Echinacea ROOT Stimulates the Body to Make Interferon, Interleukins and Tumor Necrosis Factor

May 19, 2005

Hello JoAnn,

Thanks for that helpful and inspiring information

regarding echinacea- it really supports or reinforces

my preferrence for the 'homeopathic' or natural route.

In regards to natural stimulants for interferon, I had

a shot of avonex recently and the side effects are

still lingering: no energy, depression, no self

esteem, more difficulty walking- no wheel chair yet,

although one would make life easier; what I'm

considering is.. forgeting those shots and just

sticking w/the echinacea. My neurologist tells me

otherwise and I understand the 'risks' but the side

effects suck all the life out of you

Renato

--- JoAnn Guest <angelprincessjo wrote:

> Echinacea

> LATIN NAME: Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, E.

> purpurea

>

> FAMILY NAME: Asteraceae

>

> You know that famous advertising slogan: " Don't

> leave home without it " ? That's how I feel about

> echinacea, America's most popular herbal medicine.

>

> Echinacea is a powerhouse in the fight against colds

> and flu, as well as other viruses and infections.

> Not only has echinacea earned a slot among Duke's

> Dozen, second only to garlic, but it also rates a

> space in my travel bag, no matter where I go.

>

> If I expect to shake hands after a speaking

> engagement, I want to know I'm defending myself from

> an energy-sapping bout of illness. The same goes if

> I'm visiting with the grandkids--or they with me.

> Colds and flu are highly contagious. Children

> average 6 to 10 colds a year, and adults 2 to 4, the

> National Institutes of Health reports. And influenza

> can strike up to 50 percent of a community when it

> makes its winter rounds.

>

> But I haven't had a debilitating cold or flu in at

> least four years, since I started supplementing off

> and on with echinacea. Studies show it contains

> antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting

> compounds.

>

> In the winter of 1998, when my wife, Peg, and her

> sister got their flu shots, I declined to join them.

> Instead, I took standardized echinacea capsules and

> tinctures until the cold and flu seasons passed. Peg

> and her sister came down with some undiagnosed

> respiratory illness, maybe even the flu. (They may

> have already been infected when they got the shot,

> or picked up a different strain.) But I escaped the

> winter flu-less--not to mention cold-free.

>

> This wonderful herb with the purple, daisylike

> flowers no doubt keeps me in the pink.

>

> What Echinacea Is and What It Can Do

>

> echinacea, better known as purple coneflower, is

> native to the United States. Although it grows

> almost like a weed in my garden in

> Maryland & shy; & shy;shooting to heights of two to

> three feet & shy; & shy;it really is more at home in the

> Plains states. American Indians living there relied

> on it to heal just about everything, from toothaches

> to snakebites. It was a panacea for what ailed them.

>

> Norman Grainger Bisset, professor of pharmacy at

> King's College of London and author of the excellent

> book Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, says

> that in the nineteenth century, echinacea was the

> most widely used plant drug in the United States. It

> was used to soothe sore throats, colds, bronchitis,

> and other infections. And it was applied topically

> to speed the healing of wounds and sores.

>

May 19, 2005

, renato alexander

<renato23451> wrote:

> Hello JoAnn,

>

> Thanks for that helpful and inspiring information

> regarding echinacea- it really supports or reinforces

> my preferrence for the 'homeopathic' or natural route.

> In regards to natural stimulants for interferon, I had

> a shot of avonex recently and the side effects are

> still lingering: no energy, depression, no self

> esteem, more difficulty walking- no wheel chair yet,

> although one would make life easier; what I'm

> considering is.. forgeting those shots and just

> sticking w/the echinacea.

My neurologist tells me otherwise and I understand the 'risks' but

the side effects suck all the life out of you

>

> Renato

> --- JoAnn Guest <angelprincessjo> wrote:

Actually drugs incur more risks than ANY of the alternatives. I found some

information for you regarding gamma interferon.

Did you see the post I sent to this forum regarding organic yogurts?

It seems that live culture yogurt (organic is always indicated of

course due to the practise of genetic engineering dairyfoods)

JoAnn

Health Benefits of Yoghurt

My thanks go to Julene for allowing this article to be posted

http://www.leaflady.org/yoghurt.htm

HEALTH CORNER

By Julene Tripp Weaver

REASONS TO USE YOGHURT

Yoghurt is rich in potassium, calcium, protein and B vitamins, including B-12.

Research shows yoghurt strengthens and stabilizes the immune system.

The lactobacillus in yoghurt feeds the intestines, maximizes nutrients you can

absorb into your body, insures the digestive system stays healthy, and

stabilizes the immune system.

" Yoghurt has strong medicinal properties, including the ability to stimulate the

immune system and kill bad " bugs " or bacteria in the human gut. ...research at

the University of California at Davis showed that eating live-culture yoghurt

was associated with higher-than-average levels of gamma interferon, a key

component of the body's immune system. " (1)

The secret to good yoghurt is that it contains live cultures, there are four

major strains of bacteria to look for: L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, S.

thermophilus, and bifidobacteria. There are good brands of yoghurt available

check the label to make sure it specifies active cultures. It is always better

to buy the yoghurt plain and add in the fruit or jam just before eating it.

