ECHINACEA: Allied Effective Against Infections (I)
The arrival of bad weather frequently brings about a company anything you want: colds and flu. In fact statistics show that in our country only produces 2.1 colds per person per year. Of course that only happens when our immune system is weakened because, as Louis Pasteur said, “The microbe is nothing. The terrain is everything!”. Hence, maintaining a strong and healthy immune system is the most effective way to prevent infection … and many other ailments And one of the most natural and effective ways of doing this is taking echinacea.
Echinacea is a plant native to the central plains of the United States that was widely used by Native Americans in very different situations. The Comanches, for example, used to relieve sore throat so as toothache. The Sioux and other tribes, in turn, used it to combat rabies and snake bites. Others, however, used it to relieve painful gums but also for treating colds and coughs, as an infusion-and antiseptic-infected wounds as a poultice.
Hence, following the arrival of settlers on their effectiveness information visit the different states and soon became one of the most prescribed herbal remedies, first in North America and in Europe-in the treatment of diverse diseases, especially those of infectious-type and in cases of poisoning. In fact, his popularity waned in the United States when the first antibiotics though not in Europe where he continued to be used as a remedy for inflammatory and infectious diseases, especially in Germany. What explains it in this country which has conducted the largest number of studies on echinacea and it was approved as medicine in 1989 to boost the immune system and fight respiratory infections and urinary tract.Huge thanks because the work of German researchers from the therapeutic properties of echinacea are now scientifically documented and natural medicine considers the immune system stimulant more important than nature gives us to stimulate the production of macrophages, T lymphocytes and Natural killer cells that fight infection (either by fungi, viruses, bacteria, parasites and toxic chemicals). Well, in a study conducted by researchers H. Wagner and A. Proksch-Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Munich (Germany) – it was shown that echinacea enhances the activity of these cells between 20 and 30% more than drugs designed specifically for it.
It also stimulates production of interferon, a naturally occurring substance found in the body and activates lymphocytes stimulated to attack the virus. Already in an article in 1989 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute-sponsored publication by Oxford University spoke of the effects of arabinogalactan-polysaccharide of echinacea-and its involvement in defense against infections … and growth of tumors (something that on what is currently still under investigation).
What I do is already proven is that echinacea increases the effectiveness of antifungal creams that are commonly used in the treatment of recurrent vaginal infections caused by yeasts such as candida albicans. In fact, in a study of a group of 203 women afflicted with vaginal candidiasis was found that the recurrence rate was over 60% when only were administered the conventional antifungal and not exceed 17% when conventional treatment united echinacea. The data certainly speak for themselves.
Antiinflammatory, healing, ANTIOXIDANT…
And not just here observed therapeutic properties. Already in 1950 revealed its anti-inflammatory capacity and the excellent results that allows for the treatment of persons with chronic arthritis. In fact, this plant extract reduced by more than 20% joint inflammation. That is, does the same as cortisone but without the adverse side effects of this, and also while strengthening the immune system.
On the other hand, is also known healing action. Thus, in a wound or burn their components activate the proliferation of fibroblasts and transformed into cells that produce hyaluronic acid, a protective agent that gives cohesion to connective tissue. In this way the wound heal faster and regenerate damaged tissue successfully in less time. In Systemic Medicine echinacea is used precisely, among other things, to stimulate the formation of the reticuloendothelial system. It also protects the collagen from the action of free radicals and therefore is considered a plant with antioxidant properties, and has analgesic, antiseptic and antipyretic. The latter is due to its vasodilatory capacity and sudorific therefore also used in febrile processes.
In addition, echinacea is a plant known for its immunostimulatory capacity but really hides many other equally interesting properties.