 [PubMed]
- Asher (2017) Am Fam Physician 96(2): 101-7 [PubMed]
- Zink (1998) Am Fam Physician 58(5): 1133-40 [PubMed]