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Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
This herb prefers to grow in a full-sun situation but will thrive also in a
little less than full sun.
Native North American Medicine Men were the first to recognize and use
Echinacea to activate the body’s own ability to fight and heal itself from
disease. They used the freshly squeezed leaf juices as a compress, and made
Purple Coneflower into medicinal beverages.
Scientific studies have confirmed that its immune-boosting components
increase both the number and the activity of immune cells in the body. To
help the body rid itself of microbial infections, there is no better herb
than Echinacea. It is also an excellent preventive of colds, flu, viruses
and fungal infections. The herb also activates the liver, lymph nodes and
mucous membranes to augment the body’s overall capability to fight
infection. It enhances the body’s ability to overcome upper respiratory
infections like coughs, sore throats, sneezing, laryngitis, tonsillitis, and
sinus infections, also kidney infections, boils and septicemia. The tincture
or the strong tea can be made into a mouthwash for the treatment of
gingivitis and pyorrhea. The two main active ingredients are contained in
the flowers, roots and leaves, thus many Echinacea preparations are made
from all of those parts. The above-ground parts are harvested during the
height of the growing
season, and the root is dug in the fall, October being the best time, in
western Pennsylvania.
Therapeutic doses are usually administered by either alcohol tincture or
glycerin extract, lozenges and chewable tablets. The initial doses can be
very high, then reduced to a normal adult dose, or smaller doses
corresponding to the size of a child. Since Echinacea possesses germ-killing
and wound-healing properties, applying a compress relieves swollen glands,
inflammation of veins, infected cuts or skin
abrasions, burns and inflamed insect bites. Purple Coneflower combines well
with just about any other herb.
(some information obtained from "Holistic Herbal" by David
Hoffmann,
and from “The Complete Guide to Natural Healing”, card 8:10)
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