Medicinal properties and contraindications of Echinacea. The healing properties of echinacea and honey collected from it by bees

Europeans became familiar with echinacea back in the 17th century. Thanks to its beautiful flowers, it has become a decoration of parks and gardens. After some time, Echinacea was recognized as a medicinal plant. However, the medicinal properties and contraindications of echinacea were known long before this. Shamans of North America were among the first to use this plant to treat burns, pain of various origins, colds, and bites of the most poisonous snakes.

As the composition and properties of Echinacea were studied, pharmacists in many countries created drugs that increasingly contained this flower. Each study has only confirmed that echinacea is an excellent antiviral and antibacterial agent. It also perfectly stimulates the human immune system.

Echinacea description, photo

Echinacea purpurea is a perennial plant from the Aster family, with large flowers - purple baskets. It has a special aroma and taste. It is unpretentious in care, can reach 1.5 m in height. It has a rough, branched stem and the same rough, pointed leaves. The root system consists of branched short roots. Echinacea begins flowering at the age of two years. Flowers appear in the second half of June, the plant fades after 2.5 months.

Initially, Echinacea grew in the arid regions of North America, mainly in the eastern part. Despite the variety of known types of echinacea (white, narrow-leaved, bloody, simulating, Tennessee), purple echinacea is used in pharmacology and as a folk remedy.

Important! All parts of Echinacea are medicinal: stems, leaves, flowers and roots.

Chemical composition

The medicinal properties of Echinacea purpurea, valuable for the human body, are explained by the unique combination of many components. The main components of the plant:

• flavonoids;
• polysaccharides;
• amino acids;
• antioxidants;
• essential oils.

Echinacea contains vitamins A, C, E, lipids, phenols, tannins. Microelements include: iron, chlorine, aluminum, potassium, calcium, magnesium. In small quantities, the chemical composition of the plant is supplemented by: selenium, cobalt, zinc, manganese, molybdenum.

Such a rich composition determines the beneficial effect of echinacea on hematopoietic processes, on the fight against cancer cells, as well as anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to the high content of polysaccharides, Echinacea actively stimulates the production of interferon, thereby increasing the human body's defenses.

Useful and healing properties

Echinacea purpurea is a powerful immunomodulator. Unlike ginseng, which “shake up” the immune system, echinacea helps it start working on its own. In this regard, it is recommended as a preventative against flu and colds.
Under the influence of preparations based on echinacea, the circulatory and lymphatic systems are cleansed, viruses and bacteria die. In addition, free radicals are removed, as a result, cell aging slows down and the body as a whole is rejuvenated.

Important! To treat skin diseases and stop bleeding, the roots of the herb are used.

The following are the most significant medicinal properties of Echinacea purpurea:

1. Strengthens the immune system.
2. Relieves inflammation.
3. Destroys viruses, fungi, bacteria.
4. Cleanses the body.
5. Prevents the growth and reproduction of tumor cells.

Echinacea application

Echinacea purpurea is prescribed in medicine for the treatment of many diseases. The list of diseases that can be treated with echinacea is quite extensive. The most common indications for use:

• colds (including acute respiratory infections, flu);
• pathologies of the respiratory system;
• infectious lesions of the genitourinary organs;
• inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract;
• skin diseases of various origins (psoriasis, dermatitis, purulent wounds, furunculosis).

Echinacea preparations are used for depression, insomnia, and nervous fatigue. They increase concentration and improve memory.

Important! The plant is not addictive. There are no side effects observed during treatment.

For medical purposes, Echinacea is used in such forms as:

1. Tincture. It treats allergies, gastritis, pancreatitis, diseases of the reproductive and urinary system, intestinal dysfunction, purulent skin diseases. For inflammation of the respiratory tract, the tincture is rubbed into the skin of the back. At the initial symptoms of a cold, it is added to the water when taking a bath.
2. Tea. Its main purpose is the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza. To avoid getting sick during a flu epidemic, it is recommended to brew the flowers of the plant or its roots, and drink this tea from 1 to 3 glasses a day. You can also drink tea to improve metabolism and rejuvenate the body.
3. Decoction. It copes well with headaches, removes excess fluid, thereby eliminating swelling, and normalizes blood pressure. Echinacea decoction prevents vision deterioration and improves appetite. They are used to treat skin rashes, burns, and insect bites.
4. Lotions, baths, compresses. As an external remedy it is prescribed for the treatment of eczema and carbuncles. Compresses are applied to inflamed areas of the skin with hidradenitis. Pain from bruises and wounds can be relieved with echinacea lotions.
5. Infusion. Normalizes blood composition. Strengthens the defense system, relieves stress, and has an invigorating property. Externally used to treat burns and to resolve scars.
6. Extract. Perfectly suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Regular use of echinacea extract will help avoid colds and reduce nervous tension. As an external remedy it is used to treat bruises and wounds.
7. Another way to use echinacea is as syrup. Its action helps to increase the body's resistance to pathological microorganisms. Often, syrup is prescribed in the initial stages of malignant neoplasms.

Important! P When taking echinacea internally, the prescribed dosage should be strictly followed.

The use of echinacea in medical nutrition

Echinacea can be used not only in dosage forms. The healing properties do not lose their value when the plant is used for food. Essential oils, resins, and fiber contained in all parts of echinacea improve metabolic processes. Entering the body with food, the active components of the herb have a beneficial local effect on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, and replenish vitamin deficiency.

Fresh echinacea leaves are added to salads and soups in the summer. In other seasons, it is recommended to use dried leaves, stems and flowers.

The healing properties of echinacea for men

Echinacea’s ability to positively influence the sexual sphere is used in the treatment of some male diseases. Under the influence of plant components, inflammation disappears in a short time, viruses die, and fungi stop multiplying.

Important! Men under 50 years of age who want to have children should not use echinacea preparations or reduce the dosage, since the drugs inhibit sperm motility during treatment.

Echinacea purpurea is effective in complex therapy for problems such as prostatitis, prostate adenoma, genitourinary infections, inflammation of the urinary organs, infertility. Due to its immunomodulating properties, plant raw materials are successfully used for malignant tumors of the male genitourinary system. The body is freed from pathogenic substances and begins to fight foreign cells more effectively.

Medicinal echinacea for women

Medicines containing Echinacea are widely used to eliminate women’s health problems of different ages. Preparations with Echinacea are effective in treating:

• inflammation of the ovaries and cervix;
• cystitis;
• pyelonephritis.

Positive dynamics are also observed after a course of treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and candidiasis. The trace elements that make up the plant normalize female hormonal levels through a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland and adrenal glands. A healthy hormonal system is the key to a woman’s excellent overall well-being.

Beneficial properties of Echinacea for children

Children's fragile immunity is not able to fully fight infections and viruses on its own. The herb Echinacea can help him with this. Known for their positive properties, medicines with echinacea have become one of the most used in the fight against childhood colds, acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, and bronchitis.

Important! Echinacea is contraindicated in children under 3 years of age due to an unstable nervous system.

Echinacea is prescribed to children for the prevention of influenza, for frequent diseases of the upper respiratory tract, urinary tract, as well as for the first manifestations of ARVI. Stomatitis and otitis media are also treated with Echinacea.

