Echinacea purpurea. Echinacea purpurea: healing effects and uses

Purple echinacea is a medicinal plant with immunomodulatory properties. Thanks to it, our body quickly copes with a variety of ailments, such as acute respiratory viral infections and influenza.

A variety of products are made from Echinacea medications, But best effect has raw materials prepared independently, since it will be free and you can be sure of the freshness of the collected product.

Echinacea for diseases

Purple echinacea is a plant that came from North America. Each part of it has healing properties. The roots, leaves, and flowers contain immune-stimulating substances that can destroy viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

For for long years Indians used echinacea to treat colds, diphtheria, malaria, blood poisoning and more. This plant has a mass useful properties, but there are also contraindications.

Description of the plant

Echinacea purpurea is a plant from the Asteraceae genus. Almost until the mid-twentieth century, the flower was used in folk medicine, and after that it began to be grown as a garden culture. Since 1938, it began to be used in official medicine. Dr. Madaus conducted a study of purple echinacea, after which he began to use the plant for sore throats, tonsillitis, and inflammation of internal organs. The list of diseases that the plant helps with is constantly growing. Later, Echinacea was officially included in the pharmacopoeias of many foreign countries, and also began to be used as a medicinal raw material in the production of various pharmaceuticals.

Chemical composition

The above-ground part of Echinacea contains many different beneficial elements. There are mucilages, resins, polysaccharides, essential oils, hydroxycinnamic acids, saponins, polyamides, echinacin, echinacoside, enzymes, vitamins, phytosterols, palmitic and linoleic acids.

The root contains a lot of inulin, polysaccharides, and resins. It also contains essential oil, phenol carbonic acids, betaine, echinacoside and echinacin, vitamins, enzymes and other useful elements.

Contains a lot essential oil.

Plant properties

The uses of Echinacea purpurea are very wide. This plant helps cope with many diseases, but primarily the plant is used as an immunostimulant. Pharmacological companies produce tinctures of Echinacea purpurea. It is already ready to use. The drug is made from the extract of purple echinacea or from the juice of the plant.

The herb has antibacterial, fungicidal, virusostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. Echinacea preparations are strong activators of macrophages, lymphocytes and granulocytes. In this way, the functioning of the immune system is stimulated: the plant gently stimulates the adrenal cortex and increases the production of hormones. Also, the medicinal preparations contained in the plant have antiallergic and antirheumatic properties.

The instructions for use of Echinacea purpurea say that this plant helps with depression, ARVI, inflammatory pathologies, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, cystitis, prostatitis, as well as with wounds and ulcers, burns.

In folk medicine, decoctions, extracts, and infusions are used. The drugs are taken as an antiseptic, to remove warts, and for physical fatigue. Echinacea-based products show good results after treatment with antibiotics, radiation therapy and the use of cytostatics.

Echinacea can be brewed as tea to strengthen and boost the immune system. To do this, just pour boiling water over a teaspoon of raw materials in a teapot. The tea is infused for ten minutes. Take a cup once a day, but not longer than a week. It is better to alternate such teas with other remedies, taking echinacea once a week, and on other days - other vitamin teas that can strengthen the immune system.

Contraindications

The instructions for use of Echinacea purpurea say that this plant should not be used during pregnancy and lactation. The plant should not be used for leukemia, tuberculosis or in case of individual intolerance. In any case, the drug should be taken only after consulting a doctor.

Dosage of tablets and solution

Pharmacological companies produce echinacea in the form of tablets and solutions. According to the instructions, Echinacea purpurea in tablet form can be used by children over the age of twelve and adults, one tablet three times a day. For children aged six to twelve years, the drug is prescribed in a dosage of 1 tablet 1-2 times a day. Children aged four to six years are prescribed the drug one tablet once a day.

The oral solution is used three times a day in the dosage prescribed by the doctor. Be sure to dilute the solution with water before use.

The duration of treatment is no more than eight weeks.

Side effects

Echinacea - herbal remedy, which can cause side effect. Sometimes an allergic reaction to plant preparations occurs in the form of itching, rash, and bronchospasm. In isolated cases, anaphylactic shock occurs.

With long-term use of echinacea, leukopenia may develop.

The use of echinacea during pregnancy and lactation

Scientists cannot say what effect Echinacea has on pregnancy, since such experiments have not been conducted. Because of this, it is not recommended to use the plant during pregnancy and lactation.

Echinacea alcohol tincture

The tincture can be bought at a pharmacy, or you can make it yourself at home. All parts of the plant are used for it, including rhizomes.

