Echinacea purpurea is a widely used medicinal plant, the preparations of which are used to increase. Means based on it are used to combat allergies, as well as viral and fungal infections.
Echinacea purpurea is a perennial plant native to the eastern part of the North American continent. It belongs to the Compositae (Asteraceae) family.
The height of straight leafy and strongly branching rough stems reaches 1 m. Bright pink or purple reed and tubular Echinacea flowers are collected in large (up to 15 cm) inflorescences-baskets.
Flowering time in our country is from mid-summer to early autumn. Echinacea blooms for the first time in the second year of life.
This plant is cultivated as an ornamental and medicinal; it does not grow well in shady areas and prefers drained fertile soils, although it is quite drought tolerant. Echinacea tolerates low temperatures well, which leads to a wide area of its distribution.
Rhizomes are harvested as medicinal raw materials, as well as aerial parts - stems, leaves and flowers. Drying is recommended in attics with good air circulation.
A number of biologically active substances have been found in Echinacea purpurea, including organic acids with antifungal activity, polyenes, phytosterols, glycosides, resins, essential oils, tannins, saponins and alkaloids. Due to the high content of phenolic acids, the plant is a powerful natural antiseptic.
The herb contains many bioflavonoids, polyamines, resins and polysaccharides. Rhizomes contain immune-stimulating phenolcarboxylic acids, glucose, inulin, and betaine, which can significantly reduce the risk of strokes and.
Both in the roots and in the aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea, micro and macro elements (iron, molybdenum, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc, cobalt, beryllium and aluminum) are present in large quantities.
Preparations based on Echinacea purpurea are characterized by pronounced anti-allergic, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also used to fight fungal, bacterial and viral infections.
Echinacea accelerates the healing of tissues in ulcerative lesions and wounds. The plant is an effective remedy for skin diseases such as eczema.
Due to the ability to stimulate general immunity, it helps to prevent or alleviate the course of colds and SARS.
The herb extract is a very effective adaptogenic agent.
Important:it has been established that Echinacea contributes to the production of a factor in the body that prevents and slows down growth.
Preparations from various parts of the medicinal plant are indicated for the treatment and prevention of the following diseases:
Important:decoctions of Echinacea have a tonic effect and normalize blood pressure.
Reception of tincture helps to increase the number of leukocytes and prevents the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. During the period of seasonal colds, the drug activates the immune system. Alcohol tincture of Echinacea can also be applied topically, topically to treat skin and wounds to reduce inflammation and accelerate tissue regeneration.
Note:for external use (lotions, compresses and rinses), it is advisable to prepare the preparation at the rate of 40 drops of alcohol tincture (in 70% ethanol) per 100 ml of saline.
Most people tolerate treatment with Echinacea purpurea well. Allergic reactions are extremely rare in patients.
Contraindications to the use of this plant are:
Important:Do not take drugs for more than a month in a row! Large doses can provoke dyspeptic disorders and sleep disturbances.
Women who are carrying a baby, as well as nursing mothers, are advised to refrain from taking Echinacea. Data on the safety of the plant is not enough, although it is well established that it does not lead to fetal malformations. The issue of increasing the likelihood of spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) remains controversial.
Some experts are of the opinion that Echinacea during pregnancy is a good alternative to antibiotics and synthetic immunomodulators. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe a herbal preparation for external use for purulent inflammation of the skin.
Pediatricians recommend giving children who have reached the age of 12 a tincture previously diluted with water 1: 3. A single dose for children and adolescents is 3-10 drops (depending on age), and the frequency of administration is 2 times a day. Tincture is an excellent tool to strengthen the immunity of the child. For babies (over 2 years old), it is better to take syrup or tablet forms.
Echinacea is an attractive purple flower native to North America and has long been renowned for its medicinal properties. If you take into account all the contraindications to the use of echinacea, with the help of this plant you can increase immunity, alleviate the patient's condition with colds and acute respiratory infections, and accelerate wound healing. It is an effective natural antioxidant and immunomodulator that has a complex effect on the human body.
The plant has a special chemical composition. In order not to harm your health, you need to know about the dosage when taking infusions and decoctions and follow the rules for preparing medicines.
