Echinacea: what are the properties and benefits of this plant?

This plant has been traditionally used for the healing qualities attributed to it.

Echinacea is a type of plant that has been used to treat cold symptoms and other immune system disorders, including some as serious as cancer; however, the available research does not support the efficacy of this plant for any therapeutic application.

In this article we will discuss the uses, side effects and therapeutic efficacy of echinacea based on studies that have based on the studies that have been conducted on this natural remedy.

What is echinacea?

Plants of the echinacea genus are native to North America. Echinacea has been attributed various healing properties since ancient times; thus, the Pawnee Indians used echinacea for headaches and the Lakotah as a general analgesic, while the Kiowa and Cheyenne tribes used it for colds and sore throats.

There are nine plant species that are categorized in the echinacea genus.. The two most commonly used as dietary supplements are Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia; there are also Echinacea pallida, paradoxa, simulata, atrorubens, laevigata, sanguinea and tennesseensis.

The oral consumption (mainly in the form of tea and juice) and the use of echinacea as a medicine are carried out from the preparation of its roots and flowers, or from extracts of other parts of its organism. Sometimes the plant segments are left to dry, while in other cases they are used fresh and just extracted.

What is it used for?

Echinacea is currently used to treat different types of physical disorders. The most common applications of these plants include the treatment of the common cold, although various other properties have also been described. In this sense Echinacea is either consumed as a nutritional supplement or applied to the skin in topical in topical form.

Thus, some medicines with echinacea are used to treat skin problems; it is common to apply this type of product to prevent infections in recent wounds, among other uses. Some have even claimed that echinacea can be used as a remedy for very serious immune disorders. remedy for very serious immune disorders, particularly cancer..

This last application is related to the belief that echinacea has stimulating effects on the immune system, making its activity more effective in fighting all types of infections, including those associated with colds and flus.

On the other hand, some species of echinacea are also used with some frequency for decorative purposes, especially in gardens. Echinacea is also planted to rehabilitate damaged or damaged natural areas. rehabilitate damaged or impoverished natural areas, in particular meadows.The plants reproduce quickly and have flowers that are very resistant to the climate and the seasons.

Does it really have therapeutic effects?

Most of the research on the efficacy of echinacea as a medicine has been carried out in relation to its most common application: the treatment of the common cold. However, we still need more scientific studies to be able to reliably assess the possible therapeutic effects of echinacea in other disorders.

The results of the available studies reliably affirm that echinacea does not reduce the duration of cold symptoms after the cold has already occurred.. In this sense, the efficacy of echinacea to treat colds would be similar to that of placebo.

At the moment it is not clear if this plant can be useful to prevent colds; some research suggests that it could have this effect to some degree, although it has not been definitively demonstrated. The possible active components and the action of echinacea bacteria on the human immune system are currently being analyzed.

On the other hand, the British foundation Cancer Research UK affirmed in a 2012 study that there is no proof of the efficacy of echinacea in treating cancer.. The same applies to the use of this plant to minimize the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Side effects and adverse reactions

The effects of echinacea-containing products can vary significantly depending on different factors. Not only is the species or part of the plant used relevant, but also the other components that make up the product in question.

Research suggests that echinacea is quite safe for most people in the short term, although its long-term effects have not been studied. When adverse reactions do occur, the most common involve the gastrointestinal system, e.g., nausea and vomiting are relatively common, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain are relatively common..

In some cases, allergic reactions appear that can reach a significant degree of severity. This type of physiological responses are more frequent in predisposed people who have other different allergies.

It should be taken into account that in many cases dietary supplements and remedies or medicines with echinacea have not been manufactured in a regulated manner, and it is also very common that they have not been tested in humans before being marketed. Therefore, caution should be advised when using echinacea, caution should be advised when using echinacea products..