To prepare the tincture, you need to take fifty grams of crushed raw materials, place them in a dark glass container and fill them with alcohol (0.25 l). The product is infused for two weeks, shaken periodically. After the composition has infused, it is filtered.

Alcohol tincture is used to treat a variety of ailments. It can be used for rubbing on sore joints and making night compresses with it.

Alcohol is good for treating purulent wounds. To do this, dilute a tablespoon of tincture with a spoon of water. The resulting product is used to treat the wound.

For radiculitis and myositis, compresses are indicated. For them you will need to take a piece of cloth, moisten it with tincture and apply it to the sore spot. The top is covered with polyethylene and a scarf.

Plant infusion

Flowers are used to prepare the infusion. A teaspoon of raw material is poured into a glass of boiling water and left for two hours. Then the product is filtered. The finished infusion is used for emotional stress, as well as for chronic stress. For this purpose, a glass of the drug is drunk in small sips throughout the day.

For colds, take half a glass three times a day.

Taking an infusion to enhance potency shows good results: for this purpose, drink a glass of the infusion twice a day.

For obesity, in order to reduce cravings for sweets, it is recommended to drink half a glass of infusion before meals.

Oil

You can prepare the oil yourself, or you can buy it ready-made, especially since the price of Echinacea purpurea is low (a 50 ml tincture will cost 150 rubles).

To prepare the oil, the roots are taken, thoroughly washed and passed through a meat grinder. Then one hundred grams of the resulting slurry is poured into 0.5 liters of sunflower oil and infused in a cool, dark place for three weeks. After this, the product is filtered. The finished product is stored in the refrigerator.

The oil helps well with duodenal or stomach ulcers; a teaspoon of oil is mixed with the same amount of sea buckthorn oil and taken orally once a day on an empty stomach. Therapy lasts two weeks.

For bronchitis, the oil is used three times a day. Be sure to drink water.

Good results are obtained from the use of echinacea products for the treatment of dermatological diseases. The oil helps with eczema and dermatitis. For treatment, it is applied to the affected areas several times a day.

For jams, lubricate the corners of the mouth every three hours for two weeks.

Echinacea decoctions

You can make decoctions from Echinacea. Flowers and leaves are used for them. Dry, crushed raw materials are poured with water and put on fire. The product is boiled for five minutes, then cooled and filtered.

The decoction helps to cope with loss of strength: to do this, drink a glass of the product, dividing it into four doses. For kidney diseases, take a decoction of one hundred milliliters three times a day.

You can use echinacea to cleanse wounds.

The plant shows good results for rashes: to cope with it, lotions are used.

Growing Echinacea

Grow echinacea on your own garden plot very simple. This plant reproduces by seeds and division of the bush. The last method allows you to quickly get large plants with a powerful root system. It is best to plant Echinacea purpurea in the spring. With bush division, you can collect raw materials already in the first year.

When sowing seeds in the first year there will be no flowering. The plant actively grows its root mass and blooms in the second year. Flowering begins in mid-July and lasts until frost.

The plant is planted in sunny areas. Although it grows well in the shade. If you compare a bush in the sun and in the shade, then when grown in the shade the bushes are more powerful, with large leaves and huge flowers. There are no other differences.

Caring for Echinacea purpurea is very simple. The plant must be watered abundantly. This plant loves moisture, so it is watered very abundantly. Reacts well to fertilization. During the entire growing season, the plant is fed twice per season. At the end of September the stems are cut off.

After flowering, the seeds ripen. To get new plants, you just need to scatter them where you want to get new bushes. Next year they will sprout on their own, and the year after they will delight abundant flowering and a large amount of medicinal material.

How to collect

All parts of the plant are used to treat ailments. It is collected in dry sunny weather, immediately after the morning dew. When collecting rhizomes, weather conditions do not play a role.

Leaves from young plants of the first year of life are collected in the fall. In plants of the second and subsequent years of life, the leaves are cut off in the spring, as soon as they bloom. You cannot completely remove the foliage, as in this case the bush will not bloom.

The resulting greens are dried in a ventilated area. The sun's rays have a detrimental effect on the workpiece, so you need to carefully choose a place for drying raw materials.

The inflorescences of the plant are collected at the very beginning of their flowering. At this time they contain a lot useful substances. After cutting, Echinacea blooms again in about three weeks.

The inflorescences are dried in the same way as the leaves. This video shows a method for brewing flowers.

The rhizomes are collected or in early spring or in late autumn, after trimming the aboveground part of the plant.

All prepared raw materials are stored in glass containers or in fabric bags. Raw materials are used not only to treat diseases, but also as prophylactic agents against various ailments.