For convenient use, various children's forms of drugs are available (tincture, tablets, lollipops, dry leaves and flowers for brewing). Echinacea tincture contains alcohol, so it is recommended to take it in small doses only for children over 12 years old. A child over 5 years old can be given tablets, and younger children can use tea made from the dried leaves of the plant. For children, both younger and older, you can use baths with the addition of plant extract and aromatherapy.

Regular intake of echinacea by a child will help not only speed up the healing process, prevent complications of diseases, but also avoid them altogether.

Echinacea for the treatment of skin diseases

The unique healing, antifungal, and antiseptic properties of echinacea help treat purulent skin lesions and make it possible to quickly relieve inflammation and pain from skin lesions. Experts prescribe echinacea for skin diseases such as:

• furunculosis;
• herpes, papillomas;
• eczema;
• burns of varying degrees;
• ulcerative lesion.

Lotions and compresses with echinacea relieve psoriasis - eliminate peeling and itching. For those who suffer from cracked heels, it is recommended to lubricate the cracks with herbal oil at night, after steaming your feet with hot water.

In cosmetology, the plant is used to eliminate acne on the face. They are wiped with herbal lotion. After this procedure, small cracks heal and redness disappears. For people with problem skin, fresh juice from the leaves of the plant is a good choice, which should be used to wipe the skin. This method also allows you to smooth out wrinkles. When caring for the skin of the whole body, baths with echinacea at a comfortable temperature will be effective.

Important! Preparations based on echinacea can lighten the skin of the face. This property is used to get rid of age spots.

Vitamins, antioxidants and microelements of echinacea are included in shampoos, conditioners, and hair masks. Such products stop hair loss, give it a healthy appearance, and eliminate seborrhea by normalizing the condition of the scalp.

Echinacea tincture - benefits and harms

The most commonly used alcohol tincture of Echinacea. It gives positive results in the treatment of a number of the most well-known pathologies. Benefits of the tincture:

1. Stabilizes the functioning of the thyroid gland without affecting the general hormonal state.
2. In the form of baths, compresses, lotions, it eliminates skin problems. Widely used by dermatologists and cosmetologists.
3. Copes well with stomatitis, sore throat, gingivitis.
4. Relieves infections of the genitourinary organs. Eliminates inflammatory processes of the digestive system.
5. Promotes rapid recovery of the body after chemotherapy and long-term viral diseases.

Important! Echinacea tincture is not prescribed to pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 12 years of age. Infusions and decoctions are suitable for this category of patients.

The herb tincture is indispensable for oral lesions of various etiologies: periodontal disease, glossitis, tonsillitis. The effect of the tincture can be observed if you rub it into sore joints every evening. This remedy is useful to use if the patient has myositis or radiculitis.

Due to the alcohol base, the tincture is contraindicated in patients with a history of allergies to the drug, autoimmune diseases, and cancer of the circulatory system. People whose occupation involves driving a car should not drink the tincture.
Do not get carried away with taking tinctures. Exceeding the dose or timing of administration can lead to unpleasant consequences.

Signs of an overdose:

• skin itching;
• hives;
• decreased blood pressure;
• nausea.

There is an opinion that echinacea tincture is absolutely harmless. People drink it whenever they see fit, in unlimited quantities. This is wrong and unsafe. The required result will be achieved only if the optimal dose (3 - 6 ml per day) is strictly observed and the recommended dosage regimen is followed (3 times a day for 10 days).

Tincture to boost immunity

Thanks to its rich, harmonious composition, echinacea tincture increases the body's resistance to the action of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and attacks by harmful microorganisms. This helps people avoid infection with diseases of various origins, especially during the off-season, when immunity is most weakened. It has been proven that patients who take the tincture during illness recover faster.

In order to maintain the immune system at the proper level, it is necessary to start taking the tincture according to the following scheme:

1. First day. Drink 40 drops at once, eat after half an hour. After 2 hours, also half an hour before meals, take the next 20 drops.
2. Second and subsequent days. Drink the tincture three times a day, 20 drops before meals.
3. The duration of the course is 14 days. The next course can be repeated no earlier than after 6 months.

How to make a healing tincture of echinacea at home

Echinacea tincture is sold in pharmacies. But you can prepare it at home yourself. To be sure of the quality of the raw materials, it is better to buy them all in the same pharmacies. Leaves, roots and flowers are suitable for tincture. When collecting a plant yourself, you should take into account the fact that the greatest benefit will come from leaves collected in the summer, and from stems and roots in the fall.

Well-dried, crushed parts of echinacea are placed in a container, then filled with either alcohol or vodka. For 50 grams of raw materials you will need ¼ liter of alcohol or 500 ml of vodka.

Echinacea tablets, ampoules price

Many pharmaceutical companies produce Echinacea in tablets. The popularity of this form of release is that tablet drugs are convenient to carry with you and you do not need additional funds to take them. Echinacea tablets contain plant extract or juice.

Indications and contraindications for tablets are the same as for other forms of Echinacea-based preparations. Tablets are taken for a week, up to 4 tablets per day.

Echinacea is available in ampoules of 2 ml for intramuscular, intravenous, and subcutaneous administration. In this form, the plant is used as an anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating agent. The drug has mild sedative, analgesic and hemostatic properties. Parenteral administration of echinacea is prescribed for myositis, radiculitis, arthritis, sepsis, and sexually transmitted infections.

Important! If it is impossible to administer the medication parenterally, you can let the patient drink the contents of the ampoule without diluting it. The dose depends on the age of the patient. Adults are prescribed the drug 1 ampoule every 2 to 3 days.

Traditional medicine recipes

Echinacea is used not only in traditional medicine as pharmacological preparations. You can prepare products with it yourself, using either a fresh plant or a dried one. Traditional recipes are no less effective.

Echinacea in the treatment of burns, stomach diseases

Grind 50 grams of dry grass roots, place in a glass container, pour in 200 grams of olive oil, leave for 30 days, then strain. Drink 1 tbsp twice a day. spoon after eating. Burns are treated with oil infusion topically.

Echinacea for fatigue

• peel and chop the fresh root;
• fill completely with alcohol;
• put the container in a dark, cool place for 14 days;
• After the time has passed, strain and squeeze.

Drink the alcoholic extract 1 tsp. 3 times with water, followed by a meal after 30 minutes.

Treating cuts with Echinacea

A tablespoon of root is poured into 150–200 ml of boiling water. Then place in a water bath for 30 minutes and cool. Apply a napkin soaked in the broth to the damaged area of ​​skin every 3 to 4 hours.

Echinacea for flu and colds

Fresh flowers in the amount of 3 pieces, or 10 grams of roots or leaves are poured into 1.5 liters of boiling water. Cover tightly and leave for half an hour. Take the strained infusion 200 ml per day to prevent influenza, in the initial stages - 3 glasses per day.

Brew 1 spoon of a mixture of all parts of echinacea with 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 10 - 15 minutes. Take half a glass with honey.

Anti-acne lotion

Combine 30 grams of a mixture of leaves and roots of the plant with 20 grams of string and 20 grams of chamomile. Pour ½ liter of vodka over the herbs. After 14 days, you can wipe your face with lotion.

