Echinacea is arguably the most used herbal remedy in the world and easily bought over the counter in health stores and pharmacies. It is native to North America where it has long been used medicinally by the Native American tribes for sore throats, infections, fever and even snakebites. Echinacea was introduced to Western medicine in the late 1800s and is now one of the most studied herbs in herbal medicine, particularly for its immune supporting effects. (1,3)
This hot pink daisy like flower really packs a punch and is the key ingredient in our Echinacea Collection. The purple cone flower (Echinacea purpurea) is rich in active substances that contribute to its therapeutic nature, including polysaccharides, glycoproteins, alkamides, volatile oils and flavonoids.(1,2,3) These beneficial ingredients are found in the plant’s petals, leaves and roots and have been shown to exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities in vitro and in vivo (3,4)
We use a unique triple extraction process first using alcohol and cold water in order to maximise the uptake of the full spectrum of key nutrients. In the 3rd stage of extraction, the alcohol is evaporated and replaced with glycerine, which is low GI and an excellent natural preservative.
Along with Echinacea, the Botanicals 4 Life Echinacea Collection includes the following hero ingredients:
Acerola Cherry
Acerola has an extremely high level of natural vitamin C content alongside other phytonutrients which work synergistically. Natural vitamin C has been shown to be better absorbed by human beings than synthetic ascorbic acid, contributes to normal functioning of the immune system and improves resistance to infection. (5)
Elderberry
Research on elderberry has shown it to support immune response as well as shorten duration and severity of symptoms linked to colds and viral infections.(6)
Olive Leaf
Research shows oleuropein-the main component in olive leaf extract-has antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immune supporting properties.(7)
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References:
- Bauer R. Echinacea drugs—effects and active ingredients. Z Arztl Fortbild. 1996;90:111–5. [PubMed]
- Miller SC. Echinacea: a miracle herb against aging and cancer? Evidence in vivoin mice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. (2005) 2:309–14. 10.1093/ecam/neh118 [PubMed]
- Hudson J.B. Applications of the phytomedicine Echinacea purpurea(Purple Coneflower) in infectious diseases. Biomed. Biotechnol. 2012;2012:769896. [PubMed]
- K. Lim Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants. 2013 Sep 3 : 340–371. Published online 2013 Sep 3. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-7395-0_23 [PubMed]
- Anand Prakash, Revathy Baskaran J Food Sci Technol. 2018 Sep; 55(9): 3373–3384. Published online 2018 Jul 11. doi: 10.1007/s13197-018-3309-5[PubMed]
- R. Yasmin, S.L. Chia, Q.H. Looi, A.R. Omar, M.M. Noordin, A. Ideris Feed Additives- Herbal extracts as antiviral agents 2020 : 115–132. Published online 2020 Jan 24. doi: 0.1016/B978-0-12-814700-9.00007-8 {PubReader}
- Omar S. H. (2010). Oleuropein in olive and its pharmacological effects. Scientia pharmaceutica, 78(2), 133–154.[PubReader]