Frozen yoghurt is not the same product and will not yield the same health

benefits; even if they specify live cultures they will have only a fraction of

the beneficial bacteria of fresh yoghurt and they will not enhance lactose

tolerance.

Lactose in milk is converted by Yogurt's bacteria into lactic acid which helps

digest lactose or dairy products.

The lactic acid of yoghurt is a perfect medium to maximize calcium absorption.

In yoghurt the process of growth from milk into yoghurt involves the conversion

of lactose into lactic acid. Lactic acid helps digest lactose. In other words,

yoghurt provides the enzyme needed to digest milk products. Calcium, which is

found in dairy products, needs to enter the body in an acid matrix or your body

will not absorb it. So the lactic acid of yoghurt is a perfect medium to

maximize calcium absorption. Eight ounces of yoghurt will equal 400 mg of

calcium, 25% more calcium than you would get out of a glass of milk.

When someone is HIV positive and has a CD4 count under 200 their production of

hydrochloric acid (HCL) slows down. HCL is normally produced by your stomach to

help with the digestion of food. When you have less HCL and digestive enzymes

digestion becomes incomplete, food moves too quickly along the digestive tract.

Your body doesn't get enough calcium and other minerals. Difficulty sleeping and

malabsorption are common end results. Yoghurt is one of those foods that you can

eat to enhance your HCL production thus improving your digestion, vitamin and

mineral absorption, and your bodies general well being.

Research shows women who eat 4 cups of yoghurt/week have less vaginal and

bladder infections.

Yoghurt can be used as an effective douche.

Have you experienced the irritating vaginal itch, usually accompanied by a

discharge? As women we can get yeast overgrowth in our vaginas. Living with HIV

makes women even more vulnerable to these kinds of infections. Taking

antibiotics has the unwanted effect of wiping out normal flora in our bodies.

Antibiotics or antifungals (just another type of antibiotic) tips the balance of

good and bad yeast. Candida will grow in abundance when other bacteria and

yeasts are depleted. Candida is trying to solve the problem of the imbalance. It

is vital to keep a healthy diet of a wide variety of foods that contain natural

bacteria and yeasts.* Yoghurt is just such a food. It can be used internally and

externally, and it is a prime good yeast replacer for our vaginal and intestinal

flora. If you've ever used the applicators to insert antifungals into your

vagina save them -- they can be filled with yoghurt instead!

A study at Long Island Jewish Medical Center showed that " women prone to vaginal

yeast infections experienced a threefold decrease in infections when they ate a

cup of Lactobacillus acidophilus yoghurt daily for six months. " (2) The women

were so pleased with the improvement that they did not want to stop eating the

yoghurt when the study wanted them to stop!

I highly recommend making your own yoghurt, it's easy and there are some

advantages. " While some commercial yogurts are better than others, most do not

allow the bacteria to multiply to the extent that you can when you make it at

home. The longer you let your yoghurt sit a room temperature before

refrigerating, the stronger the bacteria cultures will become.... Most

commercial yogurts, even those made without gum, gelatin or stabilizers, add

milk solids to thicken the yoghurt. This makes the yoghurt a concentrated food

which is more difficult to digest. " (3)

(1) Bell, pg. 16

* Susun Weed Workshop, October 1993

(2) Bell, pg. 18

(3) Khalsa, pg. 46

References:

Bell, Brenda, " The hidden world of yoghurt, " View Magazine, May/June 1994, pg.

16 - 19.

Khalsa, G. S. & Khalsa, P. S., Editors, FOODS for Health and Healing Remedies &

Recipes Bases on the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, Berkley, CA: KRI

Publications/Spiritual Community, 1983.

Konlee, Mark, AIDS Control Diet Sixth Edition, West Allis, WI: Keep Hope Alive,

1994.

RECIPE TO MAKE YOGHURT

Supplies you will need to make yoghurt:

Milk (cow's and/or goat's)

Yoghurt starter [Natren makes an excellent yoghurt starter -- Mega dophilus, if

using this add 5 teaspoons to 2 quarts of milk, they also have a product called

" Yoghurt Starter " both of these will be found in the refrigerator section of

your local health food store, at home store them in your refrigerator]. A good

live culture yoghurt can also be used, this is probably the least expensive

approach.

large enough saucepan [Preferably glass, enamel or stainless steel, definitely

not aluminum, if you have a double boiler this is perfect].

a cooking Thermometer, it really helps so the milk doesn't over heat.

Cup for blending yoghurt [a 1 or 2 cup Pyrex works well]

A place to leave yoghurt undisturbed - oven, cooler, box - a blanket to lay over

it or a towel to wrap around it.

Small size: 1 quart milk; use 4 ounces of yoghurt

Large size: 2 quart milk; use 8 ounces of yoghurt

1. Heating the milk

Place milk in a saucepan. [Preferably glass, enamel or stainless steel,

definitely not aluminum.] Heat milk slowly so as not to scorch it. It helps if

you have a thermometer, it is important not to boil the milk. Bring the milk to

the temperature of 110 degrees F.

