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| inhibits hyaluronidase, thereby assisting wound healing and indirectly inhibiting cancer growth. This occurs through the activation of hyaluronic acid. Echinacea has been shown to possess antitumor activity in several studies and it also enhances the effectiveness of antibiotics. |
| Echinacea was traditionally used by American Indians of the western plains, and was the herb most widely used by Eclectic physicians. It was used primarily as a blood purifier to treat various conditions such as abscesses, boils, gangrenous wounds, poison ivy, spider and snake bites, scarlet fever, and influenza. |
| Recently there has been much confusion about echinacea's active compounds and the correct length of time to continue its use. The Eclectics and all other clinicians who have used echinacea over the years suggest that it can be used for long periods of time for chronic health conditions, with no side effects or contraindications. Echinacea wore best as a preventive and should be referred to as an immunomodulator. |
| I recommend echinacea both as a tonic herb and an herb for acute infections, often combining it with other herbs. The two most common herbs the Eclectics combined with echinacea were baptisia and thuja. These three herbs have a synergistic effect and work well together for treating many acute and chronic infections. |
| I believe echinacea is one of the most valuable herbs in use today and it is often the main ingredient in the personal and specific tonics I recommend to patients. These tonics may be taken for a month or more. |
| Many people have the mistaken belief that echinacea should be used only for a short period of time (seven to ten days) and then stopped for the same amount of time before resuming its use. I do not believe this is true. I do believe, however, that echinacea, or any immune booster, when used to fight off an acute infection, should be taken frequently and in fairly high doses (½ teaspoon five to six times a day). Using echinacea in this way activates the immune system by stimulating cell-mediated immune function in order to ward off any invaders that are trying to take over. If echinacea is being used as a tonic herb, the dose is much less; perhaps 20 drops two to three times a day. Echinacea is then acting as an immune modulator, a blood purifier, and a tonic. |
| Through immune modulation, echinacea is a very valuable herb in cancer treatment and prevention. It activates specific antitumor immune-fighting cells, makes macrophages cytotoxic, and has some direct rumor-destructive constituents, namely the essential oils. 71 7273 |
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