Echinacea purpurea, Latin name Echinacea purpurea. Repeating the name of this beautiful flower I just want to make a pun: Echinacea is a panacea! Yes, that is right. Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea tea is a panacea for many diseases, or rather, she performs good remedy prevention and treatment of many diseases. Before looking at this aspect of this beautiful plant, let's study it a little.

Echinacea- perennial grass, grows up to 120 centimeters in height. It belongs to the Asteraceae (or Asteraceae) family. It's big and very beautiful plant native to the eastern United States, it is used not only as a medicinal plant, but also as a beautiful ornamental, most often under the name “Rudbeckia purpurea.”

Echinacea loves moist, fertile, sunny soil. The grass is winter-hardy. It does not require much and labor-intensive care, except during planting and feeding it in the second year during regrowth in early spring. Amateur gardeners need to remember that it blooms only in the second year and the flowering duration is up to 75 days. Recommendations for planting and propagation are very simple: we grow through seedlings or by sowing dry seeds in the ground at a soil temperature of 10 degrees or a little more, to a depth of 3 centimeters with row spacing of 45 centimeters.

Echinacea purpurea grown in this way, cut in the second year during the period of mass flowering - this is the month of July, is a powerful healing agent, the use of which can get rid of many diseases, and, most importantly, prevent them. The roots of Echinacea purpurea are dug up for use in the fall or early spring. Many experts claim that preparations (tinctures, decoctions, herbal teas, extracts, etc.) from Echinacea purpurea do not have side effects, addiction or a decrease in the effect of any drug.

Composition and medicinal properties of echin

Modern medical research showed a wide range of silver, selenium, potassium, calcium, cobalt, lithium, copper and many other trace elements in Echinacea purpurea. Seven groups of biologically active substances: alkylamides, vitamins, essential lipids, polysaccharides, caffeic acid derivatives, flavonoids and other trace elements - these are chemical composition medicinal plant called Echinacea purpurea. In addition, the roots and rhizomes of Echinacea purpurea contain a certain amount of the following elements: resin, polysaccharides, inulin, fatty and essential oils, betanin, echinacin, echinacoside, phenolcarboxylic acids, phytosterols, enzymes, vitamins, macro- and microelements, other biologically active substances . Separately, we can highlight the essential oil mentioned above. In echinacea it contains up to 1.4%, and in flowers – up to 0.13 – 0.48%. Now let's move on to the medicinal properties of Echinacea purpurea.

Preparations from Echinacea purpurea are, first of all, a strong immunostimulating agent. Secondly, as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. Thirdly, it is a strong activator of macrophages (white blood cells), granulocytes and lymphocytes, and eliminates the formation of hyaluronidase. This property stimulates the functioning of the immune system and the adrenal cortex, stimulating the production of hormones, which in turn have an antirheumatic and antiallergic effect on the body.

Doctors use Echinacea purpurea for other diseases. Such as overwork, depression, in the presence of inflammatory processes of internal organs, rheumatism, prostatitis and impotence, hepatitis, cystitis, with open wounds, eczema and burns, colds, acute and chronic infectious diseases: diphtheria, cerebral meningitis, typhoid fever, osteomyelitis and others . This is known and used in official medicine, but we are interested in its more independent use, the so-called ethnoscience, which implies the use of Echination purpurea at home with the blessing and consultation of a doctor.

The first use of echinacea occurred in ancient times in the United States by Indians, who used it in a wide range of ways: to treat poisonous snake bites, colds, and to heal wounds. Further study of the composition, properties and effects of echinacea led to the expansion of its use. Main purpose of Echinacea– stimulation of the reproduction of immune cells, production of interferon, increase protective properties body, and a strong antiviral effect. Based on the above, it is used for allergies, herpes, ARVI, decreased immunity, respiratory diseases, hepatitis, nephritis, rheumatoid arthritis, prostatitis and cystitis and many other diseases.

A legitimate question arises: how and how to use this wonderful plant? Yes, it's very simple. You take fresh inflorescences, squeeze out the juice, and use it to quickly clot blood, or apply it to a wound - the wound healing process is accelerated. The same juice is used to treat pustular wounds, acne, lichens; it is used to wipe the skin from age spots and premature wrinkles. Mainly, tinctures, both alcoholic and simple, extracts, decoctions and herbal teas are made from Echinacea purpurea. medicinal herbs from various components, respectively for various purposes when used.

Echinacea herbal tincture is the following:

• pour one glass of boiling water into one tablespoon of crushed raw materials;
• and boil in a water bath for 12-15 minutes;
• leave until completely cooled (room temperature), strain.