2. Adding the starter/yoghurt

Have the yoghurt or starter ready in a cup and pour some of the warmed milk into

the starter and stir into a smooth paste. Continue to add milk to paste,

thoroughly blending after each addition, until the cup is nearly full. Stir this

mixture gently back into the pan of milk and mix thoroughly.

3. Incubation

You can leave the milk in saucepan, covered, or pour it into a steril jar with a

lid (I use Corning ware with its lid). Place it in a warm, dark place where the

temperature can be maintained for approximately 8 hours. A gas oven with only

the pilot light on works well. An insulated cooler, or even a cardboard box

covered with a blanket will work. Let it sit undisturbed. The temperature must

be neither too hot nor too cold, or the yoghurt will not form. After 8 hours

uncover it without disturbing it, you may remove it and refrigerate, or you can

let it sit at room temperature for up to three days to grow a stronger yoghurt

culture (for more acidophilus in your yoghurt). The longer it sits the more

sour/acidic it will taste, 24 hours is a good amount of time before

refridgerating.

With goat's milk you will have a more liquid yoghurt because the protein to fat

ratio is different that cow's milk. Goat milk also has more natural inhibitors

to coagulation.

WAYS TO DISGUISE YOGHURT!

Some of you may not like the taste of yoghurt, yet know it is a healthy food and

would like to be able to eat it. I thought I would give some ideas to help out

with this. The way I usually disguise yoghurt is to make it into a shake. You

need a blender to make this. My favorite recipe is called a WEIGHT GAIN SHAKE:

1 ripe banana and/or 1 cup fruit of choice that is in season

1 cup plain yoghurt (desirable brands include Nancy's, Brown Cow)

1 - 2 TBSP ground up flax seeds OR flax seed oil (the seeds are cheaper and a

whole food)

1 - 2 TBSP ground up Milk Thistle seeds (nutritive for liver)

1 - 2 TBSP blackstrap molasses or honey or real maple syrup

1 - 2 TBSP raw sesame butter, other nut butter OR 1 cup ground up raw organic

nuts

2 TBSP of a high quality protein powder (contains free form amino acids)

OPTIONAL

Add liquid to thin out (goat milk, cow milk, rice dream, almond milk, soy milk,

or juice). Blend all together.

I suggest you experiment with this recipe. Mixing in the sesame butter and

molasses gives it an almost chocolate like quality. The sesame butter adds

additional calcium, the molasses is loaded with iron. Almost any fruit can be

used, I've decided I like banana best, but peaches, strawberries, blueberries,

blackberries (berries are all blood builders - organic best for any type of

berry), pears, etc. could all be added in. Experiment! Use organic milk and

yoghurt from farms not using rBGH (Bovine Growth Hormone). Drink each day.

Mango Lassi: 2 cups plain yoghurt, 2 medium mangoes (very ripe), 3 tablespoons

maple syrup or honey, 6 ice cubes (from filtered water), 1/8 teaspoon rose

water.

Peel and slice mangoes. Put all ingredients in the blender and blend at high

speed. Serves 4 - 6.

Yoghurt Cheese: Use 1 quart plain yoghurt. Line a fine-mesh colander with a

double-thick piece of cheesecloth. Place yoghurt on top of cheesecloth and place

colander over bowl (the bowl must be as large as the colander because the

yoghurt will be dripping liquid). Allow yoghurt to drip at least 6 hours

(overnight or up to 12 hours). At end of time, what's left in cheeseclothe will

be thick, luscious, Yoghurt Cheese.

Use in place of cream cheese. If you want to make a flavored cream cheese, mix

in your favorite flavoring (such as fresh chives, dill, chili peppers, pimentos,

or other combinations) either after your cheese has been made or beforehand.

Fruit-flavors can also be used. Again experiment to make it suits your taste.

Cool and Creamy Cucumber Salad can be made using 1 1/2 cups of Yoghurt Cheese, 3

cucumbers, peeled, and diced, 1 clove of garlic minced, 1 TSBP extra-virgin

olive oil, 2 TSBP fresh lemon juice, sea salt and pepper to tast. Refrigerate

for 2 hours.

Garlic & Herb Yoghurt Cheese can be made using 1 1/2 cups of Yoghurt Cheese, 1

TSBP fresh thyme (or 1 TSP dried), 1 TSBP minced fresh parsley, 1 1/2 TSP minced

garlic, 1 TSP black pepper, 1 TSP chopped fresh basil (or 1/2 TSP dried).

Middle East Yoghurt Cheese can be made using 1 1/2 cups of Yoghurt Cheese, 1/4

cup and 2 TSBP chopped radishs, 1/4 cup and 2 TSBP chopped cucumber, 2 TSBP

minced red onion, 1 TSBP raisons chopped, 1 TSBP mint leaves (fresh), 1 TSP

grated lemon peel.

South-of-the-Border Spread can be made using 4 cups yoghurt (1 quart), 1 can

pitted olives, sliced, 2 teaspoons chili powder, Salsa. Mix brine of sliced

olives and sliced olives into yoghurt and spicing. Then hang as for Yoghurt

Cheese (see recipe above) for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Unmold onto serving

platter and pour salsa over it. Serve with corn chips.