For a long time, the purple flower has been used as a medicinal plant that can overcome various infections and other diseases. These healing properties of the plant are explained by its special chemical composition, rich in polysaccharides, flavonoids, essential lipids, alkylamides, vitamin D and many useful trace elements.
All parts of the plant have medicinal properties, with vital substances found in both fresh and dried flowers. Therefore, echinacea is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. Extract from the roots and grass of the plant, harvested during flowering, is used in 250 preparations, including a patented remedy for AIDS.
Echinacea has many other names reflecting its unsurpassed healing properties. The Europeans called it the American golden flower or the wonder of the prairies. The Indians, who are aware of the ability of the flower to decontaminate snake venom, call the plant a snake root.
As a result of laboratory and clinical studies, scientists have proven the antibacterial effect of echinacea, so the indications for its use are tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. Purple flower is the most powerful and effective herbal immune system stimulant. Preparations with this medicinal plant help to cope with toothache, heal wounds and ulcers on the skin, and get rid of herpes.
To maximize the effect of products with the addition of echinacea, it is necessary to start taking drugs when the first symptoms of the disease appear.
When starting treatment with echinacea, one must remember about all contraindications and precautions.
Children under the age of two should not be given any Echinacea supplements. The fact is that the immune system of a small child is formed gradually. This process should take place naturally, without outside interference. For the same reason, the use of such herbal preparations should be limited during the period of childbearing and breastfeeding.
The appropriateness of echinacea treatment for children older than 2 years is determined by the doctor. If there are no contraindications, children are prescribed tea and decoctions. Start treatment with the lowest dose and continue only in the absence of negative symptoms.
Echinacea is a medicinal plant, so you can take medicinal tinctures and decoctions only in certain quantities and with interruptions, otherwise various side effects may occur. Exceeding dosages and excessively long-term use of drugs can suppress one's own cellular immunity, so this plant should not be abused.
Some people have an individual intolerance to drugs based on echinacea. Taking the medicine may be accompanied by nausea and dizziness, headache and stomach discomfort, fatigue and body aches. In such cases, you should immediately stop using the drug and consult a doctor.
When using undiluted alcohol tincture, a feeling of numbness may appear, which will quickly pass without outside intervention.
Allergy to Compositae is a serious contraindication to taking echinacea, but a person may not be aware of the presence of such a pathology. If, after using the drug, the skin becomes covered with a rash, the pressure drops sharply, shortness of breath begins, you should immediately stop treatment and consult a specialist. Such manifestations indicate the occurrence of an allergic reaction and may result in suffocation and anaphylactic shock.
For the preparation of medicinal infusions and decoctions, fresh or dried plants are used, which are more than two years old. Traditional medicine knows many recipes for the preparation of tinctures, teas and decoctions from echinacea. The author of the site site has collected information and presented the most popular of them.
To prepare an infusion of echinacea, pour 1 tbsp into a thermos. l. raw materials and pour 2 tbsp. steep boil. A thermos with infusion is left overnight, then the liquid is cooled and filtered.
To prepare an alcoholic infusion of echinacea, pour 50 g of raw materials into 1 liter of vodka and insist for 3 weeks. Take an alcohol tincture of 25-30 drops before meals.
The benefits of infusion are manifested in the treatment of diseases of the stomach, joints, and in the removal of edema. With the help of this medicine, you can improve vision, reduce cravings for smoking and alcohol, and normalize the metabolic process.
Take the usual infusion should be half a glass shortly before meals 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 10 days, then you need to take a week break - and you can start taking the drug again.
A decoction of echinacea is prepared as follows. One teaspoon of dried herbs is poured into 1 tbsp. boiling water and simmer in a water bath for about 30 minutes. The resulting decoction should be used in the same way as the infusion.
With the help of this healing agent, you can increase immunity, improve blood composition, strengthen memory and attention, relieve stress and increase efficiency, improve vision, normalize blood pressure, accelerate the healing of wounds and bruises.
Echinacea teas are very popular. They are drunk to increase immunity, slow down the aging process, in order to cleanse and rejuvenate the body. This drug is also indispensable for colds, for quick recovery after taking antibiotics, chemical and radiation therapy.
To make tea, just a couple of teaspoons of herbs pour 2 tbsp. boiling water and insist for 40 minutes. Drink twice a day, one cup.
Echinacea purpurea has many beneficial properties, but if you do not take into account the contraindications to the use of this plant, you can cause serious harm to your health.