Before independently preparing infusions, decoctions, and teas with Echinacea, you need to know when and how you can use products with Echinacea.

When not to use Echinacea

Despite the fact that Echinacea is a practically harmless remedy and helps in the case of numerous pathologies, before starting treatment you should definitely consult a doctor for advice and prescribe the correct dose. Like many medications, Echinacea products have their limitations. Conditions in which taking Echinacea is contraindicated:

• mental disorders;
• malignant blood lesion;
• tuberculosis in any form;
• AIDS, HIV;
• multiple sclerosis;
• period of pregnancy, lactation.

Patients with diabetes should take echinacea with caution, since the plant is capable of producing insulin.

Even if a person does not have any of the diseases listed above, individual hypersensitivity to the components of the echinacea plant may occur. Symptoms of intolerance are: skin rash, severe itching, hypotension, swelling of the face and limbs, heavy breathing.

Important! It is not recommended to start a course of treatment with Echinacea in hot weather. You should not take echinacea-based medications for more than 2 to 3 weeks.

The state of a person’s health depends on the strength of a person’s immunity. Pharmacies offer many drugs that significantly increase the body's resistance. Many people prefer to buy herbal medicines. Echinacea has a good immunostimulating effect. It has shown its effectiveness in the fight against a number of ailments. The article will tell you what the herb Echinacea treats and what contraindications it has.

What are the benefits of Echinacea?

The beneficial properties of the herb Echinacea have made it the leader among all existing medicinal herbs.

The plant is able to remove not the symptoms of the disease, but the root cause. The beneficial effect on the body is due to its rich composition. It contains large quantities of biologically active components. For example, essential oils, glucose, trace elements, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and a number of other elements are present.
The culture is rich in potassium, nickel, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, selenium.

The benefits of Echinacea herb are given below:

1. Strengthens the immune system.
2. Has a detoxifying effect.
3. Has antiviral and antimicrobial effect.
4. Relieves the inflammatory process.

Moreover, in folk medicine all parts are used: leaves, roots, flowers, stems. The juice of the Echinacea purpurea herb is also widely used for the preparation of medicinal preparations.

Options for using Echinacea

Echinacea is often used for intestinal infections, flu, sore throat, ARVI, herpes, and urticaria. In practice, the ability of the herb to heal complex wounds, eczema and ulcers has been proven. The use of Echinacea herb does not end there. She heals from a large number of ailments. Thus, betaine contained in the plant reduces the likelihood of stroke and heart attack. The culture is also effective for bladder diseases and blood poisoning. Rheumatism, prostatitis, osteomyelitis, respiratory tract ailments - all these are also indications for the use of echinacea.

To treat a number of diseases, Echinacea is used in folk medicine when it is at least two years old. Medicine is prepared in different ways. For example:

• Lotions. Quite often used for insect bites and psoriasis.
• Decoction. Indicated for stomach ulcers. It also normalizes blood pressure and has a general strengthening effect on the body.
• Tincture. The benefits of Echinacea herb are also noticeable for depression. To combat this condition, a tincture is prepared. It helps with gastritis and constipation. Diseases of the genitourinary system are also treated using this method.
• Powder. Indicated for headaches. It is mixed with honey and added to tea. As a result, sleep is normalized, blood pressure is reduced, and the functioning of the nervous system is put in order.

Is Echinacea good for children?

Of course, there is no doubt about the beneficial properties of echinacea. However, this herb is not suitable for everyone. You need to know what contraindications and side effects of echinacea herb exist so as not to cause harm to the body. Young mothers are especially concerned about the question of whether such a plant can be used to treat children.

In fact, the herb Echinacea is very beneficial for children. It has established itself as an effective preventive remedy that strengthens the immune system. At the first suspicion of a viral infection, you should start using echinacea. This way, the period of the disease will be significantly shortened, and negative consequences will be avoided. Echinacea does not cause an allergic reaction in children, which also speaks in favor of this herb.

Is echinacea allowed for expectant mothers, and in what form?

Can Echinacea herb be used during pregnancy? This question worries many women who are planning to become mothers. After all, throughout pregnancy you want to maintain the body’s defenses at a high level. The use of such medicinal herbs by medicine is permitted. But it is important to follow the dosage. Otherwise, you may risk a miscarriage. It is useful for pregnant women to drink a decoction or infusion of Echinacea. But alcohol tinctures are prohibited. The extract of this herb in injections is also contraindicated. Because the risk of developing immunodeficiency in a child increases.

When can echinacea cause harm?

Typically, side effects of echinacea are extremely rare, but there is still a certain percentage of people who do not tolerate this herb well.

All contraindications of Echinacea herb are given below:

1. Rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Intolerance to components.
3. Multiple sclerosis.
4. Rheumatism.
5. Tuberculosis.
6. AIDS.
7. Leukemia.
8. Oncology.

The greatest therapeutic effect is usually observed in the first 10 days. If, while taking Echinacea-based medications, the temperature rises, the blood pressure drops, it becomes difficult to breathe and swallow, depression and weakness appear, treatment should be discontinued. Use for more than 2 months without a break leads to exhaustion of the body and a decrease in beneficial effects. Elderly people and children should take echinacea carefully and in small dosages.

Benefits of Echinacea

Thus, the herb Echinacea for immunity is the number one choice for many. The healing properties of this plant have been known and proven for a long time. When they have a cold or flu, people usually run to the nearest pharmacy and buy drugs based on this herb. Echinacea has also proven itself well in the treatment of many other diseases. It is important to take precautions, know all existing contraindications, use the drug in the dosage recommended by the doctor and for no longer than 10 days. Lots of useful information in the article:

Echinacea is widely used to combat infectious diseases, especially acute respiratory infections, influenza and other upper respiratory tract infections. Some people take echinacea at the first sign of a cold to prevent infection from developing. Other people take this remedy after their cold symptoms have fully developed, hoping that it will help them reduce the severity of the disease.

Echinacea is also used in the treatment of other infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), vaginal yeast infections, herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), bloodstream infections (sepsis), tonsillitis, streptococcal infections, syphilis, typhoid, malaria, ear infections, swine flu, warts and diphtheria.

In addition, Echinacea is used for anxiety, low white blood cell count, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, heartburn, pain, dizziness, rattlesnake bites, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and to enhance athletic performance.

Echinacea is also used as a douche to treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Echinacea products are widely available commercially in many forms such as tablets, capsules, powders, juices and teas.

However, not all echinacea-based products sold are of the required quality. It happens that the label of a product states that it contains echinacea, but in fact it does not contain it. Buy drugs only from trusted brands, as some unscrupulous manufacturers use plants collected in environmentally polluted areas, as a result of which you receive a drug containing selenium, arsenic and lead.

Echinacea helps activate chemicals in the body that reduce inflammation, thereby reducing the severity of symptoms of colds and flu, as well as other infectious diseases.

Laboratory studies have shown that echinacea can stimulate the body's immune system, but there is little evidence that this occurs in people. Echinacea also contains some chemicals that can attack yeast infections.