Raita - Cucumber and Yoghurt Salad: 2 large cucumbers grated or sliced in

rounds, an amount of yoghurt equal to cucumbers (1 cup to 1 cup, etc.), 1/2 - 1

teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 - 1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped (optional).

Mix cucumbers and yoghurt. In a hot, cast iron skillet, toast cumin seeds

without oil until brown. Stir briskly to prevent burning. Pound the toasted

seeds in a mortar and pestle and stir into the cucumbers and yoghurt along with

the mint. Serve cold as an accompaniment to curries. Serves 4 - 6.

Congee

Traditionally known as hsi-fan or " rice water, " congee is eaten throughout China

as a breakfast food. It is a thin porridge or gruel consisting of a handful of

rice simmered in 5 - 6 times the amount of water. Other grains such as millet,

or spelt can also be used. Cook the rice and water in a covered pot 4 - 6 hours

on warm, or use the lowest setting possible; a crockpot works well for congees.

It is better to use too much water than too little, and it is said that the

longer congee cooks, the more " powerful " it becomes.

Healing Properties: The simple rice soup is easily digested and assimilated,

tonifies the blood and the qi energy, harmonizes the digestion, and is

demulcent, cooling and nourishing.

Other therapeutic properties may be added to the congee by cooking appropriate

vegetables, grains, herbs or meats in the rice water. Since the rice itself

strengthens the spleen-pancreas digestive center, other foods added to a rice

congee become more completely assimilated, and their properties are therefore

enhanced.

I will list several additions, out of many, and their specific effects:

YOGHURT AND HONEY: Beneficial to heart and lungs

GINGER: Warming and antiseptic to viscera; used for deficient cold digestive

weakness: diarrhea, anorexia, vomiting, and indigestion.

LEEK: Warming to viscera; good for chronic diarrhea.

POPPY SEED: Relieves vomiting and benefits large intestine.

SWEET RICE: Demulcent; used for diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion.

TARO ROOT: Nutritious; aids the stomach; builds blood.

[Congee recipe adapted from Healing with Whole Foods Oriental Traditions and

Modern Nutrition, By Paul Pitchford]

Sesame Yoghurt Dressing: Blend until smooth and serve: 4 sprigs parsley,

1 stalk celery (chopped), 1/2 cup sesame seeds, 1/4 small onion (chopped), 1

clove garlic (sliced), 1/2 cup raw sesame oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2

tablespoons lemon juice,

1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 cup yoghurt.

Makes about 3 cups. Use on salads.

_________________

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

June 26, 2005

Echina. MedicalConspiracies@googlegrocea

LATIN NAME: Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, E. purpurea

FAMILY NAME: Asteraceae

You know that famous advertising slogan: " Don't leave home without it " ? That's

how I feel about echinacea, America's most popular herbal medicine.

Echinacea is a powerhouse in the fight against colds and flu, as well as other

viruses and infections. Not only has echinacea earned a slot among Duke's Dozen,

second only to garlic, but it also rates a space in my travel bag, no matter

where I go.

If I expect to shake hands after a speaking engagement, I want to know I'm

defending myself from an energy-sapping bout of illness. The same goes if I'm

visiting with the grandkids--or they with me. Colds and flu are highly

contagious. Children average 6 to 10 colds a year, and adults 2 to 4, the

National Institutes of Health reports. And influenza can strike up to 50 percent

of a community when it makes its winter rounds.

But I haven't had a debilitating cold or flu in at least four years, since I

started supplementing off and on with echinacea. Studies show it contains

antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting compounds.

In the winter of 1998, when my wife, Peg, and her sister got their flu shots, I

declined to join them. Instead, I took standardized echinacea capsules and

tinctures until the cold and flu seasons passed. Peg and her sister came down

with some undiagnosed respiratory illness, maybe even the flu. (They may have

already been infected when they got the shot, or picked up a different strain.)

But I escaped the winter flu-less--not to mention cold-free.

This wonderful herb with the purple, daisylike flowers no doubt keeps me in the

pink.

What Echinacea Is and What It Can Do

echinacea, better known as purple coneflower, is native to the United States.

Although it grows almost like a weed in my garden in Maryland & shy; & shy;shooting

to heights of two to three feet & shy; & shy;it really is more at home in the Plains

states. American Indians living there relied on it to heal just about

everything, from toothaches to snakebites. It was a panacea for what ailed them.

Norman Grainger Bisset, professor of pharmacy at King's College of London and

author of the excellent book Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, says that in

the nineteenth century, echinacea was the most widely used plant drug in the

United States. It was used to soothe sore throats, colds, bronchitis, and other

infections. And it was applied topically to speed the healing of wounds and

sores.

With the advent of synthetic pharmaceuticals in the twentieth century, echinacea

lost favor for a while as a medicinal. But, in Germany, researchers have been

looking at its immune-stimulating properties since the 1930s. Most studies on

echinacea have been done in Germany and other parts of Europe, not in the

plant's North American homeland. Until recent years, Americans have been slower

than Europeans and Asians to embrace the value of medicinal herbs, even in their

own backyards.