Drink a third of a glass three times a day, or half a glass twice a day. To strengthen the immune system.

Echinacea tincture with alcohol. For this tincture use:

• raw echinacea root or flowers;
• alcohol used is 70 percent;
• The ratio is 1:4, fill and leave for at least a month.

Used externally for wet compresses for burns and wounds. Take half or a full teaspoon orally.

Echinacea tincture with vodka:

• take raw echinacea roots - 250 grams;
• and pour in 100 grams of strong vodka;
• It is necessary to insist in a dark place for a month, shaking occasionally.

Take 20 drops three times before lunch.

Echinacea extract prepared from the roots:

• grind the fresh root;
• pour pure medical alcohol, 95 percent, to barely cover it;
• and insist for at least two weeks.

Strain, squeeze and take 25 drops three times a day 30 minutes before meals. Store in the refrigerator for up to three years. Used for fatigue, as an immunostimulant, influenza, ARVI.

Echinacea root decoction Prepare simply:

• pour a tablespoon of chopped dry root into 300 ml of water;
• and boil in a water bath for half an hour;
• leave to cool until room temperature, filter.

We use 1.5 - 2 tablespoons three times a day. Treatment of infectious diseases, flu, chronic fatigue.

Echinacea oil solution:

• main ratio 1:5;
• 100 grams of washed roots are crushed and poured fresh sunflower oil in an amount of 0.5 liters;
• stand for up to 40 days, filter.

Used to treat bronchitis, tracheitis, sore throat, glossitis, cervical erosion, burns. Oral administration is carried out three times a day, one tablespoon of solution.

The main remedy among the people for treatment was medicinal tea: Herbal tea from Echinacea purpurea. The easiest way to prepare Echinacea purpurea tea: We take dried flowers and stems, chop them, put two tablespoons of herbs in a mug and pour boiling water over them. What this gives is that it increases immunity and many of the things mentioned above.

Today, there are many recipes for herbal tea, where one of the components is Echinacea purpurea. Herbal tea (herbal tea) has many combinations of herbs, since it is intended not only to treat with one component, but to act in combination on the entire human body, thus achieving the best result. I will give a few examples of herbal teas.

Collection of herbs: echinacea,

Contraindications for taking Echinacea:

a) pregnant and nursing mothers;

b) people with tuberculosis disease;

c) those suffering from autoimmune diseases;

d) those suffering from allergies to daisies and related plants.

And remember the main rule: All treatment is carried out under the guidance of a doctor.

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Instructions for use:

Echinacea purpurea – perennial herbaceous plant family Asteraceae. It is widespread in the eastern states of the United States (along sandy river banks and on the prairies), and in Russia it is cultivated in the Caucasus and the European part as a gardening, ornamental and medicinal plant.

For medicinal purposes, flower baskets are used, which are collected during the flowering period, and rhizomes with roots, which are collected in late autumn.

Chemical composition

All parts of Echinacea contain polysaccharides (arabinoramnogalactans and heteroxylans), enzymes, as well as macro- and microelements (calcium, potassium, cobalt, zinc, selenium, molybdenum, manganese, silver, etc.).

The plant contains essential oil: up to 0.5% in baskets, up to 0.35% in grass and up to 0.23% in roots and rhizomes. The main components of essential oil are non-cyclic sesquiterpenes.

The roots of Echinacea purpurea also contain the following substances: glucose (up to 7%), inulin (up to 6%), phytosterols, glycosides, phenolcarboxylic acids (coumaric, chicoric, caffeic, ferulic), organic acids (linoleic, palmitic, cerotic), resins (up to 2%), fatty oils, antioxidants (echinolone, echinocin), polyamides, betaine (0.1%), cis-8 pentadecadiene.

Beneficial features

Echinacea purpurea has the following beneficial properties:

• immunostimulating;
• antitumor;
• healing;
• hemostatic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• antiallergic;
• antioxidant;
• antimicrobial.

Indications for use

In folk medicine, the plant is used for flu and colds, bronchitis and pneumonia, diseases of the ENT organs, diseases Bladder and liver, blood poisoning, diabetes mellitus, polio, smallpox, exposure to fungicides and heavy metals, snake bites.

Lotions and compresses with Echinacea are used for burns, wounds and ulcers, herpes, urticaria and other skin diseases.

Plant-based preparations have an inhibitory effect on E. coli, streptococci and influenza viruses.

Recent research has shown that echinacea is one of the most powerful and effective herbal immune system stimulants and helps the body fight many diseases and infections.