Strengthening immunity

One of the most pronounced properties of echinacea is its ability to have a powerful stimulating effect on the immune system. This property allows the body to quickly restore immunity and begin to effectively fight pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, various inflammatory processes and infections.

Benefits for the skin

Due to its rich composition, Echinacea has a beneficial effect on the skin. It has a rejuvenating effect, eliminates age spots, accelerates the healing of wounds and skin damage of various origins.

Benefits for the cardiovascular system

Echinacea has powerful antioxidant properties, which allows the body to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood and tissues of the body, significantly improve the elasticity of blood vessels and cleanse them of cholesterol plaques that have formed over the years.

Cleansing the body

This plant helps cleanse the blood, promotes active cleansing of the lymphatic system, while improving the functioning of the kidneys and liver.

Benefits for the nervous system

Echinacea effectively stimulates the central nervous system, which makes it possible to naturally improve the condition of people with various depressions, fatigue and nervous exhaustion.

Also

Echinacea has the ability to increase blood clotting, is an oncoprotective agent, has a rejuvenating effect on the entire body and prevents premature aging. It improves metabolic processes, has a diuretic, antiallergic and antirheumatic effect.

Echinacea tea is believed to effectively stimulate the immune system.

The effectiveness of Echinacea

Let's consider the effectiveness of using drugs with Echinacea for various diseases. Since various studies have been conducted on its effectiveness, we have mixed results, which you can read below.

Echinacea may be effective:

Cold. Many scientific studies show that taking certain echinacea preparations during the initial signs of a cold may slightly reduce symptoms in adults. However, other scientific studies show no benefit. The problem is that scientific studies have used different types of echinacea, processed with different methods. Because research is not consistent, it is not surprising that different studies show different results. If this remedy helps treat a cold, the benefit from its use will be moderate at best. Research on the effectiveness of using echinacea preparations as a preventative against colds is also controversial. Some studies show that taking echinacea can reduce the risk of acute respiratory infections by 45% - 58%. However, other studies show that taking echinacea does not reduce the risk of the common cold.

Insufficient evidence:

Anxiety. Early research has shown that taking 40 mg of echinacea extract (ExtractumPharma Zrt, Budapest, Hungary) daily for 7 days reduces anxiety. But taking less than 40 mg per day does not have the desired effect.

Improved athletic performance. Early research has shown that taking Echinacea (Puritan's Pride) four times daily for 28 days increased oxygen absorption during exercise tests in healthy men.

Gingivitis. Early research has shown that using a mouthwash containing echinacea, gotu kola, and elderberry (HM-302, Izum Pharmaceuticals) three times daily for 14 days can prevent worsening gum disease.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV). Data on the effectiveness of echinacea for the treatment of HSV remain unclear. Some studies show that taking echinacea extract (Echinaforce, A. Vogel Bioforce AG) 800 mg twice daily for 6 months does not prevent, reduce the frequency or duration of recurrent genital herpes outbreaks. However, other studies show that taking a combination product containing echinacea (Esberitox, Schaper & Brummer, Germany) 3-5 times a day reduces itching, tension and pain in most people with herpes labialis.

Human papillomavirus (HPV). Early studies showed that taking a combination preparation containing echinacea, andrographis, grapefruit, papaya, ant tree bark, and cat's claw (Immune Act, Erba Vita SpA, Italy) daily for one month reduced the recurrence of anal warts in people who had their surgical removal. But this study was not high quality, so the results are questionable.

Flu. Early research has shown that taking a specific echinacea product (Monoselect Echinacea, PharmExtracta, Italy) daily for 15 days may improve response to the flu vaccine in people with respiratory conditions such as bronchitis or asthma.

Low white blood cell count (leukopenia). Early research suggests that taking 50 drops of a combination product containing echinacea root extract, arborvitae leaf extract and wild indigo (Esberitox N, Schaper & Brummer, Germany) between chemoradiotherapy may improve red and white blood cell counts in some women with cancer mammary gland. But not all patients experience this effect, and taking less than 50 drops does not seem to work.

Middle ear infections. Early research suggests that taking liquid echinacea extract at the first sign of a cold three times a day for 3 days does not prevent the development of ear infections in children 1-5 years of age (especially if the child has a history of the problem).

Tonsillitis. Early research shows that using a throat spray containing sage and echinacea every two hours up to 10 times a day for 5 days relieves sore throat symptoms. Other early studies show that taking 50 drops of a preparation containing echinacea (Esberitox, Schaper & Brummer, Germany) three times a day for 2 weeks, along with an antibiotic, reduces sore throat and improves overall well-being in people with tonsillitis.

Inflammation of the eyes (uveitis). Early studies showed that taking 150 mg of echinacea (Iridium, SOOFT Italia SpA) twice daily, in addition to eye drops and steroids used to treat inflammation for 4 weeks, did not improve vision when compared with the results people get using eye drops and steroids alone.

warts. Early studies showed that taking echinacea daily for 3 months did not clear the skin of warts. But taking supplements containing echinacea, methionine, zinc, probiotics, antioxidants and ingredients that stimulate the immune system for 6 months, in addition to using traditional treatments, appears to be a more effective method of treating warts than using traditional treatments alone.

There is also insufficient evidence of the effectiveness of preparations with echinacea in the treatment of the following diseases:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Yeast infections
• Bloodstream infections
• Streptococcal infections
• Syphilis
• Typhoid fever
• Malaria
• Diphtheria
• Migraine
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Eczema
• Hay fever or other allergies
• Bee stings
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Swine flu
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Dizziness
• Rattlesnake bites
• Other states

More research is needed to understand the effectiveness of echinacea for these diseases.

Contraindications, side effects and safety

Echinacea is probably safe for most people when taken orally for a short period of time. Various liquid and solid forms of Echinacea are safe to use for up to 10 days. There are also some drugs, such as Echinaforce (A. Vogel Bioforce AG, Switzerland), that can be used safely for up to 6 months. As for the safety of using echinacea in the form of injections, there is not enough information on this yet.

Some side effects have been reported during the use of echinacea products, such as fever, nausea, vomiting, bad taste in the mouth, abdominal pain, diarrhea, sore throat, dry mouth, headache, numbness of the tongue, dizziness, insomnia, loss orientation, and pain in the joints and muscles.

Applying echinacea creams and ointments to the skin may cause redness, itching, or a rash.

Echinacea is most likely to cause allergic reactions in children and adults who are allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold or chamomile. If you have allergies, be sure to consult your doctor before taking echinacea.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Lactation: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking echinacea during breastfeeding, so avoiding it is recommended.

Inherited allergies (atopic dermatitis): People with this condition are more likely to develop allergic reactions to echinacea. If you suffer from atopic dermatitis, it is best for you to avoid using echinacea.