The positive results of the German studies, though, along with a renewed

interest in nature's medicinals in general, are largely why consumers now scoop

up echinacea products as wildly as the herb grows. In the United States,

echinacea accounts for almost 10 percent of herbal sales.

It's no wonder our ancestors reached for echinacea. Although it grows like a

weed, it is pretty. In spring, it puts out little rosettes of leaves close to

the ground. Then, the stem reaches up to flower in late June and July, and

sometimes until the first heavy frost. Some herbalists pick it after it flowers,

while others say it's best harvested in the fall. But harvest they do, to

satisfy an ever-growing clamor for echinacea products. More and more, stories

abound in the United States and abroad about echinacea's preventive and healing

abilities.

There have been a few negative reports, too. Some researchers dispute

echinacea's preventive powers. But I say that any product this widely used is

bound to take a few hits. The positive reports are overwhelmingly in this herb's

corner. And so am I.

HERB LORE AND MORE

Although it's been researched more widely in Europe, the purple coneflower is a

native American, growing most abundantly in the Plains states. Native Americans

likely were aware of its medicinal value long before early colonists stumbled

upon this purple-flowered herb and its relatives E. angustifolia and E. pallida.

Daniel E. Moerman, Ph.D., professor of anthropology at the University of

Michigan, has compiled a super database on the Native American uses of medicinal

plants. I draw on his research for the following:

The Comanches made a decoction of the root to soothe sore throats and held the

root against their teeth to ease toothaches. Chewing on the herb does cause a

temporary numbness that may have proved helpful. The Blackfoot tribe also used

angustifolia this way.

The Cheyennes relied on an infusion of the powdered angustifolia leaves and

roots as a wash for painful necks and sore mouth, gums, and throat. They also

used it to stimulate saliva.

The Dakotas believed the juice from echinacea soothed burns when applied to the

skin. They used the plant as an antidote for venomous snake bites and other

poisons. They applied poultices to reduce mumps. The tribe even used the plants

in smoke treatments for horses with distemper.

The Lakotas chewed on the roots to ease tonsillitis and chomped on the plants to

quell upset stomach and toothache.

Ounce of Prevention, Pound of Cure, or Both?

Much of the research has focused on the herb's strength at ousting colds and

flu, when taken at the start of symptoms. Some studies show it also helps

prevent viruses. Germany's Commission E (a panel of experts roughly equivalent

to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), has approved purpurea and

angustifolia (and the roots of pallida, somehow disapproving of that herb

itself) for treatment of colds, flu, and other upper-respiratory infections,

such as bronchitis. One German researcher further reports that in a

retrospective study of 1,280 children with bronchitis, those treated with juice

made from echinacea recovered faster than those treated with antibiotics.

Whether echinacea is preventive has been more controversial, especially in the

United States. A study out of Bastyr University in Seattle in 1999 indicated

that people who took echinacea over six months had more symptoms of respiratory

infection than those who took a placebo, according to one newspaper report.

Most researchers discourage its use for six months or longer anyhow. Many

herbalists also believe the herb shouldn't be used year-round or for any long

periods, because our immune systems may become resistant to it. I take echinacea

only at the first signs of illness or when I know I'll be near crowds, or when

there's a bad virus going around, but I believe it is beneficial in both

prevention and healing. I'm still undecided about whether relying on it

chronically challenges immunity, but I'm convinced echinacea gives me an edge.

Commission E also praises some echinacea for treatment of urinary tract

infections and, topically, for wounds and other sores. Some research suggests it

also may be helpful against other viruses, such as genital herpes, cold sores,

sinusitis, and HIV/AIDS, and bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, sties, and

streptococcal pharyngitis.

Sparring Over Species

Of the nine species of echinacea, three are most common, most studied, and most

prescribed. They are E. purpurea and its close relatives, E. pallida and E.

angustifolia.

I think I can tell the plants apart until they are reduced to tincture or

powder. I have grown both angustifolia (whose leaves are narrow) and purpurea

(whose leaves are wider and saw-toothed).

Studies show each of the common species contains a trio of key active

ingredients: caffeic acid, cichoric acid (sometimes spelled chicoric), and

echinacoside. Along with dozens of other phytochemicals, they fuel echinacea's

antiviral, antibacterial, and immunity-enhancing reputation. Recent studies show

that cichoric acid, in particular, exhibits many promising bioactivities.

A bit of sparring has arisen over which species is best. The truth is, we don't

know. At least, not yet, and though the sparring partners each claim to have the

best species, they haven't convinced me. Early chemical and pharmacological

studies did not distinguish between species or plant parts. Some of the early

work actually was done on a species called wild quinine.

No " voucher specimens " are on deposit in major herbaria for many of the critical

studies. (We botanists relish voucher specimens for our research--they're

pressed, dried, and mounted species of plants that we have studied.) Without

such specimens, I can't tell whether a study was done on E. angustifolia, E.

pallida, E. purpurea or black-eyed Susan, parthenium, chicory, or dandelion. And

some chemists don't know the difference.

