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Page 30
| acid) obtained from E. angustifolia. The strongest effect was elicited by chicoric and caffaric acids.29 In addition, Dr. Rudolf Bauer, one of the world's leading researchers on the pharmacology and chemistry of echinacea, has identified a group of alkaloids from E. angustifolia which also have an inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase.30 |
| Echinacea has been used clinically for a large number of inflammatory conditions, usually in combination with other herbs, but often alone. In investigations of echinacea's anti-inflammatory activity, a topical application of a crude polysaccharide mixture from E. angustifolia roots has been shown to reduce swelling and edema similar to that experienced by those with arthritis, while an alkylamide fraction from the roots of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia was also shown to possess a similar anti-inflammatory activity. The activity was reported to occur by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase.28 |
| Other pharmacological research has substantiated that echinacea is effective in the treatment of inflammatory conditions associated with the genito-urinary tract (specifically the prostate, urethra and epididymis) and inflammation of the ear, nose and throat. Each of these studies substantiate the use of echinacea by modern herbalists, many of whom rely on it as their primary botanical for inflammation associated with systemic infections. Echinacea has also proven effective in the treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease, a serious infection of the pelvic area that can result in sterility.7 |
| Echinacea as Alternative |
| The primary use of echinacea historically has been as an "alterative," a substance that helps in the res- |
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