Echinacea is a multi-rhizome perennial herb native to the eastern United States. Cultivated as an ornamental and medicinal plant, common in Russia, Europe, the North Caucasus. There are several varieties of Echinacea (pale purple, narrow-leaved), but Echinacea purpurea (Echinacea purpurea) is used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.
Content:
Echinacea is rich in biologically active and various minerals, it contains a lot of selenium, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc, magnesium and other components that are useful for us. The roots and rhizomes of the plant are saturated with essential and fatty oils, inulin, tannins, glucose, various resins, organic acids (including polyunsaturated fatty acids), polysaccharides, alkaloids, but the main thing in them is a special substance - betaine, which prevents the development of such diseases, like heart attack and stroke. The phenolcarboxylic acids that are part of the plant stimulate the immune defense of the body and have a diuretic effect.
Due to the variety of chemical composition, echinacea exhibits antiviral and antiseptic properties, prevents further growth and development of bacteria and viruses (flu, stomatitis, etc.), coccal infections. It is also effective against macrophages and neutrophils.
The plant also has a high antifungal and anti-inflammatory ability, accelerates the healing of eczema, wounds and ulcers.
Echinacea, although to a lesser extent, exhibits antirheumatic and antiallergic effects. The plant and preparations from it are of particular benefit in the treatment and prevention of colds, sore throats, flu and SARS.
Echinacea is also known for its antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties, has the ability to reduce the level of toxins in the body, and often inhibit the development of metastases.
The unique properties of echinacea are used in the complex treatment and prevention of various diseases, especially respiratory diseases, including in children, because it does not cause allergic reactions. Taking echinacea in the early stages of the disease can significantly reduce the duration of the disease and speed up recovery.
For the use of echinacea for medicinal purposes, a plant that is at least two years old is suitable, and flowers, leaves, roots and stems are used. The internal use of the plant and preparations from it is especially relevant for colds, flu, ear infections, intestinal infections, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the bladder, liver, inflammatory processes in a chronic form, female diseases. But outwardly, it has no less effect, relieving skin diseases and various problems (urticaria, herpes, eczema, abscesses, furunculosis, burns, insect bites, etc.). Echinacea and preparations from it showed good results on the body in eliminating the effects of exposure to heavy metals and chemicals (fungicides, pesticides, etc.), in the treatment of prostatitis, osteomyelitis and rheumatism, as a restorative agent after radiation and chemotherapy, antibiotic treatment.
Lotions from a decoction of echinacea are used as a remedy for psoriasis, as well as relieving itching and pain after an insect bite. Also, a decoction of echinacea is useful for stomach ulcers, normalizes blood pressure and improves the condition of the body as a whole.
Echinacea tincture on alcohol has a powerful immunostimulating effect on the human body, strengthening the protective properties. Its reception will be especially relevant during the period of respiratory diseases as the strongest prophylactic. The systematic intake of tincture increases the level of leukocytes, "awakens" the phagocytic response, and inhibits the reproduction of harmful microbes.
Echinacea tincture is effectively used in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system, to accelerate the healing of wounds and tissue repair, as well as in the treatment of skin diseases.
Echinacea tincture in order to strengthen immunity and treat colds can be given to children after two years. The use of echinacea tincture almost never causes allergic reactions and side effects, because the composition of the drug is absolutely natural. In rare cases, if a rash or dizziness occurs, the drug should be stopped immediately.
It is recommended to take the tincture twenty minutes before the main meal three times a day. At the beginning of therapy, the daily dose of tincture for an adult should not be more than 40 drops, during further treatment this amount can be increased to 60 drops per day. Alcohol tincture can be given to children after 12 years twice a day, 5-10 drops diluted in water (ratio 1:3).
Depending on the severity and characteristics of the course of the disease, the doctor prescribes the duration of the drug, which should not exceed eight weeks, even if the drug is well tolerated.
For external use, the tincture should be diluted in sodium chloride (40 drops of tincture per 100 ml of sodium chloride). Apply such a solution as rinses, compresses or lotions.
Compound.
Echinacea roots - 10 g.
Medical alcohol - 100 ml.