Contraindications

Preparations based on Echinacea purpurea are contraindicated for the following diseases and conditions:

• HIV infections, including AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome);
• autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus;
• multiple sclerosis;
• tuberculosis;
• leukemia;
• atherosclerosis;
• pregnancy period;
• children under 3 years of age.

Home remedies from Echinacea purpurea

• echinacea infusion: take 1 tablespoon of chopped herb, pour 2 cups of boiling water, leave in a thermos for one night, then strain. Take for stomach ulcers, swelling, joint pain and herpes three times a day 30 minutes before meals. Single dose – 100–150 ml. The course of treatment is 10 days. You can conduct two repeated courses with breaks of 5 days;
• Echinacea decoction: take 1 teaspoon of crushed plant herb, pour 1 glass of boiling water, hold in a water bath for 15–20 minutes, leave to infuse for 30 minutes, then strain. Take to boost immunity, strengthen memory and attention, relieve stress and normalize vision three times a day before meals. Single dose – 1/3 cup. The course of treatment is 10 days. After a 5-day break, the course can be repeated;
• Echinacea tea: take 2 teaspoons of crushed plant herbs, pour 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 40 minutes, then strain. Drink 1-2 cups daily. This tea stimulates the immune system, rejuvenates and cleanses the entire body, helps with flu and colds, ulcers, abscesses, eczema and various inflammatory processes, promotes rapid recovery after surgery or a long-term illness;
• Echinacea tincture: take 50 g of crushed herb, pour 1 liter of vodka and leave for 2-3 weeks in a dark place, shaking occasionally, then strain. Take for female and male infertility, prostate adenoma, to enhance potency, for female inflammatory processes, gastritis, stomach ulcers, obesity, vascular spasms three times a day 20-30 minutes before meals. Single dose – 20–30 drops. The course of treatment is 10 days. You can conduct two repeated courses with breaks of 3 days;
• lotions and compresses: take 1.5 tablespoons of crushed plant herbs, pour 1 glass of boiling water and leave in a thermos for 2-3 hours, then strain. Use in the form of compresses and lotions for psoriasis, eczema, boils, ulcers, pimples, acne, herpes, urticaria, burns, wounds, warts, abscesses, to remove age spots and freckles, insect bites and streptococcal infections.

Echinacea purpurea is a tall plant with large, attractive flowers that is very popular among summer residents. Echinacea not only decorates flower beds, but also has beneficial medicinal properties.

Description and chemical composition of Echinacea purpurea

Echinacea purpurea is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. The rhizome of the plant is short with numerous thin roots. The stems are straight, branched up to 120 cm high. The basal leaves are oval on long petioles, and the stem leaves are lanceolate and arranged in an alternate order. The leaves, like the stems, are rough to the touch. Inflorescences are large single baskets up to 15 cm in diameter, dark red and purple. Echinacea blooms from July until autumn frosts.

All parts of the plant are used as medicinal raw materials - root, stem, leaves and inflorescences. The root is harvested in early spring or late autumn. It is dug up, thoroughly washed, crushed and dried. Flower baskets, leaves and stems are collected during flowering and dried in the shade.

Echinacea contains many nutrients, beneficial for the human body. All parts of the plant are rich in microelements - magnesium, manganese, calcium, silicon, selenium, iron, vitamins A, C and E. Echinacea contains antioxidants - echinocin and echinolone, organic acids, tannins, polysaccharides, resins, essential oil.

Inulin, glucose, betaine, and phenolcarboxylic acids were found in the roots. All these unique substances that make up this wonderful plant increase the body’s immunity and defenses, improve blood composition, cleanse the human circulatory and lymphatic systems, strengthen bones, promote rapid healing of wounds and tissue restoration after operations.

Medicinal properties and uses of Echinacea

Echinacea purpurea is one of the most popular medicinal plants all over the world. Many people believe that in their own way healing properties Echinacea is superior to ginseng and can cure many different diseases.

Echinacea has antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral properties and is used to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases - sore throat, tonsillitis, influenza, typhoid fever, diphtheria, cerebral meningitis, peptic ulcer.

Preparations from echinacea can accelerate the healing process of purulent wounds, burns, eczema, skin rashes, relieve painful sensations, protect the body from viruses, fungi and bacteria, reduce warts on the body, prevent the proliferation of E. coli, coccal infections, and the herpes virus.

This plant is a strong immunomodulator and is recommended for depression, physical and mental fatigue. Echinacea preparations strengthen immune system, help increase the body’s defenses, they are used for poisoning of the body toxic substances, medications, radiation, radiation sickness.

