What is Echinacea Purpurea?Good function and application of Polyphenols and Chicoric acid from Echinacea Purpurea Extract?

Pharmacology of Echinacea Purpurea.

Echinacea Extract ECHINACEA PURPUREA ROOT EXTRACT;ECHINACEA PURPUREA EXTRACT Echinacea angustifolia,Coneflower extract 289-808-4 90028-20-9 photo picture image Echinacea has been attributed with several pharmacological effects such as: influencing pro-inflammatory enzymes, stimulating proliferation and activity of polymorphonuclear cells, protecting cells against free-radical damage, activating monocytes to produce cytokines, and possibly by weakly stimulating humoral immunity. All these effects culminate in improved protection against systemic, infectious diseases.

1.Echinacea Purpurea as Enzymes Activator:
Anti-Inflammatory - E. angustifolia has been shown to inhibit the activity of cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase4. These are the two key enzymes in the metabolism of arachidonic acid to pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes respectively. Researchers found that the n-hexane extract (alkamide fraction) inhibited both cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase by 62.4% and 81.8% respectively. It was concluded that the ability of these alkamides to inhibit the enzymes' activity justified the traditional use of echinacea in the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

2.Echinacea Purpurea as best antioxidant:
Antioxidant - The protective effect of caffeoyl derivates from various echinacea species on free-radical induced injury of Type III collagen has been demonstrated11. In this study, Type III collagen was incubated and subjected to oxidative stress with varying mixtures of the echinacea components. It was determined that topical mixtures of E. purpurea, E. pallida, and E. angustifolia provided significant protection against free radical degradation. It was surmised that the protective ability was likely through a direct scavenging effect on superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals, and/or on secondary radicals such as C-, N-, or S-centred radicals.

3.polysaccharides of Echinacea Purpurea act as Cytokines:
Studies have demonstrated that polysaccharides from E. purpurea activated macrophages to secrete IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-a in vitro8,9. Other researchers have also been able to demonstrate this secretory ability10. In a study of immunodeficient mice, it was reported that polysaccharide-treated macrophages exhibited increased production of TNF-a7. Research has also shown that the acidic arabinogalactan polysaccharide fraction of echinacea purpurea specifically stimulates macrophages to secrete TNF-a6.

4.Humoral Immunity of Echinacea Purpurea:
In most cases, it is recognized that there is little effect of Echinacea sp. on humoral immunity1,12. Echinacea appears to have no effect on T-Cells and only a weak stimulatory effect on B-Cells12. Prominent researchers have not been able to demonstrate any effect of E. purpurea on the production of antibodies against sheep red blood cells8. However, a small rise in serum immunoglobulin concentration of immunocompetent leghorn chickens was observed with a composite echinacea-influex drug13. In immunodeficient chickens, a slight production of IgG and antibody was observed after administration of the composite.

5.Echinacea Purpurea extracts as Infectious Diseases Medicine:
Pre-treating mice with E. purpurea polysaccharides appears to provide excellent protection against potentially lethal infections of Lysteria monocytogens and Candida albicans9. A 100% protection was provided against Lysteria monocytogens as long as the polysaccharide was administered within a relatively short time period with respect to the point of infection. A 90% protection rate was shown against Candida albicans, again provided that the polysaccharide was administed within 18 hours of infection. Other research has also reported that echinacea polysaccharides prolonged the life of mice infected with potentially lethal doses of the same pathogens7. In a study of human patients, it was shown that a mixture of vitamin C and E. purpurea could reduce the average number of days of a common cold, and could reduce the severity of symptoms during illness14.

6.Immune system:
Immune system Echinacea's effect is not yet fully understood, but it is known that a number of constituents stimulate the immune system to counter both bacterial and viral infections. The polysaccharides have an antihyaluronidase action, inhibiting the ability of viruses to enter and take over cells, while the alkamides are antibacterial and antifungal. Echinacea also has a general stimulating effect on the body's immune defenses and is currently being investigated as a treatment for HIV and AIDS.

7.More Specific,clinical Studies and research of Echinacea Purpurea extracts:
Clinical Study: an extract of echinacea showed an increase of 50%-120% in immune function over a 5 day period (Jurcic, et al. 1989).
Clinical Study: an extract of echinacea significantly increased the resistance to flu and reduced the symptoms of lymph gland swelling, inflamed nasal passages and headache (Braunig, et al. 1992).
Clinical Study: Of 4500 patients with inflammatory skin conditions, including psoriasis, 85% were cured with topical applications of echinacea salve (Wacker and Hilbig, 1978).
Laboratory Study: Human white blood cells, stimulated by echinacea extract increased phagocytosis (consumption) of yeast cells by 20-40% compared to controls. (Wagner and Proksch 1985)
Research in Horses:
A small case-study on two horses reported considerable success in the treatment of strangles in horses. Within 24 hours of administration of the echinacea compositum, there was a noticeable improvement in symptoms, an improvement in general condition, and the horses appetites were back to normal15.
A recent study in the Equine Veterinary Journal reported the ability of an Echinacea extract to stimulate various indices of equine immunity, including increased recruitment of neutrophils into tissue, increased circulating lymphocytes, and increased phagocytic function of isolated PMNs16. This research also demonstrated a potential ability of Echinacea to stimulate various oxygen transport systems in the horses blood. This was shown by an increase in number and volume of red blood cells, and increased hemoglobin concentration.
Echinacea Extract.Echinacea Root Extract.Echinacea Herb Extract.Chicoric acid,dicaffeoyltartaric acid.Polyphenols.CAS.NO:70831-56-0.Echinacea Purpurea,Echinacea angustifolia,Coneflower extract.CAS.NO.084696-11-7 photo picture image

