Echinacea

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= = = //Echinacea purpurea.// =

**(Echinacea)**
// Echinacea purpurea // is one of nine species of //Echinacea//, and the most commonly used for its medicinal qualities. It was used medicinally in Native American Indian culture to bring back strength and cure sickness. It is normally consumed in tablet form of powdered herb, as a liquid dose causing tingling on the tongue!

A recent study treating influenza infected cells with //Echincacea// showed no emergence of resistant viral strains. This was then compared to treatment with Tamiflu® where resistant influenza strains developed (Pleschka).

Other studies show the ability for //Echinacea// to reverse the inflammation associated with influenza infection, thus decreasing its severity (Sharma 2009). This would make //Echinacea// a potent antiviral medicine both as a preventative medicine and for treatment after infection. Further study in the exact mechanism as to how //Echinacea// prevents virus resistance may enable the development of new medications also immune to viral resistance. This would negate the need to be continuously developing new medications to fight off new resistant strains, as occurs today.

The constituent of //Echinacea// believed to exhibit the antiviral properties is Echinacoside, shown below:

Unfortunately //Echinacea// has a few contraindications which prevent it from being used freely in the population. It has been known to cause rare allergic reactions, and must be avoided by persons with known allergies to plants from the Compositae family, such as daisies. //Echinacea// has also been shown to interfere with autoimmune diseases and cannot be taken by persons on immunosuppressant medications.

__Figures__: Figure 1. Garden of Echinacea purpurea. Image Source Page: @http://tomclothier.hort.net/album/coneflow.htm Figure 2. Echinacea purpurea flower. Image Source Page: @http://www.terrapin-gardens.com/perennials/echinacea-purpurea.htm Figure 3. Echinacoside. Image Source Page: []