It is important for patients to talk with their doctors if they are thinking of using herbal remedies or any other alternative therapies. The American Cancer Society urges individuals with cancer to remain in the care of qualified doctors who use proven methods of treatment and approved clinical trials of promising new treatments. Echinacea was used by Native Americans to treat wounds and respiratory infections. Since the late 1800s, the plant has been used to treat conditions ranging from colds to syphilis. The main role of echinacea is said to be to increase resistance to infection.
Many people today take echinacea to prevent or treat colds and the flu.
The plant contains a number of active compounds, including inulin, polysaccharides, and fatty acids. Some of these compounds appear to stimulate the production and activity of white blood cells, whose function is to attack and destroy bacteria and other disease-causing invaders in the bloodstream. Echinacea may also increase production of cytokines, chemicals that help control immune system activity. Echinacea can be effective for its traditional purposes, including relieving colds and infections from bacteria, viruses, and yeast. It appears to have some effect in reducing inflammation.