Based on the claims being made about Echinacea, it seems to be the cure all miracle herb.  Native Americans chewed the roots of Echinacea because it supposedly cured snakebites, spider bites, cancers, toothaches, burns, sores, flu, and colds (http://www.egregore.com/herb/echinacea.html).  On the eve of the twenty-first century, Echinacea suppliers are professing Echinacea to be “the most effective blood and lymphatic cleanser in the botanical kingdom.”  Echinacea is marketed as the “natural penicillin” which reduces infections, fever, bad breath and mucous buildup  (http://www.realtime.net/anr/herbs.html).  Eclectic Echinacea, a marketer of Echinacea, claims the herb is effective against allergies, especially those caused by plaster, metals, pollens, blood, animal dander, and medications.  Echinacea is used to treat a wide variety of additional ailments: cancer, herpes, canker sores, blood poisoning, boils, acne, eczema, erysipelas, gangrene, diphtheria, pustules, abscesses, strep throat, typhoid, peritonitis, arthritis, and indigestion (http://www.egregore.com/herb/echinacea.html).

        Echinacea is best known for its claim to cure infections through enhancement of the immune system.  Colds, influenza, upper respiratory tract infections, and urogentital infections are all apparently cured by Echinacea extracts.  Echinacea is supposed to cure mouth and throat infections such as tonsillitis and bronchitis.  With the exception of AIDS, Echinacea is used to treat almost any infection.  Mothernature.com recommends against taking Echinacea to treat AIDS, tuberculosis, and autoimmune disorders such as lupus and Grave’s disease.  Since AIDS is closely related to the immune system, it is thought that Echinacea can promote the regeneration of the AIDS virus (http://mothernature.com/articles/echinacea/article2.stm).  In contrast, others claim that Echinacea shows promise as an effective treatment for AIDS (http://www.egregore.com/herb/echinacea.html).
 

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