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Page 28
| The spleen and bone marrow are also reservoirs of macrophages which deal with pathogens that make it into the blood supply. |
| A number of echinacea's polysaccharides strongly activate macrophages, resulting in pronounced extracellular cytotoxicity against tumor cells and certain microrganisms such as Leishmania enrietta, a parasitic protozoa responsible for often severe skin conditions. The polysaccharides have also been shown to enhance production of specific forms of interleukin and interferon, internally produced substances that increase resistance against pathogens.26 The majority of this research has been conducted using highly purified isolated polysaccharide fractions administered via injection. This has raised questions and concerns about relating such specialized research to the use of "crude" products administered orally. However, additional research using orally administered ethanol extracts of the three primary echinacea species were all found to significantly enhance phagocytosis. In E. angustifolia and E. pallida the fat-soluble constituents displayed greater activity than the water-soluble fractions, while in E. purpurea, the activity of the water-soluble constituents was more pronounced.27 This, in conjunction with the long-term, seemingly successful traditional use of echinacea provides significant evidence that many of the uses ascribed to echinacea by Native Americans and the Eclectics regarding its effectiveness in treating skin conditions are valid. |
| Anti-Inflammatory Activity |
| Inflammation is one of the body's responses to the adverse conditions which occur when tissue is damaged |
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