Echinacea drug interactions

Moderate interaction - be careful with this combination:

• Caffeine interacts with echinacea. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Because echinacea may reduce the rate at which caffeine is broken down, consuming caffeine-containing products or taking medications while taking echinacea may cause increased caffeine concentrations in the blood and increase the risk of side effects such as nervousness, headache, and rapid heartbeat.
• Drugs converted in the body (cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) interact with echinacea. Some drugs are converted and broken down in the body. Echinacea may interfere with the breakdown of certain drugs. Taking echinacea together with certain medications may increase their effects and side effects. If you are taking any medications and want to also take echinacea, you should talk to your doctor first. Drugs of this type include: lovastatin (Mevacor), clarithromycin (Biaxin), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), diltiazem (Cardizem), estrogens, indinavir (Crixivan), triazolam (Halcion), and many others.
• Drugs converted in the liver (cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates) interact with echinacea. Some drugs are converted and broken down in the liver. Echinacea may reduce the rate at which the liver converts certain drugs. Taking echinacea together with certain medications may increase the effects and side effects of some of them. Before taking echinacea with this type of medication, talk to your doctor. Drugs of this type include: clozapine (Clozaril), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), fluvoxamine (Luvox), haloperidol (Haldol), imipramine (Tofranil), mexiletine (Mexitil), olanzapine (Zyprexa), pentazocine (Talvin), propranolol ( Anaprilin), tacrine (Cognex), theophylline, zileuton (Zyflo), zolmitriptan (Zomig), and others.
• Medicines that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants) interact with echinacea. Echinacea can strengthen the immune system. Taking echinacea along with certain medications that suppress the immune system may reduce the effectiveness of these medications. Drugs of this type include: azathioprine (Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT-3, Ortoklon OKT-3), mofetil (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisolone (Deltazon, Orazon), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids), and others.

Minor interaction - be careful with this combination:

Midazolam (Versed) interacts with echinacea. Taking midazolam with echinacea increases the absorption of midazolam into the body. This may increase the effects and side effects of midazolam.

Dosage

oral:

• For the treatment of colds, Echinacea purpurea extract (Echinacin, Madaus AG, Cologne, Germany) should be taken 5 ml twice a day for 10 days. Echinacea purpurea extract (EchinaGuard, Madaus AG, Cologne, Germany) should be taken 20 drops with water every 2 hours on the first day of cold symptoms and then three times daily for up to 10 days. Echinacea purpurea whole plant extract (Echinilin, Inovobiologic Inc., Calgary, Alberta, Canada) should be taken 4 ml ten times on the first day of cold symptoms, then four times daily for 6 days, or 5 ml eight times on the first day onset of cold symptoms, and then three times a day for 6 days. Echinacea Plus Tea should be drunk five or six times on the first day of cold symptoms and then reduced to one cup per day for the next 5 days.
• To prevent colds, echinacea extract (Echinafors, A. Vogel Bioforce AG, Switzerland) should be taken 0.9 ml three times a day (total dose: 2400 mg per day) for 4 months. At the first sign of a cold, you can increase the dose to five times a day, 0.9 ml (total dose: 4000 mg per day).

– a true gift from nature to man. Everything in it is useful: roots, stems, leaves, and inflorescences. In addition, it is unusually beautiful, its bright large inflorescences are a true decoration for the garden. Let's talk about the beneficial properties of echinacea and contraindications to its use, consider how to prepare and store raw materials, and also briefly find out what the chemical composition of echinacea is.

Chemical composition of Echinacea

The aerial part of Echinacea is rich in polysaccharides (heteroxylans, arabinoramnogalactans), essential oils, organic acids, flavonoids, tannins, hydroxycinnamic acids (ferulic, chicoric, coumaric, caffeic), polyamines, saponins, echinacin, echinolone, echinacoside (a glycoside containing caffeic acid and pyrocatechin), resins and phytosterols. The rhizome contains inulin, betaine, glucose, phenolcarboxylic acids, essential and fatty oils, and resins. Each part of echinacea contains enzymes, antioxidants, organic acids, vitamins A, E, C, macro- (calcium, potassium) and microelements (selenium, cobalt, silver, molybdenum, zinc, manganese).

Did you know? The Indians called Echinacea "evening sun." They used it for the bites of poisonous insects and snakes, and hence the plant also received the name “snake root.”

Medicinal properties of Echinacea

The range of medicinal properties of Echinacea is very wide. It is endowed with antiviral, antifungal, strengthens the immune system, antimicrobial, antirheumatic, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory properties. Widely used in the fight against all kinds of infectious diseases: ARVI, influenza, swine flu, urinary tract infections (UTI), upper respiratory tract infections, human papillomavirus, vaginal yeast infections, herpes, syphilis, typhus, malaria, tonsillitis, bloodstream infections, streptococcal infections, warts and diphtheria, ear infections.

Echinacea is also used for dizziness, low white blood cell count, migraines, anxiety, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, heartburn, and rattlesnake bites. It is widely used externally to treat abscesses, boils, skin wounds, gum disease, burns, ulcers, eczema, psoriasis, herpes simplex virus, bee and mosquito stings, and hemorrhoids. This plant is also a good helper for dermatological problems, because echinacea treats acne and ulcers, acne and warts, abscesses and eczema on the skin. With its help, age spots and freckles are removed, it relieves skin inflammation and smoothes out wrinkles. It also enhances hair growth, gives it shine and protects against dandruff.

Echinacea preparations

Preparations based on Echinacea are now extremely popular and are sold in pharmacies in many forms - dried flowers, capsules, drops, extract in tablets and lozenges, powders, teas and juices, alcohol tincture. The pharmacological industry of many countries produces preparations of Echinacea purpurea to strengthen the human immune system (for example, “Immunal”). Echinacea preparations can be prescribed to children from the age of six, and alcohol tincture – from the age of twelve.

Now more than three hundred types of preparations from Echinacea are known, and the list of diseases for which preparations from Echinacea are used has exceeded seventy items. Preparations with echinacea have immunostimulating, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.

Did you know? Approximately 10% of the total dietary supplement market in North America and Europe is occupied by echinacea preparations.

Use in folk medicine: treatment of diseases with Echinacea

The medicinal properties of echinacea have been used in folk medicine since ancient times in the form of teas, decoctions, tinctures and alcohol tinctures. Treatment with Echinacea was simply irreplaceable for flu and colds, constipation and gastritis, abscesses and ulcers, headaches, joint pain, prostate adenoma, inflammation in women, and was used to regulate metabolism and well-being.

Echinacea tea for colds and flu

Echinacea tea is a very valuable aid for colds and flu. It lowers body temperature, has an antimicrobial effect, and prevents bacteria and viruses from multiplying. Echinacea tea is made like this: one teaspoon of crushed plant root, one teaspoon of leaves and three flowers are poured with boiling water (0.5 l) and infused for about 40 minutes. When treating a disease, you need to take one glass of tea three times a day, and for prevention purposes, one glass a day.

Echinacea tincture will relieve fatigue and increase immunity

Perhaps the most pronounced beneficial quality of echinacea is its ability to boost immunity and strengthen the entire body. It should be used by anyone who is often stressed and faces fatigue. To prepare echinacea tincture, you need to pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and 30 g of dried or fresh flowers into an enamel saucepan, cover with a lid and boil for 10 minutes. Then let it brew in a warm place for five hours to achieve the highest concentration of nutrients. Then strain the infusion, add honey, syrup, sugar, or berry juice to taste. Drink half a glass three times a day.