Still, I don't worry about which species I'm buying. I think all echinaceas have

immune-boosting activities. Unlike man-made pharmaceuticals, nature's medicinals

contain dozens of ingredients that work together for our benefit.

While I generally supplement, I can test the effectiveness of an actual plant

simply by tasting it. Chewing on echinacea numbs the tongue temporarily. It's a

harmless but sure sign of one group of active compounds called alkylamines.

That's also the way " wildcrafters " judge the herb's potency in the woods. Some

angustifolia from the Minnesota prairies has more zing than others I've sampled,

but I'd be happy with any echinacea that makes my tongue go numb when I bite the

plant in the field.

DR. DUKE'S NOTES

You can buy cough drops, juice, soup, and even potato chips that contain

echinacea. They probably won't help you get over a cold or flu, though. The

dosages aren't standardized and are minuscule, at best.

How Echinacea Can Help

The list of conditions that benefit from echinacea grows longer every day. In

Germany, some researchers are even injecting the expressed juice of the plants

for treatment of colds and flu--not a method I recommend. But I do suggest

echinacea for the following:

Colds. You know the symptoms: coughing, sneezing, sore throat, runny nose. The

National Institutes of Health calls the cold " probably the most common illness

known. " The more than 200 viruses that cause colds are easily spread, especially

in enclosed environments with lots of people. Think school, day care, the

office. Kids get 'em the most--and they love to share.

Just shake the hand of someone with a cold, put your hand to your eyes or nose,

and you may come down with the virus yourself. Cold viruses can be breathed in

when someone sneezes, and the particles can even float around in the air for a

while.

Symptoms might be signs that our bodies are fighting back, the National

Institutes of Health (NIH) says. Infected cells in the nose send out signals for

disease-fighting white blood cells to get to work. Immune-system chemicals

inflame the membranes in our noses and create fluids and mucus.

About 35 percent of the colds adults suffer are caused by

rhinoviruses & shy; & shy;from the Greek rhin, meaning nose & shy; & shy;says the NIH.

Usually, colds are mild and gone in a week or two. Other viruses, such as the

respiratory syncytial virus, produce mild infections in adults but can cause

more serious respiratory problems in children and the elderly. As many as half

of all adult colds are believed to be caused by viruses that have not been

identified, the NIH says.

Some studies show that immunity-enhancing compounds in echinacea lessen your

chances of landing a cold--or its landing you. Scientists don't fully understand

how echinacea stimulates immunity.

Some think it increases properdin, a compound in the body that alerts the immune

system to send out disease-fighting white blood cells. But there are many other

mechanisms.

One preliminary study out of the University of Florida at Gainesville, in 1999,

showed that echinacea stimulated the white blood cells of 10 healthy men who

supplemented for four days. Nutritional scientist Susan Percival of the

University of Florida's Institute of Food, who led the research, cautioned that

her work did not support the regular use of echinacea in the absence of cold

symptoms.

It might be best to reach for echinacea only when colds are all around you--or

at the first hint of symptoms. Echinacea's cold-busting abilities are better

documented, at least for now. In one double-blind study in Germany of 180 cold

patients, those treated with high-dose echinacea recovered faster than those

taking lower doses or a placebo.

If you take it often, some herbalists say, at least cycle on and off the herb.

In an interview in Complementary Medicine for Physicians, M.E. O'Brien, M.D.,

suggests starting echinacea in October, at the beginning of cold and flu season,

and taking a few days off every two to three weeks.

FROM MY SCIENCE NOTEBOOK

Echinacea's medicinal power is threefold: It fights viruses and bacteria and

enhances immunity. Active ingredients in the flowers, roots, and rhizomes appear

to work together to prevent infection and promote healing.

At least three phytochemicals in echinacea are believed to be effective: caffeic

acid, echinacoside, and cichoric (or chicoric) acid. All have antiviral

activities (as do a dozen other compounds in echinacea).

Researchers are still trying to learn just how echinacea boosts immunity.

Michael T. Murray, N.D., naturopathic physician and author of Natural

Alternatives to Over-the-Counter and Prescription Drugs, says the herb raises

levels of properdin, a natural compound in our bodies. Properdin tells the

immune system to block viruses and bacteria by sending out infection-fighting

white blood cells.

Scientists think echinacea's root extracts, in particular, may act like

interferon, our bodies' own antiviral compound, says Norman Graninger Bisset,

professor of pharmacy at King's College of London and author of Herbal Drugs and

Phytopharmaceuticals.

The roots may carry specific antiviral activity against flu, herpes, and other

viruses, he says.

Others say echinacea stimulates the body to make more interferon, along with

interleukins and tumor necrosis factor, signaling molecules that enhance immune

response.

The herb's immune-boosting activity may possibly stimulate some progressive

conditions, including HIV/AIDS, some researchers believe. Recently, however,

research has shown that cichoric acid may have anti-integrase activities.

Integrase is what HIV uses to infiltrate the DNA. So, echinacea may actually

help fight HIV/AIDS, as well as other viruses.