Echinacea purpurea is used for cancer, as the substances it contains alleviate the condition after a course of chemotherapy and contribute to faster rehabilitation and restoration of the body.

Infusions and decoctions from this plant have a therapeutic effect for hepatitis, cystitis, nephritis, and are used to treat gynecological inflammatory processes, diseases of the male genital area - prostatitis and adenoma.

In pharmacology, medicines, tablets, ointments, tinctures, extracts are made based on echinacea. herbal teas, biologically active additives.

In folk medicine for treatment large quantity For diseases, teas, infusions and decoctions, alcohol tinctures, oil, juice are used, which are taken orally and used externally as lotions, rinses, medicinal baths, and compresses. Roots, leaves, and flowers are used to prepare preparations.

Contraindications for use

Echinacea purpurea is excellent medicinal plant and has a therapeutic effect for many ailments, but Echinacea should be used for treatment only after consultation with your doctor and you should definitely familiarize yourself with the contraindications for use.

This wonderful plant, just like any medicine, has contraindications that must be taken into account so as not to harm your health.

Recommended doses should be taken; higher doses may have negative impact on nervous system, cause insomnia, increased excitability, nausea and vomiting. It is not recommended to take Echinacea preparations for more than two weeks.

Echinacea preparations improve immunity, but it should be remembered that an overdose of the drug leads to the opposite effect, to a decrease in immunity, so you need to take only the recommended dose.

The main contraindications to the use of Echinacea are:

• tuberculosis
• leukemia
• multiple sclerosis
• HIV infection, AIDS
• rheumatoid arthritis
• scleroderma
• lupus erythematosus
• diabetes

The alcohol tincture is not recommended for children under 12 years of age, and echinacea infusions and decoctions should be used to treat children only after consultation with a pediatrician.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are contraindicated to use echinacea for treatment.

Attention! Young men should not take echinacea tincture to strengthen the immune system, as the alcohol tincture affects sperm motility, which leads to difficulty in fertilization.

And for men over 50 years of age, it is useful to take echinacea for the prevention and treatment of prostate adenoma.

Although Echinacea is considered a safe drug, in people with hypersensitivity to this plant it can cause allergic reactions in the form of rash, itching, swelling of the face, difficulty breathing, decreased blood pressure and dizziness.

Traditional methods of treatment with Echinacea

In folk medicine, Echinacea is used to treat various diseases. Decoctions, infusions, teas, and alcohol tinctures are prepared from stems, leaves, flowers and roots.

Decoctions, infusions and tea from Echinacea improve appetite, elevate mood, normalize blood pressure, improve vision, cleanse the body of toxins and waste, slow down the aging process, restore strength after physical activity, after operations.

Teas, infusions and decoctions are drunk for swelling and insomnia, for inflammatory processes and chronic fatigue, for colds and flu, for skin diseases - eczema, boils, abscesses.

Water decoctions are used to treat stomach ulcers, headaches and joint pain.

Fresh echinacea juice can lighten freckles and age spots, treat small wounds and cuts, and lubricate purulent pimples on the face. Fresh leaf juice relieves itching and swelling from bee, wasp, and mosquito bites.

This article provides simple folk recipes that will help improve health, relieve pain, and improve well-being.

Echinacea leaf decoction

Pour one tablespoon of dry or fresh crushed leaves with a glass of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes in a water bath, leave, strain. Take 100 ml three times a day before meals.

Infusion of Echinacea leaves and flowers

Pour a tablespoon of dry raw material into half a liter of boiling water into a thermos. Leave overnight, drink 100-150 ml three times a day half an hour before meals. The course of treatment is 10 days, a five-day break and repeat the course again, then you still need a five-day break and again drink echinacea infusion for 10 days. This infusion cures stomach diseases, relieves joint pain and swelling, reduces appetite, cravings for sweets and alcohol.

Infusion for the treatment of colds and flu

To prepare the infusion, you need to grind the dry root and dry leaves to a powder. Take one teaspoon of roots and one teaspoon of leaves and three dried flowers, pour two glasses of boiling water. Leave for forty minutes. Strain, drink one glass of infusion a day to prevent colds, and a glass of infusion three times a day for treatment - morning, afternoon and evening.

Echinacea flower tea

Three fresh flower or 2 teaspoons of dried flowers, pour 0.5 ml of boiling water. Infuse, strain and drink a glass three times a day during a cold.