The tincture is prepared from the roots of the plant and medical alcohol. It is necessary to grind 10 g of roots, place them in a glass container, pour alcohol, cork with a lid and place in a cool dark place for a day. The finished tincture should be filtered through gauze and taken daily, 20-30 drops before the main meal. The drug should be taken three times a day. Duration is two to three weeks until a stable therapeutic effect appears.
Compound.
Root, leaves, stems, flowers of echinacea (mixture) - 100 g.
Village honey in liquid form - 300 g.
Preparation and use.
To prepare the remedy, you will need all parts of the plant. They must be crushed, take 100 g, combine with liquid natural honey (300 g). Take 1-2 teaspoons with tea three times a day. In addition to getting rid of headaches, an echinacea-based remedy has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, calms it, normalizes blood pressure and improves sleep.
Compound.
Echinacea flowers - 3 pcs.
Echinacea root chopped - 1 tsp.
Echinacea leaves - 1 tsp
Steep boiling water - 1 cup.
Preparation and use.
This tool perfectly copes with colds and flu, and during the period of respiratory diseases will be an excellent means of preventing them. You will need a crushed echinacea root (1 tsp), the same number of leaves of the plant and three of its flowers. All this is mixed in a ceramic bowl, brewed with a glass of boiling water and left to infuse for forty minutes. During the period of treatment of diseases, you should drink a glass of tea three times a day, for a preventive purpose - a glass a day, preferably before meals (twenty minutes).
Compound.
High-quality vodka - 1 liter.
All parts of echinacea in crushed form - 100 g.
Preparation and use.
We put the raw materials in a glass dish, fill it with vodka, cork and leave it in a dark, cool place for twenty days. Every two or three days, the contents of the container should be shaken. After twenty days, filter the vodka tincture, take the finished product three times a day, thirty drops before meals for a week and a half. Next, you should take a three-day break, again conduct a treatment course, again take a three-day break and repeat the treatment course.
This tincture is also effective in the treatment of peptic ulcer, diseases of the female genital area, kidneys or bladder, and vasospasm.
Compound.
Fresh (or dry) leaves of the plant in crushed form - 1 tsp.
Steep boiling water - 1 cup.
Preparation and use.
Brew the raw materials with boiling water and put in a water bath. After twenty minutes, remove the liquid from the bath and leave for half an hour, filter. Take 1/3 cup three times a day fifteen minutes before the main meal for ten days. This is followed by a five-day break and another ten days of admission. This is one course. Such courses should be done two or three after a 5-10 day break. A decoction of the plant improves vision, eliminates swelling, relieves joint pain, treats stomach ulcers, improves mood.
Compound.
The crushed parts of the plant in dry form - 1 tbsp. l.
Steep boiling water - 0.5 liters.
Preparation and use.
Pour boiling water over the raw materials (it is better to do this in a thermos, but you can also use an enamel saucepan with a lid) and leave overnight. In the morning, filter the prepared infusion, take 100-150 ml three times a day half an hour before the main meal. The drug should be taken for ten days, then take a five-day break and repeat the intake of the infusion two more times for 10 days with breaks of five days. This is 1 course. If necessary, the course of therapy can be repeated three times for ten days after a month break. The infusion is effective in obesity, the treatment of herpes, the treatment of infertility, to strengthen the immune system, increase efficiency, improve memory and attention, as well as gynecological disorders.
The drug is a powerful tool with a tonic effect, gives vigor, improves performance. High adaptogenic properties increase the body's resistance to the adverse effects of external factors. The remedy, when taken systematically, relieves overvoltage and serves as an excellent prophylactic against acute respiratory infections. For internal use, the drug is recommended in the amount of 8 drops (adults), diluted in a small amount of water. Depending on the age of children, the recommended dose varies from 3 to 5 drops diluted with water or tea.
Echinacea is contraindicated for people suffering from chronic hypertension.
This remedy based on healing echinacea strengthens the protective ability of the body, increasing resistance to the harmful effects of microorganisms. It is often recommended for use in manifestations of an oncological nature. Plus, the remedy restores the functioning of the thyroid gland and normalizes metabolism.
Regardless of contraindications, Echinacea should not be taken for more than a month.
Echinacea has been used as a medicine for a long time. This is a beautiful flower that is used to treat many diseases. Scientists began to study its beneficial properties more than one century ago. Today, there are a lot of drugs based on echinacea.