Flu. A variety of influenza viruses causes this respiratory infection. Unlike

colds, symptoms begin abruptly and may include headache, chills, body aches, and

fever. Coldlike symptoms, such as nasal congestion and sore throat, follow. Most

people recover within a week but still feel tired after other symptoms have

passed. Young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immunities are

at risk for more serious illness, such as pneumonia, the NIH says.

Like colds, flu spreads rapidly from person to person, especially from coughing

and sneezing. Often, it pops up where there are lots of school-age children. The

highest incidence of flu is in 5- to 14-year-olds.

The traditional prescription for flu is similar to that for colds: rest, fluids,

and aspirin or acetaminophen. The synthetic drug rimantadine may be effective if

it's used within 48 hours after symptoms begin.

Although people often ask their doctors to prescribe an antibiotic, these drugs

are not a treatment for flu or viral colds. Such dependence on these

pharmaceuticals has created a danger in our world: Antibiotics may one day be

ineffective against the bacteria they were designed to destroy.

The vaccine for flu prevention that is widely available is made from killed

viruses. It must be given six to eight weeks before flu season to prevent

infection. But influenza is always changing. You may be protected against one

strain and still come down with another. In flu season, I boost my immunity with

standardized echinacea. Some may question the preventive effects, but I believe

echinacea protects me from infection.

Germany's Commission E has approved certain species of echinacea for treatment

of flu, based on years of European research. One study of 180 people with flu

showed that echinacea extract significantly reduced symptoms.

As with colds, scientists don't know specifically how echinacea works against

flu. Not only does it likely raise properdin to produce disease-fighting white

blood cells, but some researchers say it stimulates immunity by way of

interferon and interleukins.

WHAT NEW RESEARCH TELLS US

Here's a rundown of the research-in-progress and what it may tell us about the

future of echinacea and healing. Remember, though, that this is cutting-edge

research, and more confirming studies are needed.

Sun-damaged skin. Researchers have noted that several compounds in echinacea,

including cichoric acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and

echinacoside, lessen the destruction of collagen, which gives our skin its

elasticity. Maybe echinacea will play a role in helping to prevent skin damage

from sun. Eric Yarnell, N.D., says test-tube studies indicate phytochemicals in

echinacea might also protect against ultraviolet damage & shy; & shy;and that we

might soon see it in a sunburn ointment.

Lyme disease. The leaf and root of purple coneflower are mildly antibacterial.

Could the herb help fight the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) carried by the

deer tick? It may be something to watch for, although a boosted immune system

might fight better.

A few years ago, I dodged a possible case of Lyme disease, and I think echinacea

may have helped. I had been filming with a television crew in my herbal vineyard

and thought we would be outdoors only briefly. A few minutes turned into two

hours. Although I usually wear an herbal bug repellent, I was unprepared and

unprotected.

Slapping my leg at what felt like an insect bite, I saw nothing there and forgot

about it. Deer ticks are so small that until they are engorged, I can't see them

without my glasses. The next day, I developed the characteristic

bull's-eye & shy; & shy;redness around a white halo and a red mark in the

center & shy; & shy;that typically follows a bite by a deer tick carrying Borrelia

burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

Because it was the weekend, and my HMO doesn't treat anything but emergencies on

weekends, I immediately began my own home-prescribed regimen of standardized

echinacea capsules, along with garlic, another immune stimulant. I didn't want

to develop arthritis, an unpleasant possibility when Lyme disease goes

untreated. At Peg's urging, I visited a physician the following Tuesday; he

prescribed doxycycline, a synthetic antibiotic.

Although I never had a blood test to confirm that I was bitten by a tick that

carried Lyme disease, I didn't come down with any other symptoms, including the

dreaded joint pain and inflammation of arthritis. I like to think that

echinacea, along with garlic and the antibiotic, may have helped me beat the

disease and its potential complications, such as arthritis and stiff neck,

temporary paralysis of facial muscles, and other neurological symptoms. And the

three days I gained by starting with my herbal antibiotic before doxycycline may

have been critical. We'll never really know.

Hepatitis C. This liver infection is caused by the viral hepatitis. A 1998

report in Herbs for Health reveals that British-trained phytotherapist Amanda

McQuade Crawford, founding member of the American Herbalists Guild, founder and

director of the National College of Phytotherapy in New Mexico, and another

grande dame of herbalism in the western United States, has had success treating

viral hepatitis using a diuretic and mild antiviral. For one of her patients,

Crawford combined the diuretic Lasix with silymarin, the concentrated active

lignans in milk thistle, and dandelion. Within three months, her patient no

longer needed the Lasix. Furthermore, tests showed improved liver enzymes and

viral load, which means fewer counts of virus per unit measured.

Based on evidence showing that the flowers of echinacea are an excellent source

of cichoric acid, which may slow reproduction of viruses, I would add echinacea

to my milk thistle if I had viral hepatitis.