Mode of Action:

Echinacea (mucopolysaccharide component, echinacin) has a cortisone-like activity which inhibits hyaluronidase enzyme that is associated with inflammation and swelling. This is accomplished by maintaining the structure and integrity of collagen matrix in connective tissue and ground substance. Echinacea also increases the cell growth of fibroblasts, activates macrophages, regenerates new tissue and eliminates infectious organisms.

One of the major components, inulin, activates the alternate complement pathway thus promoting chemotaxis of neutrophils, monocytes and eosinophils, solubization of viruses, and bacteriolysis. Other polysaccharides have also shown significant immunostimulatory effect: stimulating T-lymphocytes, the production of interferon and secretion of lymphokines.

The term most used these days for the action of Echinacea on the immune system is immuno-modulation, as it seem to stimulate in some conditions, sedate in others and moderate in still other conditions. There has been much speculation over the immune stimulation effect. Some feel that it could cause, or at least be contraindicated, in autoimmune disease such as MS, AIDS and Chronic fatigue syndrome. Extensive studies have been done on this, with no clinical or pharmaceutical evidence that the various form of Echinacea are contraindicated in these conditions.

Another area of debate is Echinacea`s long term use: many feel that Echinacea will loose its effectiveness after being used for five to ten days. This concept started from the miss translation of a few German graphs, one from an oral double blind study with E. purpurea versus placebo. In this graph, it clearly shows that phagocyte action increased up by 120% over five days, slowly going down to only 20% above placebo after 11 days. At first glance this might appear to indicate it loses effectiveness, but at a closer look, one will find that the subjects where only using Echinacea extract for five days. In fact the study shows it still has action up to six days after it use is stopped. There have been several studies that have shown that there is no problem with long term use. One study showed no adverse effect for Echinacea used for 12 weeks. Another study showed that immune function was better after 10 weeks of continue use than at 2 weeks, which was also significantly better than before therapy started.

Echinacea (most likely a lipid-soluble and/or polar fractions ) has also been shown to increase properdin that stimulates alternate complement pathways, thus mediating antibiotic and antineoplastic activity. These same components have shown significant inhibition of the growth of Walker carcinosarcoma and lymphocytic leukemia. In far advanced colorectal cancer, echinacin along with chemotherapy, increased the survival time of patients taking it over other not taking it.

The antiviral and anti-tumor effect of Echinacea is mostly like due to an interferon beta-2 and interleukin-1 activity. The antiviral effect has been shown effective against viruses such as influenza, herpes and vesicular stomatitis virus. Blocking of the receptor site of the virus on the surface of the cell membranes is the mechanism. Inhibition of hyaluronidase or related to T-cell excitation and the transcription of viral RNA is also suspected. Antibacterial properties are relatively mild but have be proven effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium diphtheria, and Proteus vulgaris.
The polysaccharides in Echinacea has shown significant anti-fungal action from systemic infection such as Candida albicans and Listeria monocytogenes.

Folklore:

This herb has been extensively used in North America by Western herbalists since the time of the Electics. They recognized it as an alterative and used it for its blood cleansing quality. This attribute was initially discovered by the Indians who used it for snake bites. Over this period of time it has been used for infections, boils, syphilis and as a general antiseptic.

Well over a dozen Native American tribes, primarily in the Great Plains area, are known to have used Echinacea spp. for medicinal purposes. No clear pattern emerges of the type of usage but analgesic, antispasmodic and antidote uses are noted.

Reference:

1.What is Echinacea Purpurea?Good function and application of Polyphenols and Chicoric acid from Echinacea Purpurea Extract?

last edit date:25th,Feb.2010.

Available Product

Name:Echinacea Extract
Serie No:S-009.
Specifications:Polyphenols 4%UV;Chicoric Acid 2.0% HPLC;4:1TLC
INCI Name:ECHINACEA PURPUREA ROOT EXTRACT;ECHINACEA PURPUREA EXTRACT
EINECS/ELINCS No.:289-808-4
CAS:90028-20-9
Chem/IUPAC Name:Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Echinacea purpurea,Compositae.

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