Echinacea tincture for constipation or gastritis

In the treatment of these ailments, a tincture of echinacea will help according to this recipe: pour 20 g of raw materials (stems, flowers, leaves) with a glass of vodka, leave to brew in a dark place for twenty days, shake periodically. Before taking, the tincture should be filtered and taken 20-30 drops three times a day before meals.

Alcohol tincture for prostate adenoma

For prostate adenoma, an alcohol tincture of Echinacea will be useful. You can buy it at the pharmacy or make it yourself: pour fresh or crushed dry echinacea leaves with alcohol (vodka) in a ratio of 1:10, let it brew for ten days. Take 25-30 drops three times a day before meals.

Echinacea decoction for headaches and joint pain

A decoction of echinacea can help with headaches, migraines, joint pain, and insomnia. The decoction is prepared as follows: a teaspoon of crushed fresh (dry) echinacea leaves is poured with a glass of boiling water, placed in a water bath for five to ten minutes, then removed from the water bath and infused for a while. Take 100 ml three times a day before meals.

For headaches, you can also use honey with echinacea, prepared according to this recipe: grind all parts of echinacea into powder and mix well with honey (for 300 g of honey - 100 g of echinacea powder). Drink three times a day with tea.

How to prepare medicinal raw materials from Echinacea

All parts of the plant have medicinal properties. The aerial part of Echinacea is collected in the summer (July-August), and the rhizome with roots - in spring and late autumn. Only blossoming plants are harvested, and as for the roots, three to four year old roots are suitable for medicine. The prepared raw materials are dried in the shade in the fresh air, spread out in a thin layer, or in special dryers. Raw materials are stored in a dry place. Echinacea herb can be stored for no more than six months, and Echinacea tincture can be stored for one to five years, in a well-closed bottle, in a dark and cool place.

The health of the family is in the hands of a woman - a Simple Queen in the domestic kingdom

Hello, friends. On a cold autumn day, it’s just right to continue the conversation about adaptogen plants that help the body cope with seasonal ailments. The queen of my today’s publication deservedly becomes Echinacea, whose medicinal and beneficial properties are highly valued by pharmacists and herbalists around the world.

Wonderful healing flower

Echinacea has recently begun to compete with the famous ginseng, which is actively used in medicine and pharmacy. This plant is another powerful biological stimulant of the immune system. And it literally works miracles.

Jet Bow's story

One day, Jett Bowe, who was suffering from a severe form of streptococcal sore throat, came to see a well-known herbalist from Alabama throughout the area. This disease became a constant companion of the young woman and poisoned her life every year. But this time Jett was determined to finally defeat the disease without resorting to taking antibiotics. The herbalist's advice was simple: take a crushed clove of garlic every hour, and every two hours - a high dose of echinacea tincture and vitamin C. How surprised the young woman was when the next day after starting treatment she was able to swallow painlessly, and then felt completely healthy.

origin

The historical homeland of Echinacea is the prairies of North America. This green medicine has been used successfully in local traditional medicine for a long time. For the ancient Indians of North America, the plant was sacred; with its help, almost all diseases were treated - from toothache to intoxication from poisonous snake bites. It is interesting that the name “Echinacea” itself is translated from Indian (not to be confused with the Indian language) as “deer root”. The explanation is simple: observant Indians more than once noticed how sick deer ate this grass and soon recovered.

appearance in Europe

Europeans learned about this amazing plant relatively recently - at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. However, having studied its beneficial properties and effects on the human body, pharmacists have created a whole series of drugs based on echinacea. After all, it is deservedly considered one of the most famous natural antibiotics and the best stimulants of the immune system.

Beneficial, medicinal properties of Echinacea purpurea and its use

The chemical composition of Echinacea is unique. The plant contains:

• essential oils;
• antioxidants (echinocin and echinolone);
• essential organic acids;
• vitamins A, C, E;
• microelements (iron, silicon, calcium, selenium);
• starch;
• polysaccharides;
• glycosides with antibacterial action.

All of the above natural substances and components are harmoniously combined, and, moreover, enhance the healing effect of each other. Moreover, all parts of the plant (root, flowers, leaves) have a healing effect. As a rule, plants that are at least two years old are used in folk medicine.

In the course of the research, the main medicinal property of echinacea was revealed - activation and strengthening of the nonspecific immune system, that is, in other words, it is a natural immunomodulator.

In addition, the plant:

• removes radionuclides and protects cells from radiation sickness;
• prevents cell aging and the formation of malignant tumors;
• helps cleanse the lymphatic system, blood, liver, kidneys; it’s not for nothing that echinacea is called a “cleaner”;
• accelerates the healing of various kinds of wounds, bruises, fractures;
• has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic properties;
• enhances sexual potency.

Echinacea can be called a universal healer. The list of diseases for which it is used includes 70 items. Among them are such heavy ones as:

• anemia,
• radiation sickness,
• atherosclerosis,
• rheumatoid arthritis,
• hepatitis,
• depression and neuroses,
• infectious diseases (typhoid fever, erysipelas, scarlet fever, meningitis).

The medicinal properties of echinacea are successfully used in the treatment of gynecological diseases, eczema, and trophic ulcers.

Infusions and extracts based on Echinacea can be used by both adults (including the elderly) and children over two years old, with their still imperfect immune system.

The plant is absolutely non-toxic and does not cause side complications. Therefore, at the first signs of a cold in children, doctors include echinacea in the mandatory list of medicinal care.

And it has a positive effect! After all, by stimulating the body’s defenses, the disease is defeated many times faster and does not become chronic. At the same time, the duration of the disease is reduced, which means the number of complications is reduced. In turn, this approach ensures minimal stress on the immune system.

There are several ways to use Echinacea

Alcohol tincture

An alcoholic tincture is made from the flowers or roots of the plant. Regarding the dosage, you should consult your doctor in each specific case.

dose for adults

Usually 15-20 drops of tincture are diluted with water or added to tea and consumed 15 minutes before meals. In the first days of the course, the maximum dose for an adult should be 40 drops per day. After a few days, the dose is increased to 60 drops.

The duration of treatment is adjusted by the attending physician, who makes a decision based on the severity of a particular disease.

1. Chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, allergic manifestations, gynecological diseases, constipation, stomach ulcers, kidney stones, hidradenitis (purulent inflammation of the sweat glands, also called udder), etc. are also treated. For the latter disease, the dose increases to 30 drops, also to the affected Echinacea compresses can be applied to areas of the skin. They are prepared as follows: 40 drops of tincture are diluted in 100 ml of sodium chloride.
2. For treatment bronchial asthma, pneumonia, cough alcohol tincture is rubbed into the back near the shoulder blades. The duration of such treatment is seven days.
3. At the first sign colds (sore throat, runny nose, cough) A bath with the addition of an alcoholic tincture of echinacea helps a lot.

Traditional recipes with echinacea tincture

Take ten grams of crushed plant roots and pour 90 milliliters of 70% alcohol. You need to insist for a week in a warm place. You need to take twenty to thirty drops three times a day before meals. This tincture will help for gastritis, constipation and to normalize metabolism. The course of treatment is carried out no more than a month, and when bronchitis You can rub your shoulder blades with this infusion for a week.