Alcohol tincture recipe

Pour 50 grams of dry herbs and flowers or 200 grams of fresh flowers into one liter of vodka. Leave for 20 days in a dark place, shaking the container periodically. Strain and take the tincture three times a day, 20-30 drops, half an hour before meals. Drink the tincture for 10 days, take a three-day break, drink again for 10 days and again take a three-day break, and again treat for 10 days.

Echinacea purpurea - medicinal properties, application, recipes

Other names: Echinacea rudbeckia purpurea, Echinacea herb, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea, Rudbeckia purpurea.

Echinacea purpurea is perennial, native to North America, with beautiful purple inflorescences. Echinacea has a specific taste and smell. Cultivated in Ukraine as a medicinal and ornamental plant.

WITH therapeutic purpose Mainly used are the roots and flowers of the plant, preferably fresh, as well as leaves.

Echinacea roots contain: essential oil (up to 1.4%), resins, phytosterps, echinacin, echinacoside, polysaccharides, in flowers - 0.13-0.48% essential oil. It has been experimentally established that echinacea tincture is non-toxic.

Echinacea purpurea has bacteriostatic, fungicidal, virusostatic and anti-inflammatory effects, suppresses the formation of hyaluronidase, enhances deicopoiesis, is a strong activator of macrophages, granulocytes and lymphocytes (especially T-lymphocytes), increasing the body's defenses, immunity and thus belongs to plant stimulants or immune system modulators.

It also gently stimulates the adrenal cortex, increasing the production of hormones that have certain antiallergic and antirheumatic effects.

Juice from fresh inflorescences accelerates blood clotting, and when local application- acceleration of wound healing.

Echinacea is popular in many countries: Germany, France, the USA, etc. In Germany, the drug echinacin was obtained for oral administration and in ampoules. The German doctor Madaus (1938) recommended echinacea for sore throat, tonsillitis, chronic sepsis, parametritis and various inflammatory diseases of internal organs.

The first researcher and popularizer of Echinacea in Russia was Professor S.A. Tomilin, who considered it a powerful stimulant of the central nervous system, a biostimulant and a wonderful therapeutic agent, like ginseng.

It has been found that echinacea tincture has the property of enhancing sexual potency and has a good wound healing effect on wounds and burns.

Alcohol tincture of Echinacea: berm raw crushed root or flowers, pour 70% alcohol in a ratio of 1:4 and leave for 1 month or more. Take 0.5-1 teaspoon 3 times a day, and this tincture can also be used externally, for wet compresses for wounds and burns.

There is another recipe for an alcoholic tincture of Echinacea, using flowers: cut off the flowers of Echinacea purpurea, place in a half-liter jar, with a twist, to the top and fill with good vodka, also to the top. Close the lid tightly and leave to infuse in a dark place for 40 days. Then drain everything and can be consumed, 15 drops, 20-30 minutes before meals, diluted in a small amount of water or added to tea.

Echinacea is used for mental depression, mental and physical fatigue, as well as infectious diseases: typhoid fever, erysipelas, scarlet fever, gonorrhea, osteomyelitis, cerebrospinal meningitis, lupus, and septic conditions. There are known cases of Echinacea curing patients suffering from the discoid form of lupus erythematosus (cutaneous form).

Echinacea tincture is effective for treatment, and especially prevention, respiratory and viral diseases(flu, herpes simplex, ARVI, etc.), for many chronic diseases of an autoimmune nature (rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, nephritis, etc.), for adnexitis, cystitis, prostatitis, leukopenia caused by radiation or cystostatic drugs, septic processes, eczema, psoriasis , burns, frostbite, trophic ulcers, purulent deep wounds, carbuncles, and also has a certain effect in oncological processes.

In some patients with chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, psoriasis and allergic rashes on the skin and mucous membranes, a positive effect of tincture of raw Echinacea root was noted.

It has also been found that tincture of fresh Echinacea flowers acts similarly to tincture of Echinacea root.

Echinacea infusion: 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of dry crushed raw materials (herbs) with 1 cup of boiling water, boil in a water bath for 10-15 minutes. Leave until cool, then strain. Drink 1/3 cup 3 times a day, see application above.

Echinacea root decoction: 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of dry crushed root into 300 ml. water, boil in a water bath for 30 minutes, leave until cool and strain. Take 1-2 tbsp. spoons 3-4 times a day before meals for acute infectious diseases, chronic fatigue, flu, etc.

Echinacea root extract: pour crushed fresh root with 95% medical alcohol so that it lightly covers it, leave for 2 weeks. After this, strain and squeeze out the rest. Take the alcohol infusion 25-30 drops 3 times a day half an hour before meals with water, as an immunostimulant, for fatigue, flu (prevention, treatment), etc. Store in the refrigerator, shelf life 2-3 years.

