Echinacea Myths, Controversy and Facts
by David Bunting (July 2005)

Surprisingly, one of the most popular and common remedies in western herbalism has been the subject of controversy and misunderstanding for over 100 years. Historically, much of the original controversy started with highly exaggerated claims for Echinacea’s benefits, fueled by an ongoing feud between different schools of medicine. More recently, misinterpretations of scientific studies and disregard for traditional use have clouded the true nature and application of Echinacea. Weathering time and controversy, this vital botanical has secured a primary position in the dispensaries of practitioners and home medicine cabinets throughout North America.

The two most pervasive modern myths about Echinacea are that it is contraindicated in autoimmune disorders and that it should not be taken long term. The contraindication in autoimmune disease is based solely on conjecture. The rationale being that any immune stimulant should not be taken in disorders wherein the immune system is already overactive. While this makes theoretical sense, it does not take into account Echinacea’s immune modulating activity or the numerous complexities of the immune system itself. There has never been any documented case of Echinacea exacerbating an autoimmune disorder. The caution is also contrary to traditional use by Eclectic physicians of the late 1800s and early 1990s. The Eclectics used Echinacea to treat tuberculosis and other autoimmune-related diseases.

Throughout the 1990s, some herbalists proposed complex dosing schedules for Echinacea, with debates over whether 12 days or 13 days should be the limit. This controversy stemmed from a single, misinterpreted study that appeared to show the herb’s effect diminishing around this length of use. The problem with the German study, or at least the translation of it, was that the administration of the Echinacea actually ceased after day 5 of the study. The immune-enhancing effects of the Echinacea continued after the dosing ended and then declined around day 12. One subsequent 12-week test has shown that a stronger immune response occurs after two weeks. There are no indications from traditional use that Echinacea was or should be used for limited periods. Again to the contrary, Eclectic physicians employed Echinacea in the treatment of various chronic disorders such as cancer.

Original “traditional use” of Echinacea was the herb’s use by the Native peoples of North America. Echinacea is a wholly North American native itself, with distribution of various species from the Eastern U.S. to the plain states and north into Canada. Several species of Echinacea were widely used by various Indian tribes. Indian tribes such as the Choctaw and Delaware used E. purpurea in respiratory affections and venereal disease respectively. In 1830, the renowned naturalist Constantine Rafinesque cited use in treating syphilis by the Mandan Indians. As an integral part of the indigenous materia medica, therapeutic information regarding Echinacea naturally filtered to the new inhabitants of America, the settlers.

Echinacea remained an obscure entity however, until lay-physician H.C.F. Meyer contacted the esteemed Eclectic physician Dr. King and pharmaceutical genius, John Uri Lloyd. Meyer had been selling a patent medicine and claiming many excellent, and some far-fetched results for its blood purifying action. He used Echinacea angustifolia in his namesake product, although at the time he did not know the identity of the roots. Meyer was claiming cures for a plethora of diseases and conditions, including the bites of rattlesnakes. The fantastic nature of Meyer’s claims gave Lloyd serious doubts about the source of the information and the power of Echinacea. At King’s urging, Lloyd agreed to investigate the herb and soon discovered that it did in fact possess important medicinal qualities.

The allopathic medical community shared Lloyd’s original doubts. The allopaths were never able to get beyond Meyer’s exaggerated claims, that they considered Meyer to be a quack, or their contempt for the Eclectic school. The allopaths dismissed everything about Echinacea as nonsense and the Eclectic school was highly criticized for adopting a botanical introduced to them under spurious circumstances. Despite the importance of botanicals to both schools of medicine at the time, what the Eclectics saw as promise, the allopaths saw as preposterous and an easy opportunity to ridicule their rivals.

Despite E. purpurea being the first Echinacea species to appear in the Eclectic Dispensatory, Eclectics later came to prefer E. angustifolia to E. purpurea. One possible reason for this was the adulteration of wild-harvested E. purpurea with Parthenium integrifolium (wild quinine) and the resulting ineffectiveness of using a non-Echinacea species. German researchers in the 1930s, through a mix up in identification of true E. angustifolia seed, began growing and researching E. purpurea. German researchers developed a substantial body of knowledge based on the species that despite a tradition of use by Native peoples had previously garnered only passing comment in medical texts. The German research launched E. purpurea into the modern therapeutic spotlight.
One of the factors involved in the species debate is environmental concern. Echinacea angustifolia is much more difficult to grow than E. purpurea, and significant amounts of E. angustifolia are therefore still harvested in the wild. Groups such as Untied Plant Savers, who include Echinacea on their “at-risk” list, have raised widespread concern about the environmental impact of potential over harvesting of this highly popular medicinal.

Echinacea is most widely known for its use in prevention and treatment of colds and related upper respiratory infections. In fact, Echinacea has far greater application than colds and is useful in a broad array of conditions. Echinacea is useful as a direct treatment or adjunct therapy in infections and inflammations of all kinds, wounds, joint and skin conditions, prostatitis and an unending variety of immune-related conditions, as well as a general immune booster. Because of its wide range of use and excellent therapeutic and safety record, Echinacea is currently one of the most popular medicinal herbs in the United States, relied on by practitioners and families alike to maintain and restore health.