Echinacea (E. angustifolia, E. purpurea, E. pallida.) are plants related to sunflowers and ragweed. The leaf, flower, and root are used as medicine.
Echinacea species are native to areas east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. Echinacea seems to activate chemicals in the body that decrease inflammation. It might also increase the body's immune system.
Echinacea is most commonly used for the common cold and other infections, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses. There is also no good evidence to support using echinacea for COVID-19.
NatMed disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. Except for any possible exceptions written into your License Agreement, no reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. Unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.
For the latest comprehensive data on this and every other natural medicine, health professionals should consult the Professional Version of NatMed. It is fully referenced and updated daily.
© Copyright 1995-2019. Therapeutic Research Center LLC, publishers of NatMed, Prescriber's Letter, and Pharmacist's Letter. All rights reserved.