• Prostatitis.The fresh plant needs to be crushed, poured into glass containers and filled with 60% alcohol. You need to pour until the alcohol fills the container two fingers above the grass. You need to insist for twenty-one days in a dark place, shaking the solution daily. Take the strained tincture three times a day an hour before meals. It is better to drink thirty to forty drops, diluting it in a tablespoon of water, tea or juice.
• Polycystic kidney disease. To alleviate the condition of polycystic kidney disease, you need to take a pharmacy tincture of the plant. It is worth drinking ten to fifteen drops three times a day for six months.
• Psoriasis. You need to take thirty grams of powder from the roots of the plant and mix it with 70 grams of alcohol. Infuse for twenty days in a dark room and drink twenty-five to thirty drops three times a day. In parallel with this, the scabs are lubricated with Celestoderm ointment, and the course of treatment is carried out for fifty days.
• For gastritis and constipation you can use this recipe. Take ten grams of crushed raw materials and pour 90 milliliters of 70% alcohol into it. You need to insist for a week, after which you take twenty to thirty drops three times a day before meals. The course of treatment is two weeks, but it can be carried out for up to a month.
• Lymphadenitis. To treat lymphadenitis, it is recommended to take thirty drops of a pharmaceutical alcohol tincture of the plant three times a day. It is best diluted halfway with water and used for compresses.
• Felon. It is necessary to take one part of the raw crushed roots or flower baskets of the plant and fill them with five parts of 70% alcohol. You need to insist for a week, and then drink thirty drops three times a day until recovery.
• Meningitis. Pour one part of the plant’s flowers into five parts of 70% alcohol and leave for ten days. Take thirty drops three times a day.
• Gastritis with high acidity. One hundred and fifty grams of crushed raw plant root should be filled with 0.6-0.7 liters of 96% alcohol. Infuse for a month and drink a teaspoon before meals.

Tea

For high-quality prevention of various types of acute respiratory infections, flu, after treatment with antibiotics, or serious illnesses, doctors recommend drinking tea from fresh Echinacea flowers or from its crushed roots and leaves.

You need to drink at least a glass of healing tea a day, and if necessary (if the disease is just beginning) three glasses. In addition to its medicinal benefits, tea has a rejuvenating and cleansing effect on the body and slows down aging.

During the cold season, you can drink tea from the plant. It will strengthen the immune system and protect against colds.

how to make tea

To prepare such a drink, you need to take two teaspoons of crushed raw materials and pour half a liter of boiling water. You need to infuse it for about forty minutes and drink a glass a day for a month.

Decoction

• For flu and colds A simple echinacea decoction is also useful. Drink it before meals, three times a day, 1/3 cup. It also helps with swelling, headaches, joint pain, stomach ulcers, normalizes blood pressure, improves vision, increases appetite, and has a tonic and strengthening effect. Store the echinacea decoction for no more than two days, in a cool place, then prepare a new one.
• In order to normalize blood pressure, improve appetite, cure colds and flu It's worth trying this recipe. Take one teaspoon of dry crushed leaves of the plant, pour a glass of boiling water and leave in a boiling water bath for no more than fifteen minutes. The strained broth should be drunk one third of a glass three times a day before meals.

• For chronic pneumonia or bronchiectasis you need to chop and mix twenty grams of echinacea herb, peppermint leaves and elecampane root; fifty grams of celandine and sage herbs; thirty grams of plantain leaves; ten grams of anise seeds, pine buds, St. John's wort, calendula flowers, coltsfoot and eucalyptus leaves. Two tablespoons of this mixture should be poured with half a liter of boiling water and brought to a boil. After boiling for five minutes over low heat, the broth should be cooled and strained. Drink a third of a glass three times a day after meals.
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Mix two parts of echinacea flowers with four parts of pine needles, five parts of wild rosemary herb, six parts of elecampane root, seven parts of plantain leaves, eight parts of lingonberry leaves, raspberries, thyme herbs, oregano, calamus rhizomes and ten parts of St. John's wort herb. You need to take two teaspoons of the mixture and pour a glass of boiling water over them. Send the solution over low heat and boil for ten minutes, then cool. Drink a third of a glass three times a day half an hour before meals or an hour after.

• One teaspoon of fresh or dried flowers and leaves of the plant should be poured with a glass of hot water and heated for twenty minutes in a water bath. You need to drink a third of a glass three times a day before meals. The decoction helps with insomnia, stomach ulcers, headaches and joint pain.
• Cuts. You need to take one tablespoon of dry crushed plant root and pour a glass of hot water. We send the solution to a water bath and keep it for half an hour, after which we cool it and use the broth for compresses and lotions. Apply cotton pads with the solution four to five times a day to sunburns, insect bites, cuts or rashes.

The medicinal properties of Echinacea decoction are great, but one should not forget about contraindications. Be attentive to your health!

Infusion

In winter, during the period of rampant influenza epidemics and viruses, a weakened body will benefit from an infusion of echinacea. It will do its job correctly: strengthen the immune system, protect against colds, increase performance and relieve fatigue and give strength, so necessary in this cold and uncomfortable period. Taking the infusion improves blood composition.

Traditionally, the infusion is consumed three times a day, half a glass. The advantage is that you can add honey, syrup, berry juice or sugar to your taste.

• Flu. The following recipe perfectly improves immunity, cleanses lymph and blood. You need to take three fresh flowers of the plant or two teaspoons of crushed roots or leaves. The herbs are poured with half a liter of boiling water and left for forty minutes. Afterwards you need to strain the infusion and drink a glass a day for prevention or three glasses at the beginning of the disease.
• Immunity in women's diseases. To strengthen the immune system, you can take equal parts of echinacea and leuzea herbs. Pour one tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water and after an hour you can take the infusion.
• Pour three fresh flowers or two teaspoons of crushed plant roots into half a liter of boiling water and leave for forty minutes. You need to drink one cup a day for prevention and health, and three cups for colds and ARVI.

• For pain in the pancreas. Water is poured into a liter enamel mug and put on fire until it boils. After this, you need to add ten grams of echinacea herb and cover with a lid so that the herb steams well. Drink a glass three times a day.
• After operations. An infusion can be prepared from dry herbs by pouring a glass of water over a tablespoon of the plant. You need to drink half a glass in the morning and evening twenty minutes before meals. The course of treatment is ten days, after which a ten-day break is taken and the treatment is repeated again. You can add one teaspoon of honey to the drink for a richer taste.
• Burns, scars. Take three tablespoons of the plant's herb and pour one and a half cups of boiling water. You need to infuse for half an hour and, without straining, wipe the sore spots with the infusion.
• Infusion for boils. You need to take half a liter of boiling water and three fresh flowers. Flowers can be replaced with two teaspoons of dry crushed roots or leaves of the plant. You need to insist for forty minutes and drink three glasses a day, but for prevention one is enough.

