Echinacea purpurea

Reported Uses

• NOTE: see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table
• ADHD [Insufficient Evidence]
• anxiety [Insufficient Evidence]
• athletic performance [Insufficient Evidence]
• atopic dermatitis (eczema) [Insufficient Evidence]
• burns [Insufficient Evidence]
• candidiasis, vulvovaginal [Insufficient Evidence]
• chronic fatigue syndrome [Insufficient Evidence]
• common cold [Possibly Effective]
• COVID-19 [Insufficient Evidence]
• genital herpes [Insufficient Evidence]
• gingivitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• herpes labialis (cold sores) [Insufficient Evidence]
• HIV/AIDS [Insufficient Evidence]
• human papillomavirus [Insufficient Evidence]
• influenza [Insufficient Evidence]
• insect bite [Insufficient Evidence]
• lichen planus [Insufficient Evidence]
• malaria [Insufficient Evidence]
• migraine [Insufficient Evidence]
• molluscum contagiosum [Insufficient Evidence]
• otitis media [Insufficient Evidence]
• psoriasis [Insufficient Evidence]
• respiratory infections [Insufficient Evidence]
• rheumatoid arthritis [Insufficient Evidence]
• tonsillitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• tonsillopharyngitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• URI [Insufficient Evidence]
• UTI [Insufficient Evidence]
• warts [Insufficient Evidence]

Reported Doses

Safety/efficacy may not be established; reported doses may be derived from limited or potentially inadequate studies with variable regimens, multi-ingredient products, or where concentration of active ingredients may vary widely

Effectiveness Ratings

[see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table]

anxiety

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 40 mg PO qd-bid

athletic performance

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 2 g PO qid

atopic dermatitis (eczema)

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply cream topically bid-tid

common cold, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 800 mg PO tid; Info: incr. to 800 mg PO 5x/day at cold symptom onset

common cold, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 400 mg PO tid; Info: for patients 4-12 yo

COVID-19

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 30 mg PO qd; Info: for patients with long COVID

gingivitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply periodontal patch topically qd-tid x1 day, then qd x2 days; Info: product containing elderberry, echinacea, and gotu kola

influenza

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 200 mg PO qd x15 days, then 100 mg PO qd x15 days, then 100 mg PO qod; Alt: 1200 mg echinacea extract per 5 mL with elderberry concentrate in 150 mL hot water PO 5x/day x3 days, then tid x7 days

lichen planus

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 114 mg PO tid

molluscum contagiosum, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 200 mg PO qd if wt <20 kg; 400 mg PO qd if wt >20 kg

respiratory infections

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 16.8 g lozenge PO qd; Alt: 14 sprays/day (16.8 g) PO divided bid

tonsillitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 250 mg/5 mL root powder suspension PO tid x10 days/mo; Alt: 1 spray PO q2h prn up to 10 sprays/day

tonsillopharyngitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 800 mg lozenge PO 5x/day; Info: used with sage

URI

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 800 mg PO 5x/day x10 days; Alt: 1100-2200 mg PO qd x5 days