ECHINACEA

Does It Really Have An Immunostimulatory effect?!?!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?!?

If yes
Preventative OR Treatment for the common cold

USAGE OF ECHINACEA
Commonly used in the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory infections Other uses include
Cancer General antiviral Anti-inflammatory These uses currently need more data to support one side or the other

DOES THE PART OF THE PLANT MATTER?

One study used quantitative flow cytometry to determine the most beneficial form of extract.
They determined that water soluble is of higher quality compared to lipid soluble Flowers, roots and leaves were used and all showed to have effective immunostimulant characteristics E. pallida, E. agustifolia and E. purpurea were the plants used in this study Strong evidence shows that the polysaccharide portions of Echinacea are responsible for the immune stimulation

WHAT PART OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS BEING STIMULATED?

B-Lymphocytes (CD19) Natural Killer (CD56) Helper T-cells, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells (CD4) Cytotoxic T-Cells (CD8)

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

As little as 24ng/ml was proven to be immunostimulatory Upper limit of ef fectiveness was around 1million ng/ml

CAN YOU TAKE TOO MUCH?

Echinacea is not toxic You cannot overdose on it HOWEVER exceeding the maximum concentration of 1million ng/ml reported to have a decline in stimulatory ef fects

HOW DOES IT ALL RELATE TO DOSAGE?

Due to the lack of quality controls a specific dosage from the consecration varies. Currently it is best to follow the recommended dosages
Dry powder: 1000mg per day Tea: 1.5 3 grams per day Tincture: 0.75 3.75ml per day Juice: 3 6ml per day

To avoid the immunoinhibitory ef fects Echinacea shouldnt be taken for more than 8 weeks at a time

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TAKE IT?

Preventative measures or to treat the common cold. You all said In reality you are all

ECHINACEA IS BEST USED TO TREAT THE COMMON COLD, NOT FOR PREVENTION
Taking doses of Echinacea once you feel any symptoms come on is the way to go One study showed acute symptoms to subside within days after taking an initial high dose (5 -6 cups of tea containing ~1000mg day 1 , then 1 cup for the next 5 days) The control group reported acute symptoms lasting 6 -10 days

Most important reason for the use of flow cytometry is? Convenience Accuracy Industry standard Comparability (A)

Echinacea is best used prophylactically? True False (A)

The most potent part of Echinacea is? Roots Leaves Lipophilic portions Water soluble parts (A)

RESOURCES
http://www.drugs.com/npp/echinacea.html Turner, R. et al. "Inef fectiveness of Echinacea for Prevention of Experimental." ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT S AND CHEMOTHERAPY (June 2006): 1708 1709. Lindenmuth, G. et al. "The Ef ficacy of Echinacea Compound Herbal Tea Preparation on the Severity and Duration of Upper Respirator y and Flu Symptoms: A Randomized, Double -Blind Placebo-Controlled Study." THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE 6.4 (2000): 327 334. Linde K., et al. "Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold (Review)." The Cochrane Collaboration 4 (2009): 1 -52. Pillai, S., et al. "Use of Quantitative Flow Cytometr y to Measure Ex Vivo Immunostimulant Activity of Echinacea: The Case for Polysaccharides." THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE 13.6 (2007): 625 634.