Echinacea and Astragalus
12-Dec-2010Echinacea and Astragalus
"Chinese medicine and pharmacology are a great treasure house. Efforts should be made to explore them and raise them to the highest level." -- Mao Tse-tung
Jennifer Mueller
The use of herbs as medicines has been practiced for centuries, in virtually every culture in the world. Native American medicine relied heavily on the use of herbs, and traditional herbal remedies are still commonly prescribed in Eastern countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. Trial and error led to the development of folk medicines, and the most effective remedies were passed down through generations. Herbs have been used to treat nearly every known affliction and disease. While some herbs have been shown to be ineffective, others have stood the tests of time and research, proving their worth. Two such herbs that are widely used, and have been thoroughly researched for their immune boosting properties, are Echinacea and Astragalus.
Echinacea
Echinacea, or the Coneflower, as it is more commonly known to gardeners, is native to North America, and played an important role in Native American medicine. Numerous tribes used it to treat a variety of symptoms and diseases, including: sore mouth and gums, toothache and coughs, and as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agent.
The earliest reference on Echinacea for medical purposes is from 1763, by L.T. Gronovius, who stated that E. purpurea bears a sharp-tasting root and is very valuable in treatment of saddle-sores of horses. However, little, if any, research on applications for humans was performed until the 1830s, when Dr. H.C.F. Meyer, who had made note of the use of Echinacea by the Native Americans, brought it to the attention of John Lloyd, a pharmacist.
Numerous Echinacea-based formulas were produced by Meyer and Lloyd, as well as other pharmaceutical companies, guaranteed to cure a long list of ailments, including: rheumatism, migraine, infection, eczema, tumors, syphilis, gangrene, typhoid, malaria, diphtheria, hemorrhoids, snake bites and bee stings. Echinacea extracts were commonly prescribed until the introduction of sulfa drugs in the 1930s, at which point it faded into relative obscurity in America. Luckily, research on its medicinal uses continued in Europe; hence, most of the early research on Echinacea is from Germany.
Historical Background
In the earlier part of this century, Echinacea was still being touted as a cure-all. An excerpt from an herbal book originally printed in 1931 states that "Echinacea increases bodily resistance to infection, [and can be used for treating] boils, septicemia, cancer, syphilis, blood impurities [and is] useful as a strong alternative and aphrodisiac." Interestingly, many of these claims still hold true (although its role as an aphrodisiac has yet to be proven!). Modern indications for the use of this versatile herb include: prevention and treatment of viral infections such as the common cold, influenza, herpes, and bronchitis. Echinacea can also be used to treat arthritis (as an anti-inflammatory agent) and allergies.
Echinacea is actually a species of flowers, and as such, comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and potencies. Studies examining its influence on immune cell proliferation, antibody production, and antiviral activities have demonstrated that E. purpurea is the most potent of the varieties.
Mechanisms of Action
The roots of E. purpurea contain arabinogalactans, which have been shown to play a major role in the immunostimulating activities associated with this plant. These compounds provide a protective effect against viral infection. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have documented the antiviral effects of Echinacea. For example, when peripheral blood leukocytes from healthy volunteers were infected with Candida albicans (a yeast), the cells incubated with Echinacea extracts initiated an acute phase response, and phagocytosis was activated much sooner than in cells without the Echinacea.
Another in vivo study demonstrated that treatment of mice with Echinacea extract results in induction of an increased proliferation of phagocytes in the spleen and bone marrow (when exposed to Listeria monocytogenes and Candida albicans). In other words, Echinacea treatment stimulated the immune response to decrease the chances of infection.
Echinacea and Cancer
Not only is Echinacea beneficial in the prevention of infection from viruses and bacteria, it is also beneficial in cancer therapies. In mice with impaired immune systems, when Echinacea was administered, resistance to infection was restored to normal levels (compared to healthy mice).
Studies in humans have shown similar results. For example, patients with inoperable liver cancer, who were receiving a combination of cyclophosphamide (a toxic chemotherapy drug) and thymostimulin (which induces the release of interleukin-2 and interferon) were treated with Echinacea. Subjects experienced a dramatic reduction in side effects associated with the chemotherapy, an enhanced quality of life, improved immune functions, and a significant rise in natural killer cell activity and CD-4 levels. Some of these protective effects are mediated by the increase in cytokine production, such as increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-() and interleukin-1 (IL-1).
Part II of this article, "Astragalus" will appear in our March 1996 newsletter.
The information in this article is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional, and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA.
Copyright 2001 by Vitamin Research Products, Inc. (VRP) The use of information found in Vitamin Research News for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission from VRP.
