purple cone flower
Echinacea · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Sparse (75 studies) · ★★☆☆☆
Purple cone flower, scientifically known as Echinacea, is a renowned perennial herb prized for its therapeutic properties. Native to North America, this resilient plant is most famous for its ability to support the immune system. Often used to combat common colds, Echinacea remains a staple in natural wellness traditions worldwide.
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Europe
- Parts used
- Root · Flower
- Common names
- Purple Coneflower · Coneflowers · 1 more
- Scientific synonyms
- Helichroa
Names
Common Names
- purple coneflower
- coneflowers
- Coneflower
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Equináceas
German:
- Sonnenhüte
- Sonnenhut
- Sonnenhut
- Sonnenhüte
French:
- Échinacées
Scientific Names
Accepted name
EchinaceaSynonyms
- Helichroa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Asterales and is a member of the Asteraceae family. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Echinacea.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Echinacea | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant is found across several distinct regions of the European continent. In Middle Europe, its presence is documented in Austria, Germany, and Poland. Moving toward the west, the species can also be located in Southwestern Europe within France. Additionally, its range extends into the Baltic States located in Eastern Europe. This diverse distribution demonstrates the plant's ability to thrive in various European environments.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Baltic States | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Krym | WCVP |
| Eastern Europe | Ukraine | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Kazakhstan | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Turkmenistan | WCVP |
| Central Asia | Tadzhikistan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as coneflower, is valued in herbal medicine for the therapeutic properties found throughout its various structures. While the most potent medicinal compounds are concentrated in the roots, specifically the thick, knobby root system, the aerial parts are also frequently utilized in preparations. The stems provide structural support for the large, daisy-like flowers, but it is the holistic combination of the root/herb that is often dried and processed for teas and tinctures to support the immune system.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| root | Journal of leukocyte biology (and other 12 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| flower | Current medical science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | Current medical science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem | Current medical science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Echinacea has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Echinacoside, Cichoric Acid, CHLOROGENIC ACID, Phenolic acid, betaine.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Echinacoside | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cichoric Acid | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| CHLOROGENIC ACID | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Phenolic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| betaine | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caffeic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caftaric acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamide | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dodeca-2E,4E-dienoic acid isobutylamide | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Echinacoside
- Journal of leukocyte biology
- OncoTargets and therapy
- Journal of molecular histology
- Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation
Cichoric Acid
- Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
- Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine
CHLOROGENIC ACID
- Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
Phenolic acid
- Journal of leukocyte biology
betaine
- Die Pharmazie
caffeic acid
- Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
caftaric acid
- Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamide
- Journal of natural products
dodeca-2E,4E-dienoic acid isobutylamide
- Journal of natural products
Activities
Echinacea has 11 reported activities identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiviral, Immunomodulator, Immunostimulant, Analgesic, Antiaging.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antiviral | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Immunomodulator | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Immunostimulant | Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | The American journal of clinical nutrition (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiaging | Journal of molecular histology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Journal of molecular histology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | The American journal of clinical nutrition (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | Journal of leukocyte biology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Echinacea has 19 reported medicinal uses identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include common cold, upper respiratory infections, upper respiratory tract infections, AIDS, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| common cold | Biochemical pharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| upper respiratory infections | Biochemical pharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| upper respiratory tract infections | Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AIDS | Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Saccharomyces cerevisiae | Planta medica (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bacterial infections | Nutrients (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | Medicines (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bronchitis | Biochemical pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | OncoTargets and therapy (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cold- | Biomolecules (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Echinacea extract | Planta medica (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts | Pharmacological research (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Chizukit | Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ECHINACEA preparations | Planta medica (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Echinacea ethanolic extract | Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Echinacea extracts | The Journal of family practice (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Echinacea preparations | Arzneimittel-Forschung (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Echinacea root extracts | Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Echinacea tincture | Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Extracts of the plant Echinacea | The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |