Echinacea

Echinacea, the beautiful purple cone flower is a colorful addition to your flower beds, but it's medicinal properties are well known. Echinacea has been in use by the Native Americans for untold time, and it entered the formal medical world in the late 1800 where it was used until the late 1920's when antibiotics were introduced. Native Americans used its root for everything from fighting colds and flu to infections to cancer. The wild type, Echinacea angustifolia, was the most popularly used, but it's become scarce in the wild due to over-harvesting. Echinacea purpurea is the species used most in Europe and is the plant the German E Commission did all it's tests with. This species' flowers and other aerial parts are used more than the root and it is cultivated, so there's no worry about it becoming extinct.

Echinacea is still the most prescribed herb in Europe, but its use is mostly confined to fighting colds and flu, overlooking its many other benefits. The root may be chewed to alleviate tooth ache. It can be made into a salve to treat eczema, psoriasis, infectious wounds and much more.

Echinacea stimulates the production of T cells, macrophage activity and interferon production making the cells less susceptible to viral takeover.