"Chinese medicine and pharmacology are a great treasure house. Efforts should be made to explore them and raise them to the highest level." -- Mao Tse-tung
Jennifer Mueller
The use of herbs as medicines has been practiced for centuries, in virtually every culture in the world. Native American medicine relied heavily on the use of herbs, and traditional herbal remedies are still commonly prescribed in Eastern countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. Trial and error led to the development of folk medicines, and the most effective remedies were passed down through generations. Herbs have been used to treat nearly every known affliction and disease. While some herbs have been shown to be ineffective, others have stood the tests of time and research, proving their worth. Two such herbs that are widely used, and have been thoroughly researched for their immune boosting properties, are Echinacea and Astragalus.
Echinacea
Echinacea, or the Coneflower, as it is more commonly known to gardeners, is native to North America, and played an important role in Native American medicine. Numerous tribes used it to treat a variety of symptoms and diseases, including: sore mouth and gums, toothache and coughs, and as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agent.
The earliest reference on Echinacea for medical purposes is from 1763, by L.T. Gronovius, who stated that E. purpurea bears a sharp-tasting root and is very valuable in treatment of saddle-sores of horses. However, little, if any, research on applications for humans was performed until the 1830s, when Dr. H.C.F. Meyer, who had made note of the use of Echinacea by the Native Americans, brought it to the attention of John Lloyd, a pharmacist.
Numerous Echinacea-based formulas were produced by Meyer and Lloyd, as well as other pharmaceutical companies, guaranteed to cure a long list of ailments, including: rheumatism, migraine, infection, eczema, tumors, syphilis, gangrene, typhoid, malaria, diphtheria, hemorrhoids, snake bites and bee stings. Echinacea extracts were commonly prescribed until the introduction of sulfa drugs in the 1930s, at which point it faded into relative obscurity in America. Luckily, research on its medicinal uses continued in Europe; hence, most of the early research on Echinacea is from Germany.
Historical Background
In the earlier part of this century, Echinacea was still being touted as a cure-all. An excerpt from an herbal book originally printed in 1931 states that "Echinacea increases bodily resistance to infection, [and can be used for treating] boils, septicemia, cancer, syphilis, blood impurities [and is] useful as a strong alternative and aphrodisiac." Interestingly, many of these claims still hold true (although its role as an aphrodisiac has yet to be proven!). Modern indications for the use of this versatile herb include: prevention and treatment of viral infections such as the common cold, influenza, herpes, and bronchitis. Echinacea can also be used to treat arthritis (as an anti-inflammatory agent) and allergies.
Echinacea is actually a species of flowers, and as such, comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and potencies. Studies examining its influence on immune cell proliferation, antibody production, and antiviral activities have demonstrated that E. purpurea is the most potent of the varieties.
Mechanisms of Action
The roots of E. purpurea contain arabinogalactans, which have been shown to play a major role in the immunostimulating activities associated with this plant. These compounds provide a protective effect against viral infection. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have documented the antiviral effects of Echinacea. For example, when peripheral blood leukocytes from healthy volunteers were infected with Candida albicans (a yeast), the cells incubated with Echinacea extracts initiated an acute phase response, and phagocytosis was activated much sooner than in cells without the Echinacea.
Another in vivo study demonstrated that treatment of mice with Echinacea extract results in induction of an increased proliferation of phagocytes in the spleen and bone marrow (when exposed to Listeria monocytogenes and Candida albicans). In other words, Echinacea treatment stimulated the immune response to decrease the chances of infection.
Echinacea and Cancer
Not only is Echinacea beneficial in the prevention of infection from viruses and bacteria, it is also beneficial in cancer therapies. In mice with impaired immune systems, when Echinacea was administered, resistance to infection was restored to normal levels (compared to healthy mice).
Studies in humans have shown similar results. For example, patients with inoperable liver cancer, who were receiving a combination of cyclophosphamide (a toxic chemotherapy drug) and thymostimulin (which induces the release of interleukin-2 and interferon) were treated with Echinacea. Subjects experienced a dramatic reduction in side effects associated with the chemotherapy, an enhanced quality of life, improved immune functions, and a significant rise in natural killer cell activity and CD-4 levels. Some of these protective effects are mediated by the increase in cytokine production, such as increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-() and interleukin-1 (IL-1).
Part II of this article, "Astragalus" will appear in our March 1996 newsletter.
The information in this article is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional, and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA.
Copyright 2001 by Vitamin Research Products, Inc. (VRP) The use of information found in Vitamin Research News for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission from VRP.
Dr. George John Georgiou, born 14th December 1956, has been educating himself for over 25 years. Specifically, he has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) honors degree in Biology/Psychology from Oxford Brook’s University, Oxford, England, a Master’s of Science degree (M.Sc) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey, Guildford, England, a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D). in Clinical Sexology from The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, San Francisco, USA.... 
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