Echinacea contraindications. This plant causes allergies in some people; it should not be used by pregnant and lactating women, with leukemia, progressive tuberculosis, collagenosis, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, or individual intolerance.
But, as practice shows, the doctor decides in each individual case.

Uses of Echinacea

To treat various diseases, traditional medicine uses echinacea, which is at least two years old. Medicinal raw materials plants are flowers, stems, roots and leaves. It is recommended to use echinacea internally for colds, flu, blood poisoning or bladder diseases. Except internal use, Echinacea is still successfully and quite often used externally in the treatment of urticaria, burns, herpes and other skin diseases.

Echinacea is used for exposure to heavy metals and fungicides, liver disease and diabetes. Preparations made from Echinacea have a depressing effect on streptococci, E. coli and influenza virus present in the body.

The plant has shown good results in the treatment of prostatitis, rheumatism, osteomyelitis and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Echinacea decoction lotions are used for psoriasis, insect bites, and as an antidote to snake bites. Echinacea decoction treats stomach ulcers and brings them back to normal arterial pressure and improve the condition of the body as a whole.

Echinacea decoction. Take fresh (dried) leaves of the plant and grind them. Now pour 1 teaspoon of crushed raw materials with a glass of boiling water. Put it all on water bath for 5-10 minutes. After removing from the water bath, the broth is allowed to brew. Take it 100 ml 3 times a day before meals.

Echinacea tincture for depression. To prepare it, you need to take 10 grams of plant roots and pour 100 ml of 70% alcohol into them. The product is left to infuse for a day. Take tincture 20 (30) drops three times a day.

Echinacea for headaches. We take all parts of the plant and make powder from them. Mix the finished powder with honey. For 100 grams of echinacea powder you will need 300 grams of honey. Mix all the contents thoroughly and take it with tea three times a day. This remedy helps normalize sleep, calms the nervous system and lowers blood pressure.

Echinacea tea for colds and flu. Take the root of the plant and grind it. Now mix 1 teaspoon of the root and the same amount of echinacea leaves with three flowers of the plant. Pour two glasses of boiling water over the entire mixture and leave for 40 minutes. Tea is taken in the amount of three glasses per day for the treatment of the disease, and as a preventive measure - one glass per day.

Echinacea tincture for constipation or gastritis. We take 200 grams of stems along with leaves and flowers and fill them with two liters of vodka. Leave to infuse for 14-20 days in a dark room. During the infusion period, it is necessary to periodically shake the contents. After straining the finished tincture, it is taken three times a day, 20-30 drops before meals. The course of treatment is 1.5 weeks, after which they take a break for 3 days and again resume the course of treatment, and so on one more time. This tincture can treat diseases of the female genital organs, kidney or bladder diseases, vascular spasms and stomach ulcers.

Echinacea tincture

Alcohol tincture of Echinacea has a powerful effect on the human immune system. Regular use of this drug significantly increases the number of leukocytes, activates the phagocytic response, and can also inhibit the proliferation of pathogenic microbes. During the cold season, taking such a healing tincture will lengthen the periods between episodes of viral infections, since it activates protective immune mechanisms. In addition, the unique components that make up Echinacea will help get rid of inflammatory processes in the bladder, kidneys and ureter. It should also be noted that this wonderful tincture can be used to treat wounds for speedy healing, as well as various boils and skin inflammations. It not only increases the action of histogenic phagocytes, but also promotes tissue restoration.

To strengthen the children's body, modern pediatricians recommend giving children this tincture. It is an excellent anti-cold remedy of natural origin. Side effects at long-term use Echinacea tinctures are very rare. As a rule, these can be various allergic rashes and dizziness. In these cases, taking the tincture should be stopped immediately.

How to take Echinacea? Experts prescribe this remedy before meals (20-30 minutes) at least three times a day. Note that at the very beginning of treatment, the exact dose should not exceed 40 drops for an adult per day. In subsequent days, the maximum dosage is 60 drops. Children over 12 years old can take the tincture diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3, 5-10 drops 2 times a day.

The appropriate duration of treatment is determined by the doctor depending on the specific characteristics of the course of the disease and its severity. If well tolerated, the drug can be used in prescribed doses until a stable therapeutic effect is achieved. However, the maximum duration should not exceed 8 weeks. For external use, it is recommended to prepare a special solution. 40 drops of tincture should be diluted in 100 ml of sodium chloride. This remedy is indicated as compresses, lotions, abdominal tampons and rinses.