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PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES - TOXICOLOGY - DRUG INTERACTIONS

Echinacea angustifolia (Narrow-Leaf Echinacea)

One of the main mechanisms of action of Echinacea angustifolia is that it simulates phagocytosis
in the blood stream. No single constituent has been found to be primarily responsible for
Echinacea’s immune-stimulating effect; rather they appear to all work together to accomplish this
(AMR, 2001). The immune-stimulant effect is brought about by three mechanisms: activation
of phagocytosis and stimulation of fibroblasts; increasing respiratory activity; and causing
increased mobility of the leukocytes (WHO, 1999). It has been reported that chicoric acid, an active
constituent of Radix Echinaceae has properties that include immunostimulation, phagocytosis,
and anti-hyaluronidase activity (Pellati et al., 2004). The lipophilic amides, alkamides and caffeic
acid derivatives of Radix Echinaceae appear to contribute to the immunostimulant activity by
stimulating phagocytosis of polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes. High molecular weight
polysaccharides of the aqueous extracts of Radix Echinaceae, including heteroxylan were found
to activate phagocytosis and arabinogalactan promoted the release of tumour necrosis factor and
the production of interleukin-1 and interferon beta when taken orally (WHO, 1999).

An open multi-centered veterinary clinical trial conducted by veterinarians in Switzerland found
Radix Echinaceae as a well-tolerated alternative treatment of canine upper respiratory tract
infections (Reichling et al., 2003). Radix Echinaceae has been used to treat endoparasites and
stomach problems in dogs and cats (Lans et al., 2007).

Toxicity for Radix Echinaceae has not been documented in dogs and cats when administered orally in therapeutic
TOXICOLOGY juice is 50 mL/kg of body weight in mice (Perri et al., 2006). 50
doses. Oral LD of Radix Echinaceae is 2,500 mg/kg of body weight in mice. Intravenous LD of Echinacea
50

Equivalent toxic dose in 20 kg dog: 50,000 mg PO of Radix Echinaceae.
Equivalent toxic dose in 5 kg cat: 12,500 mg PO of Radix Echinaceae.

DRUG Validated interactions studies do not exist for Radix Echinaceae preparations. Clinical
INTERACTIONS interactions with other drugs have not been reported. However, because it is an immune
stimulant, caution should be used in combining it with immunosuppressive drugs such as
corticosteroids, cyclosporine, amiodarone, methotrexate, and ketoconazole (Miller, 1998).

4 | Immunine -VM TM