Echinacea Healing Benefits

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1. Treats the Common Cold
When cold and flu season begins, you may hear about building your resilience with echinacea. Echinacea had been traditionally used in the United States and Europe for the treatment of the common cold. However, research findings of studies examining the use of echinacea for colds and upper respiratory infections is mixed.

For example, an analysis of 24 studies on the use of echinacea for the common cold concluded that there’s no evidence to broadly recommend using echinacea for treating the common cold. Researchers did, however, find that taking echinacea to prevent colds may be effective. This review, which included data from studies that used different species of echinacea, different parts of the plant, and varying dosages, concluded as a result that certain types of supplements may be more effective than others.

Meanwhile, a separate meta-analysis evaluating the results of 14 studies found that evidence does support using echinacea for both preventing and treating the common cold. In this review, researchers concluded that echinacea lowered the odds of catching a cold by 58%. Echinacea administration also decreased the duration of a cold by one to four days. It’s important to note that this analysis looked at different forms of the echinacea herb, making it difficult to determine the effectiveness of specific forms.
Another meta-analysis concluded that echinacea extract may lower the risk of recurrent respiratory infections and reduce complications associated with respiratory infection, such as pneumonia, ear infections, and tonsillitis.

2. May Accelerate Wound Healing
When you have a skin wound, your body’s first step in the healing process is to trigger the inflammatory response. However, if you’re under stress, your immune system can delay that response. Since echinacea is used to modulate the immune system, it has been suggested as a way to accelerate wound healing.

In one study conducted on stressed mice, taking an extract of Echinacea pallida root by mouth for three days before a wound was inflicted and for four days afterward accelerated wound healing. The same effect was not seen in non-stressed mice.
Other research has found that Echinacea purpurea, when used in combination with two additional herbs, including Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) and elderberry (Sambucus nigra, may help to heal a wound when applied directly to the skin. In one animal study, a skin patch containing Echinacea purpurea, Gotu Kola, and elderberry was shown to improve surgical wound healing more effectively than similar patches that did not contain herbs. It’s important to note that since echinacea was combined with other herbs in this study, it can not be concluded that the beneficial effects are attributed to echinacea alone.

3. Treats Itchy Skin
Itchy skin, whether it’s a result of eczema, dermatitis, or just plain dryness, can be quite uncomfortable. It’s possible that a topical treatment containing Echinacea purpurea root extract could help put an end to the itch.

In one study, researchers found that adults with itchiness either on the body or on the scalp found using emulsions or shampoo containing echinacea significantly relieved dryness and itchiness. If you suffer from itchy skin or scalp, it might be worth giving an echinacea cream or shampoo a try.

Borrowed from Fullscript.com