The upper part of the plant differs significantly in its chemical composition from the lower part. The roots contain a high concentration of volatile oils, and the lower part is rich in polysaccharides, which are beneficial for the immune system. In addition, echinacea contains many chemical compounds that are needed for immunity. They are represented by ascorbic acid, flavonoids, inulin and essential oils.
The plant has many medicinal properties. It has a high content of mineral components and biologically active substances. The rhizome of the plant consists of essential oils and inulin, it also contains tannins and organic acids, resins, polysaccharides, and a high content of alkaloids and betaine. It must be said that betaine prevents the development of diseases of the heart muscle. Echinacea also contains phenolcarboxylic acid, which is responsible for protecting the body's immune system and has a diuretic effect.
The main properties that the plant possesses are antiviral and antiseptic, it also prevents the reproduction of bacteria and viruses, coccal infections. The plant is often used to fight against fungal diseases, it speeds up the healing process of wounds, eczema and ulcers. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic and anti-allergic effects on the human body. Echinacea is used during the treatment and prevention of colds, copes with sore throats and flu, treats the upper respiratory tract.
The antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic qualities of the plant reduce the level of toxins in the human body and stop the growth of metastases.
The plant is useful for many of its unique properties, they are used not only for complex treatment, but also for the prevention of various diseases. Basically, these are respiratory diseases.
Important! Its use is allowed for children, as the plant does not cause allergic reactions. If the disease is at an early stage and Echinacea is taken, this will significantly shorten the duration of the disease, and the recovery process will only speed up.
In order for echinacea treatment to be beneficial, it is worth using an elderly plant for medicines. For the manufacture of medicines, not only flowers are used, but also leaves, roots and stems.
Indications:
The general condition of the body will be much better if you take echinacea regularly.
To strengthen your immune system, medical experts advise taking a natural alcohol infusion of echinacea. To perform the prevention of respiratory diseases, it is best to take it in the autumn and spring. Alcohol tincture stops the reproduction of microorganisms, bacteria and raises the level of leukocytes in the body.
Children older than two years of age can also be treated with this tincture. The drug contains only natural ingredients, and therefore will not cause an allergic reaction. Very rarely, after taking such a plant, a rash or dizziness appears, but if this happens, you should immediately stop taking this drug.
Since the tincture is very popular among medical professionals, it has also found its use in therapy. It helps to get rid of diseases of the urinary system, promotes rapid healing of wounds, restores the skin well and cures skin diseases.
Echinacea alcohol tincture
Take this tincture three times a day. It is important that her intake was 20 minutes before the start of the meal. Having started treatment with alcohol tincture, an adult should not consume more than forty drops per day. During treatment, the dose can be increased to sixty drops for one day.
An alcohol-based tincture can be used externally, only this is not done in its pure form, but it must be diluted in sodium chloride. Forty drops of tincture are taken per hundred milliliters of sodium chloride. This solution can be used to gargle, make compresses or lotions.
Decoction of echinacea
It will take one teaspoon of the leaves of the plant, you can take both dry and fresh leaves. And one glass of hot water. The leaves are poured with boiling water and put in a water bath. This process should take half an hour. Then the broth is filtered and it is immediately ready for use. The course of treatment consists of ten days. Take 30 milliliters of decoction three times a day, 15 minutes before meals. Usually there are several courses, there may be two or three, but there must be a week break between them. Such a decoction is drunk to improve vision, remove puffiness, eliminate pain in the joints, cure stomach ulcers and just cheer up.
Preparation of echinacea infusion
Take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of echinacea and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. The container is chosen with a tight lid, you can take a thermos. Leave the liquid sealed overnight. By morning the infusion will be ready. It must be filtered through gauze and drunk 100 milliliters three times a day. It is advisable to do this thirty minutes before meals. The infusion is drunk for ten days. After the end of the course - 5 days break, and repeat the treatment again. If, after the course has been completed three times, a repetition is necessary, then the break should be a month.
Echinacea infusion is often used for overweight, the first signs of obesity, infertility, herpes are treated, and the immune system is strengthened. After regular use of the infusion, efficiency increases, memory and attention improve. This is an effective remedy for gynecological diseases.