Compresses, lotions, baths

1. At skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema, boils), burns, bedsores the infusion (or alcohol tincture) is used externally, in the form of lotions or wet compresses. They also take healing baths to cleanse the skin.
2. In order to cure wounds and bruises, you can use this recipe. Take one part of the dried and crushed plant, which is collected during the growing season, and mix with three parts of honey. It should be used as a compress or drink one or two teaspoons two to three times a day, diluted in a glass of tea.
3. You need to take five to six teaspoons of dry plant herbs and pour them with a liter or one and a half liters of boiling water. Leave for forty-five or fifty minutes, then add to the bath.
4. Snake bite. It is necessary to apply chewed gruel from the roots of the plant to the site of the bite and take one tablespoon five times a day of a mixture of the stem, flower and root of the plant minced through a meat grinder.
5. With honey

The beneficial and healing properties of Echinacea are greatly enhanced when mixed with honey. We are talking about such an unusual form of using the plant as dry crushed raw materials.

It turns out that among the people, a paste of honey and dry or fresh echinacea has also found its use.

All parts of the dry plant must be ground into powder and mixed with honey. For one hundred grams of powder, take no more than three hundred grams of honey and take half a teaspoon with tea three times a day. This remedy helps normalize sleep and relieve headaches.

For wounds and bruises It is worth taking the plant with all its parts, which are collected during the growing season, and grind them into powder. One part of the powder should be mixed with three parts of honey and take this mixture as a compress. You can also take it for atherosclerosis and headaches, one or two teaspoons two to three times a day, diluted in a glass of tea.

Oil solution for tuberculosis

Tuberculosis. Take half a kilogram of crushed flower baskets or raw plant roots and fill them with two and a half liters of fresh unrefined sunflower oil. The infusion should be left for forty days and shaken as often as possible. After this, you need to add the same amount of sea buckthorn oil to the oil infusion and drink a tablespoon three times a day.

Homemade acne lotion

In order to prepare the lotion, you need to take twenty-five grams of echinacea herb and roots, twenty grams of herb and twenty grams of chamomile. The mixture of herbs is poured with half a liter of vodka, or better yet, alcohol. The mixture is infused for two weeks, after which the skin is wiped after washing with soap.

Additive to salads

Fresh echinacea leaves can be added to salads and seasoned with any vegetable oil. This is a wonderful remedy against anemia and spring vitamin deficiencies.

Juice

For problems with facial skin (freckles, warts, age spots, acne, purulent formations, wrinkles), wipe your face at night with freshly squeezed juice from Echinacea flowers and leaves.

The juice of the plant perfectly cleanses the skin of age spots, acne and lichen. To do this, you just need to lubricate the problem areas with this solution.

Syrup

Increases the immune system's defenses and echinacea syrup. Doctors usually prescribe it at the onset of cancer processes. This syrup actively normalizes metabolism and thyroid function, helping healthy cells resist the effects of harmful microorganisms.

Extract

The most powerful extract is echinacea extract. It has a positive effect on the nervous system, relieves unnecessary stress, increases efficiency at times, gives strength and vigor at any time of the day. If the extract is consumed regularly, respiratory diseases and SARS will bypass you, immunity will become strong, and nerves of steel.

Echinacea extract is a powerful remedy, so be careful with the dosage.

For an adult, 8 drops of the drug are enough, for a child - from 3 to 5 drops (depending on age). Children can dilute the extract in a small amount of water or tea.

In addition, the extract can also be used as an external agent in the form of lotions for wounds.

Contraindications and side effects

Like any other plant, echinacea has contraindications and can have side effects on the body. So, this plant is not recommended:

• for children under 2 years of age, alcohol tinctures and extracts for children under 12 years of age;
• pregnant women;
• nursing mothers;
• with individual intolerance;
• for allergic reactions;
• for chronic hypertension;
• for diabetes, leukemia, autoimmune diseases;
• in addition, the course of admission should be no more than one month, and preferably two to three weeks.

It is not advisable to take Echinacea in the warm season.

Almost all adaptogens (except for the golden root - Rhodiola rosea) negatively affect the body in the hot season. There are inflammations of chronic foci of infections, deterioration in general well-being, pressure surges, up to loss of consciousness. Keep this in mind if you want to take advantage of the healing properties of Echinacea!

Echinacea tincture for immunity, how to take

Tincture to increase immunity can be purchased at any pharmacy, or you can prepare it at home. To do this you will need raw crushed root or flowers, 70% alcohol. Pour the prepared raw materials with alcohol in a ratio of 1: 4, leave for more than a month (about 40 days).

how to cook it yourself

At home, in the summer you can prepare a medicine for vodka, which is useful to take twice a year - in spring and autumn to prevent colds. You need to take two hundred grams of fresh or fifty grams of dry plant material and pour a liter of vodka. Infuse for two weeks, or even twenty days in a dark place, shaking occasionally. Drink twenty to thirty drops three times a day half an hour before meals for ten days. The course must be carried out twice with a break of three days.

How to take echinacea tincture to strengthen the immune system and prevent flu. You need to drink fifteen to twenty drops of a pharmaceutical tincture of the plant on an empty stomach in the morning, diluting it in half a glass of boiled warm water.

If your job involves operating potentially dangerous machinery or a vehicle, be careful when consuming the tincture (as it contains alcohol).

Echinacea purpurea: planting and care

Echinacea purpurea is a beautiful perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. It has a specific taste and smell. Nowadays it is cultivated in many countries as an ornamental and medicinal plant.

The plant is sun-loving; in the shade and even partial shade it will quickly wither. It is unpretentious to the soil, but will grow poorly on light sandy soils.

Planting and caring for Echinacea purpurea - 3 ways

1. Method one. If you purchased echinacea in pots or containers, you can plant it throughout the season. For planting, prepare a hole 40 cm deep and fill it 1/3 with a mixture of sand, compost and garden soil. The plant along with the soil is carefully moved into the hole and planted at the same depth at which it grew in the pot.
2. Method number 2. Echinacea is propagated by seeds and by dividing the bush. Seeds can be sown both in open ground and in pre-prepared containers. The ideal temperature for seed germination is + 13 C. Sprouts appear after one and a half to two months. Seedlings require watering and warmth, so it is optimal to sow seeds in containers and then replant them in open ground.
3. Method three. If Echinacea is planted by dividing the bush, then the cuttings must be immersed in a solution of a liquid immunostimulant for two hours. Plant so that the root collars of the plants are no lower than the soil level. Echinacea is usually planted in this way in April.

watering and fertilizing

The plant is easy to care for and loves frequent watering. Twice a year (in spring, a week after planting and at the time the buds appear) it is fed with organic and mineral fertilizers.

Echinacea purpurea is very similar to our chamomile, only pink. It blooms in the second year of life, in the first it only forms a rosette with leaves. The flowering period lasts from mid-July to mid-September.

for the winter

At the end of October, the stems of Echinacea are cut off, and the root collar is lightly mulched with compost and carefully covered with dry leaves. This is protection from cold winters with little snow, when there is a high probability that the plant will freeze and die.

Dear readers! I have been preparing this collection of recipes for a long time in order to maximize all the beneficial and medicinal properties of echinacea, as well as contraindications, which should never be forgotten. Take care of your health in advance - take echinacea tincture for immunity for preventive purposes, drink healing teas and decoctions. Your body will respond to this with good health and vigor.

Health and joy to everyone!

As always with love, Irina Lirnetskaya