ECHINACEA ANGUSTIFOLIA: BACTERIAL INFECTION FIGHTER

With its pronounced anti-infective and immune-balancing properties, Echinacea is probably the best known of all medicinal plants. In this respect, its two principal species are Echinacea Angustifolia and Echinacea Purpurea, each with its subtle distinctions.

It was Echinacea Angustifolia that was employed therapeutically by the indigenous peoples of North America. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, physician herbalists adopted the plant and relied on it for its infection-fighting powers to treat serious conditions like blood poisoning and typhoid.

Besides containing echinacoside, a natural antibiotic compound, Echinacea Angustifolia also inhibits the destructive action of hyaluronidase, an enzyme activated by invading pathogens. Hyaluronidase breaks down what is known as “ground substance”, vitally important intercellular material in which the cells and fibres of the body’s connective tissue are embedded. “Ground substance” is comprised largely of hyaluronic acid, which is an important factor in the movement and interaction of cells, as well as being a critical component of skin and cartilage, for example, and even brain tissue. By curbing hyaluronidase, Echinacea Angustifolia protects the body against the destructive effects of pathogenic invaders. The net result is a reduction of the inflammatory aspects of infection, as well as tissue regeneration.

Health Canada has given its formal approval to St. Francis Herb Farm’s product, “Echinacea Angustifolia” (NPN 80001755).