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Echinacea, also known as Purple Coneflower, Coneflower, Black Sampson, and Snakeroot, is native to North America, and is one of the most popular herbs today in both North America and Europe. The name Echinacea is derived from the Greek meaning "hedgehog", referring to the sharp pointed bracts of the receptacles. Echinacea purpurea has been used for hundreds of years. Echinacea was first used in Native American sweat lodges to help the participants endure extreme temperatures. It was a popular medicine in America during the 1920's, but fell into disuse with the introduction of sulfa drugs. With natural antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, Echinacea purpurea is best know for its ability to kick-start the immune system, stimulating the production of white blood cells. Echinacea purpurea contains iron, iodine, copper, potassium, sulphur, and Vitamins A, E and C. Echinacea also contains polysaccharides, resembling bacteria, which motivate the healthy white blood cells attack bacterial invaders. Echinacea offers the body an overall feeling of well being, and for this reason studies of Echinacea continue today. Contributing to the bodies natural ability to fight infection, Echinacea is commonly referred to as the natural antibiotic and commonly used to fight infection caused by common colds and flu. Echinacea may also be used for reducing inflammation caused by respiratory problems, bronchitis, strep throat and enlarged prostate glands. Echinacea also has fat-soluble flavonoids, luteolin, Quercetin, and Rutin. Also present are the potent free radical scavengers safely derivatives which are said to protect the skin from sun damage. The high molecular weight polysaccharide fractions are surely involved in stimulating the immune response. |
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Olive trees have been cultivated for thousands of years, but the immune and circulatory benefits of Olive Leaf have only recently become fully realized. In the 1850's, medical reports described how Olive leaves cured the worst cases of malaria. An 1854 account in the Pharmaceutical Journal provided the following simple healing recipe: "A handful of leaves boiled in a quart of water down to half its original volume. A wine glassful was then administered until the fever was cured." The author believed that a bitter substance in the leaves was the key healing ingredient. This method was said to be extremely popular in England to treat sick returnees from the tropical colonies. In 1962, a scientific paper written by an Italian researcher reported that the chemical constituent "oleuropein" had the ability to lower blood pressure in animals. Other European researchers confirmed this finding and found also that it could increase blood flow in the coronary arteries, relieve arrhythmias and prevent intestinal muscle spasms. About the same time, other investigators were searching for the chemical agent within oleuropein that might be the most medically potent. A Dutch researcher found it - elenolic acid. What's more, the Europeans found it had a powerful anti-bacterial effect. In the late 1960's, research by scientists at a major American pharmaceutical company showed that elenolic acid also inhibited the growth of viruses. In fact, it stopped every virus that it was tested against. A number of in vitro laboratory experiments with calcium elenolate, a salt of elenolic acid, demonstrated a killer effect against many viruses, bacteria and parasitic protozoans. Among other effects, the compound was found to be potent against a variety of viruses associated with the common cold. |
