We all know Echinacea has powerful cold and flu healing powers, like the ability to shorten the duration of the common cold and flu, alleviate a sore throat, cough, and fever. Heck, the Native Americans were already using the little plant over 400 years ago to treat scarlet fever, syphilis, malaria, blood poisoning, and diphtheria before the introduction of antibiotics.
As it turns out though, Echinacea can help with other conditions too:
1. Influenza
In a randomised, controlled clinical trial, researchers compared a hot Echinacea drink with oseltamivir, the standard gold treatment for influenza. The 473 patients with early influenza symptoms were given either oseltamivir or the Echinacea formulation. The results? Echinacea was just as effective as the flu drug but had far fewer complications or adverse events, which means it could be more effective than flu medication.
2. Boosts Immunity
An Australian pilot study that involved 11 healthy individuals taking Echinacea tablets daily for two weeks revealed the plant increased immune activity and had an antioxidant effect.
And at the University of California Irvine Medical Center, researchers found that Echinacea extract helped stimulate immune function in both healthy and unhealthy cells.
3. Eye Infections
In an Italian study, 51 patients with low-grade, steroid dependent, autoimmune uveitis (inflammation of the middle level of the eye) received conventional steroid treatment. But half the patients also received 150 mg of Echinacea twice a day. Uveitis was resolved in 28 out of 32 patients taking Echinacea. In addition, the Echinacea group reduced steroid use by about 70% more than the control group.
4. Supports Red Blood Cells
In a study of 24 healthy young men, subjects received either a placebo or 8,000 mg of Echinacea in four doses of 2,000 mg four times a day. Blood samples taken during the 28-day trial showed that the Echinacea group had up to 63% higher levels of erythropoietin (EPO). EPO is a hormone that promotes the formation of red blood cells by the bone marrow.
5. Reduces Wrinkles
In Thailand, researchers tested a topical cream and gel containing Echinacea on 10 healthy volunteers, aged 25-40 years. After one month, measures of skin hydration increased significantly and reduced wrinkles by nearly 15%.
6. Protects Against Radiation Damage
A study from Serbia looked at chromosome aberrations in lymphocytes among workers exposed to radiation. All of the workers were given 275 mg Echinacea tablets. At the end of the treatment, aberrations in lymphocyte chromosomes and defective cells dropped significantly. The researchers concluded that Echinacea may be beneficial for the prevention of adverse health effects in workers exposed to radiation.
7. Reduces Chemo Side Effects
In Germany, researchers isolated a polysaccharide fraction from the herb Echinacea and injected it into 15 chemotherapy-receiving cancer patients. Two weeks after the chemo treatments, leukocytes (white blood cells) were about 50% higher in the patients receiving the echinacea treatment compared to a control group. Thus, researchers suggest the Echinacea treatment may be useful in reducing chemotherapy-induced leucopenia (low white blood cell count).
Want to add some Echinacea into your life? Consider RELEAF ECHINACEA DROPS, which has been shown to help with the alleviation of cold and flu symptoms.
Echinacea cuts the chances of catching a common cold by 58% and reduces the duration of the common cold by almost one-and-a-half days. (1)

Releaf Echinacea Drops