Echinacea is an herb also known as Purple Cone Flower, Black Sampson, Black Susans, Fleur à Hérisson, Hedgehog, Igelkopfwurzel, Indian Head, Kansas Snakeroot, Red Sunflower, Rock-Up-Hat, Roter Sonnenhut, Rudbeckie Pourpre, Scurvy Root, Snakeroot, and many other names.
Echinacea has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating the common cold, or vaginal yeast infections.
Echinacea has also been used to treat ear infections, or increasing exercise performance. However, research has shown that echinacea may not be effective in these conditions.
Other uses not proven with research have included treating anxiety, migraine headache, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), gingivitis, tonsillitis, genital herpes, human papilloma virus (HPV), low white blood cell counts, bladder infections, an eye condition called uveitis, and other conditions.
It is not certain whether echinacea is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. Echinacea should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.
Echinacea is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
Echinacea may also be used for purposes not listed in this product guide.