Sinusitis. In " The Botanical Approach to Chronic Sinusitis " published in 1998 in

Alternative and Complementary Therapies, Dr. Yarnell says echinacea's

immunologic effects are likely to help many sinus sufferers. His sinusitis

formula includes echinacea as its top ingredient. My colleague Steven Morris,

N.D., a naturopathic physician practicing in Washington state, recently told me

about a patient under his care for chronic sinusitis, inflammation of the

sinuses caused by infection or allergy. The patient had multiple sinus

surgeries, Dr. Morris says, and more than 10 courses of antibiotics in five

years. Using his " Sinus Survival " protocol, the patient had not used antibiotics

in nine months and, instead, supplemented with E. angustifolia. The regimen

included 300 milligrams liquid of the root, along with the plants Oregon grape,

milk vetch, privet, and Chinese magnolia.

Yeast infections. German researcher Rudolf Bauer reports that echinacea may

prove effective at treating vaginal yeast infections. In one study, women who

used econazole nitrate, the standard remedy, had a 61 percent rate of

recurrence. The rate dropped to 5 to 16 percent, Bauer reports, when echinacea

was used along with the standard drug.

HIV/AIDS. The National Institutes of Health says nearly 900,000 Americans may

suffer from HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The virus kills or cripples the

immune system's T-cells, leaving victims unable to fight infections and certain

cancers. There is no cure.

Standard treatment includes costly drug " cocktails " that work in combination.

AZT interrupts early stages of virus replication. Other drugs called protease

inhibitors interrupt the virus at later stages. The regimens are tough to stick

with. Some studies indicate that when the drugs are stopped, patients show

antibodies in their blood--a sign the virus has not been beaten, only stalled.

The research to find a cure continues. But some of the most exciting reports

I've seen have focused on cichoric acid, a compound in echinacea, as a potential

treatment for HIV. Only a couple of years ago, most herbalists, including

myself, advised against supplementing with echinacea for patients with HIV. Some

researchers say the herb stimulates the virus, as well as immunity. But in 1996,

U.S. Chemical and Engineering News praised synthetic cichoric acid for its

integrase-blocking--and presumably antiretroviral--activities. The virus uses

integrase to get into the DNA of cells.

Since then, I have learned that cichoric acid is abundant in the flowers of many

echinacea species. It makes up as much as 3.1 percent of the plant's dry weight

and is plentiful in the roots of purpurea, as well.

If I had HIV/AIDS, I would munch on the flowers of the purple coneflower, so far

the best known source of cichoric acid, in addition to the drug cocktail

treatments my doctor prescribed, if I could afford them.

DR. DUKE'S NOTES

Purple coneflower, or echinacea, is also pretty to look at. It sprouts in the

wild, but you can purchase it at your local nursery. Until the recent rage over

its medicinal value, the plant was more commonly used as an ornamental in both

Europe and the United States. Its popularity as an ornamental probably is

increasing because of its newfound fame as a medicinal.

Wounds and sores. Some studies show that echinacea has topical healing

qualities, too. The herb has antibacterial and antiseptic properties that may

speed recovery. Commission E has approved some echinacea preparations topically

for the treatment of various wounds and sores.

Eric Yarnell, N.D., a naturopathic physician in private practice in Sedona,

Arizona, and a frequent writer for the journal Alternative and Complementary

Therapie

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/54/5.cfm

June 29, 2005

I just had to reply to this....I keep echinacea on hand at all times.

One time in particular, my daughter had gotten into some poison ivy.

She had it all over her. My mother had put the pink stuff (whatever

that is called that stops itching..ha) on her skin and gave her

alfalfa and garlic. It didn't seem to be helping very good. When my

daughter got home I saw that she had it everywhere, even on her face

and hairline. There was a " hot spot " on her thigh, I assume it may

have been the initial contact. It was a very large oval " rise " on

her thigh and it was red and had fever in it. The rise was bigger

than a football. Anyhow, this did concern me because of the fever

and she was kind of lethargic. I made her wash the " pink " off in the

shower then I proceeded to open vitamin E capsules (400IU) and put

the oil everywhere I could see that it had spread, including on

the " rise " . Maybe whelt would be a better word. Then I figured,

hmmm, echinacea is great for the lymph system and I believe (in my

own head) that poison ivy gets into the lymph system, so I gave her

what the equivalent of one dose of echinacea was for three doses in

one day. Then I tucked her in that night and waited. She was only

about 11 years old at the time...boy was I worried about that

feverish whelt.

Lo and behold, the next morning the whelt was gone. And her itching

completely stopped with the vitamin E. I gave her another dose of

echinacea that morning and by the next day all was well.

I firmly believe the echinacea is what healed the ivy poisoning.

I wanted to share this in case there is anyone who may get into the

stuff and want to try the remedy. If anyone does I would surely like

to know because I don't think my daughter will ever get into it

again....I helped her identify it so she would know and she avoids it

like the plague...haha. She is 16 now and still remembers how awful

it was.

June 30, 2005

What a great piece of information to know. I am not sure of your

explanation of the dosage. My son who is 30 is highly sensitive to poison

ivy and or other poisonous vines. I will file this one away for future use.

Judy

-

" Bo " <bonytoes37

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 5:18 AM

Re: Echinacea ROOT Stimulates the Body to Make

Interferon, Interleukins and Tumor Necrosis Factor