Coneflower

What is Coneflower?

Coneflower is a prairie wildflower whose root is sold as a cold remedy. The species on this page is Echinacea angustifolia, the narrow-leaved kind. It is also called Purple Coneflower or Black Sampson.

Most people take it hoping to shorten a cold or avoid one. Some older uses were for sore throats, wounds and boils.

Here is the honest verdict. The best human trials of this species found no clear benefit for colds. Long and respected traditional use is not proof that it works, and it is not proof that it is safe.

That said, it is not a dangerous plant for most healthy adults. The real concerns are allergy and people whose immune system is being treated with drugs.

How does Coneflower work?

No one has shown what, if anything, echinacea does in a person with a cold.

The common claim is that it "boosts the immune system". In cell studies, extracts of the root change how white blood cells behave. Some fat-like compounds called alkamides appear to bind immune cell receptors in the test tube.

In laboratory work, other parts of the root seem to nudge immune signals called cytokines. Whether any of this happens after you swallow a capsule is not established.

Echinacea does not kill cold viruses in the body. Lab tests on cell cultures are not the same as a person with a runny nose.

There is one odd twist worth knowing. If it does stir up immune activity, that is exactly why it may be a bad idea in autoimmune disease.

What forms does Coneflower come in?

You will mostly meet it as a capsule, tablet or tincture.

- Dried root in capsules or tablets.

- Liquid tincture or glycerite, often mixed with other herbs.

- Loose root or tea bags for a decoction (a drink made by simmering the root).

- Lozenges and throat sprays, often blended with other species.

- Creams and salves for the skin.

Many "echinacea" products on shelves are actually Echinacea purpurea, or a blend of species and plant parts. Check the label for both the species and the part used.

Where it comes from:

Echinacea angustifolia was one of the most used medicinal plants of the North American plains.

Plains nations, including the Lakota and Pawnee, used the root widely. Recorded uses covered snakebite, toothache, sore throat, burns and infected wounds. Chewing the root for its numbing tingle was common.

In the 1870s a Nebraska seller named Meyer promoted the root as a blood purifier. He made bold claims about snakebite that were never borne out.

Eclectic physicians took it up in the 1880s and 1890s. Writers such as John King and Finley Ellingwood listed it for sepsis, boils and foul wounds. They called it an "antiseptic" in the loose sense used at the time.

Use faded in the United States after the 1930s as sulfa drugs and antibiotics arrived. Interest moved to Germany, where research focused on the easier-to-grow Echinacea purpurea.

The modern supplement market grew out of that German work, not out of Eclectic practice.

What does Coneflower help with?

• Common cold (treatment): This is the main modern use, and the evidence is weak. Some trials report colds ending about half a day to a day sooner. Others report nothing at all. Most of the positive trials used E. purpurea, not this species.
• Common cold (prevention): Taking it daily to avoid colds has not been shown to work for this species. A 2005 trial exposed volunteers to a cold virus after giving angustifolia root extracts. Infection rates did not drop. Pooled reviews find at best a weak hint of fewer colds across mixed products.
• Sore throat: Traditional use leaned on the tingling, numbing feel of the fresh root. That sensation is real and comes from the alkamides. There is no good trial showing it heals a throat infection or shortens one.
• Flu-like illness: Sometimes marketed for flu, but trial support is thin. Flu is a different illness from a cold and needs different care. Echinacea is not a substitute for flu vaccination or antiviral medicine.
• Minor wounds and skin sores (traditional use): Eclectic doctors applied the root to boils, burns and dirty wounds. Lab tests show some activity against bacteria in a dish. Whether a cream does anything on human skin has not been settled by trials.
• Snakebite and blood purifying (historical claim only): These claims drove the plant's fame in the 1800s. They have never been supported by evidence. Snakebite is a medical emergency. Never treat a snakebite with a herb; call emergency services.

What are the side effects of Coneflower?

• Tingling or numb feeling on the tongue
• Nausea or stomach upset
• Unpleasant taste
• Rash or itching
• Hives
• Headache or dizziness
• Worsening of asthma or hay fever symptoms
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), rare
• Liver problems reported in rare case reports

Good to know:

Most people who take it short-term have no trouble. Stomach upset and the tongue tingle are the usual complaints.

Allergy is the real risk. People with hay fever, asthma or atopic eczema are more likely to react badly.

Severe reactions are rare but have been reported, including in children. Stop at the first sign of rash, swelling or wheeze.

How much Coneflower should you take?

• Recommended daily: This page gives label figures only. It is not advice for you. Capsule labels for dried root often list 300 to 500 mg, up to three times a day. Tincture labels often list 1 to 2 mL, up to three times a day. Strength varies hugely between brands and species. The figure on one bottle tells you little about the next.
• Best time of day: Time of day does not seem to matter. Products meant for colds are usually split across the day. Tinctures taste strong and contain alcohol, which some people prefer to avoid at night.
• With or without food: Either works. Take it with food if it upsets your stomach. Tinctures are usually diluted in a little water or juice.
• Time to effect: If it helps at all, any effect would show within a few days. Products are marketed for use at the very first sign of a cold. Be clear-eyed here. In several good trials it did nothing at all.
• How long to take it: Short use is the norm. Many labels and regulators cap it at about 10 days in a row. Long-term daily use has not been studied well for safety. If a cold drags past 10 days, see a doctor rather than keep dosing.