Beneficial Echinacea Extract
Not many people know that such a drug is the strongest remedy that has tonic effects, gives vigor, it helps to improve performance. Due to the adaptogenic properties, the body becomes more resistant to the effects of adverse external factors. Regular intake of the remedy will relieve the overstrain of the body and perform a preventive effect of colds. The drug can be taken by both adults and children. Adults can dilute the product in water, but for a child it is better to use tea.
If the agent is applied externally, then it will accelerate the healing of wounds and can be used as an anesthetic.
echinacea syrup
Echinacea is rich in beneficial properties, it helps to strengthen the body's immunity, increases its resistance to the harmful effects of microorganisms. Medical experts recommend using the syrup as soon as oncological diseases begin to appear. Such a remedy helps to improve metabolism, and the work of the thyroid gland after its use returns to normal.
Important! If the use of the herb occurs on its own, without the recommendations of a doctor, then the dosage must be strictly observed.
A child's body is much weaker and defenseless, unlike an adult. In order for your child’s immune system to always be normal, and the baby was sick as rarely as possible, you need to drink echinacea tincture. This will help to avoid colds and possible inflammatory processes in the baby's body. To prepare it, take a teaspoon of a dry plant and 200 ml of boiled water. It is important that the water is at room temperature, do not use boiling water. The grass is poured with warm water and allowed to stand for an hour. The tea should turn out to be weak, much weaker than for an adult body, which is good for a child.
The plant has a lot of positive qualities and properties, but, in addition, there are important contraindications to taking this plant.
Almost every drug that contains echinacea contains arabinogalactian. And this substance has many contraindications, and such drugs should not be taken categorically by HIV-infected and AIDS patients. Scientists have also proven that this component promotes the growth of malignant tumors.
If you take echinacea correctly, then it only has a positive effect on the human body. You can only take two weeks in a row, then there must be a break.
In fact, there are many contraindications to taking echinacea, but in most cases, side effects are due to an exaggerated dosage of the drug. To avoid undesirable consequences and taking the medicine has a positive effect on the body, you need to observe the duration of the course and the correct doses.
In our fleeting time, there is a tendency for a decrease in immunity in people due to an unbalanced diet, environmental degradation and a sedentary lifestyle. As a consequence, there is an increase in the incidence rate, regardless of age. And therefore, herbal preparations to increase immunity, including echinacea, are becoming popular. Of course, one cannot hope that the body's defenses can be raised without proper nutrition and physical activity, but natural stimulants also contribute to recovery.
Today we will take a closer look at this medicinal herb, find out exactly how echinacea helps to boost immunity. Consider ready-made dosage forms and homemade methods for preparing echinacea. Find out how to use echinacea to boost immunity.
The medicinal herb Echinacea is a perennial plant. For centuries, the medicinal properties of echinacea have been used by the Indians of North America - the birthplace of this medicinal plant. In Europe, it has been used for medicinal purposes and to increase immunity for 150 years, and in Russia it is cultivated mainly in the Krasnodar Territory. For medicinal raw materials, grass collected during flowering and roots dug out in autumn are used. Echinacea contains:
The component of phenylpropanoids - chicory acid determines the immunostimulating and antiviral properties of the herb. Alkylamides have an anti-inflammatory effect. Polysaccharides have an immunomodulatory effect on the body.
There are several types of medicinal plant echinacea, but they differ only in color and appearance. The medicinal properties of all types of this herb are the same.
In medicine, purple echinacea is more commonly used. Extracts, juices, tinctures and tablets are obtained from medicinal herbs. When cultivating, this unpretentious type of echinacea is also preferred.
Currently, Russian pharmacologists continue to develop drugs based on echinacea. During the scientific research of echinacea purpurea, the flavonoids rutin and nicotiflorin were isolated, which have a therapeutic effect on the human body.
As you can see, this medicinal plant is widely used in many areas of medicine to speed up recovery as a means of increasing immunity. Herbal preparations for immunity based on echinacea compare favorably with synthetic analogues by the absence of pronounced side effects.
In the development of pathological processes in infections, allergic and autoimmune diseases, the main role is assigned to the immune system. The course and outcome of the disease depends on how strong immunity a person has. To activate a weakened immune system, some kind of stimulant push is needed. One of the triggers of immunity at the humoral level is herbal preparations, including echinacea.
The mechanism of action of echinacea is that, on the one hand, it stimulates immune blood cells - mast cells, T-lymphocytes. On the other hand, echinacea enhances the production of interferon, a substance responsible for fighting viruses. In addition, alkylamides in echinacea stimulate phagocytosis, which destroys pathogenic bacteria. Such a symbiosis of effects on the body explains the acceleration of recovery from influenza, acute respiratory infections and infectious diseases.
Despite the variety of dosage forms based on echinacea, the indications for all of them are identical. The use of medicinal herbs is recommended in the following cases:
Important! When using echinacea, you should be aware that it is used as an additional tool in the treatment of specific drugs, and not instead of them.
After the use of herbal preparations, the development of allergies in sensitive people is not excluded. In some cases, after the use of echinacea, nausea, dyspeptic disorders or vomiting appear. Sometimes disturbed by sleep disturbance. Permanent contraindications are:
For children under 4 years of age, echinacea preparations in the dosage form of a tablet are contraindicated, and drops are not recommended for children under 1 year of age. Alcohol tinctures are also contraindicated in childhood.
Most of the drugs based on echinacea are produced abroad. But in Russia, government developments are also underway to produce echinacea preparations. The pharmacy chain has the following echinacea medicines included in the State Register of Medicines of Russia:
Due to the huge variety of preparations, it is difficult to make a safe choice that meets state production standards. Immunology experts advise buying standardized Echinacea Vilar juice containing 2.4% beta-fructofuranosidase. Doctors also recommend Echinacea Vilar liquid extract or Echinacea Galenopharm tincture at a concentration of 5:1.
Important! Alcohol tinctures with a high alcohol content are contraindicated in patients with hepatitis and people with alcohol dependence.
Information for those who prefer solid dosage forms - standardized echinacea extract tablets contain 4 to 5% echinacosides.
In Russia, echinacea tincture is produced for immunity. Produces tincture JSC "Pharmaceutical factory of St. Petersburg" and some CIS countries. Echinacea tincture contains:
A tincture is used to increase immunity in the treatment of influenza and SARS, stomatitis and gingivitis. It is indicated for the prevention of recurrent infections of the respiratory system and urinary tract.
How to take echinacea tincture to boost immunity? For the prevention and stimulation of protective forces, it is recommended to take 25 drops three times a day before meals, mixing with water. The course of application is 2 months. The doctor prescribes the need for a repeated course for immunity to each patient individually, depending on the condition and age of the patient.
In acute infections, the tincture is used according to the scheme:
Further use of the tincture is discussed with the doctor. Alcohol preparations are not prescribed for children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
The Russian developers of ZAO Altayvitaminy produce echinacea extract for immunity. The liquid extract contains substances extracted with ethyl alcohol from Echinacea purpurea. Release form in dark glass bottles of 100 ml. In addition to the liquid form, echinacea extract is also available in dry form and in the form of capsules.
Echinacea preparations are indicated in the complex treatment of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and other uncomplicated infections. The use of the extract is also recommended at the beginning of the winter season for the prevention of influenza and acute respiratory infections. The dose and duration of treatment is prescribed by the doctor. Echinacea extract is not recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers, as well as children.
Homemade recipes to increase immunity have a huge advantage over ready-made pharmacy products - they do not contain dyes and preservatives. You can prepare them from pharmacy dry echinacea.
How to brew pharmacy dry echinacea for immunity? - the decoction is prepared as follows:
Take a decoction of 1/3 cup three times a day before meals. For prophylactic purposes and to increase immunity, echinacea preparations are used for 2 months, after which they take a week-long break. Repetition of the course is recommended to discuss with your doctor.
In addition to the decoction, at the first signs of a cold, it is useful to take echinacea tea to boost immunity:
It can be taken by adults and children instead of regular tea. To enhance the effect, add honey to the drink and squeeze a few drops of lemon.
With colds, the herb echinacea to strengthen immunity in children will be the first to come to the rescue and speed up recovery. In addition to tea and decoction, echinacea for children after 4 years of age is used in the dosage form of tablets. But not before the children reach the age of four and after consulting a doctor.
Echinacea accelerates recovery in the complex treatment of infections. In the winter season, the medicinal herb is used to prevent seasonal respiratory diseases. Recall, like any plant, echinacea in sensitive people can cause allergies. Children are advised to consult their pediatrician before using echinacea.
