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Listers,

This is part 3 of my summary relating to Nature's Way
echinacea/goldenseal combo and a problem I developed with itching
mostly on the arms, legs, and feet. As i said in my previous post, I
was prompted to do some internet research which I offer here for what
it may be worth. I wouldn't go to court with any of it, but some of
it may be helpful to some list members.

Several people mentioned that they avoid echinacea because it  "puts
our immune systems into overdrive" The theory does not quite satisfy.
I cannot help but notice that while nutrition, exercise and so on
that improve health are immune system boosters, the fittest and
best-nourished among us do not, so far as I know, have more
autoimmune problems than the less fit and less well-fed.

Several authoritative-seeming sites said that "Studies looking at
this issue are few in number and largely inconclusive."

"According to Commission E, Echinacea should not be used by people
who have diseases such as tuberculosis, leukoses, collagenosis and
other connective tissue diseases, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, HIV
infection, and other autoimmune disorders. However, this
recommendation has been challenged on the grounds that Echinacea's
primary effect is stimulation of phagocytosis, and so would not be
expected to exacerbate these diseases. Echinacea has demonstrated no
adverse effects in people with any of the conditions listed above.

(continuing the quote) The Echinacea research has been complicated by
a number of factors, including variations in the types of Echinacea
preparations and plant parts tested and even uncertainty about which
Echinacea species were actually used in the Echinacea tests.
Currently, the consensus among experts is that the three Echinacea
species can be used interchangeably. There is no scientific evidence
to support the notion that wild Echinacea angustifolia is a stronger
or otherwise superior remedy to cultivated Echinacea purpurea.
Researchers found that root and aerial (above ground) parts of
Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia were roughly equivalent
in activity in vitro (in laboratory studies) and in vivo (in the
body).

Fresh-pressed juice of E. purpurea (aerial parts) is sometimes given
by injection in European phytotherapy (i.m., s.c. and i.v. routes)
and this can result in a slight fever (elevation of temperature of
0.5 to 1 degree). This response is interpreted as a reflection of the
immune-stimulating action, viz., the secretion of interferon and IL-1
by activated macrophages (Mengs et al., 1991).

And below, from the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
February 2001;44:298-299 (a little far afield for us, but interesting
because of the dermatological symptom)

Some researchers have theorized that HIV triggers autoimmune
responses that may be responsible for many of the symptoms of AIDS,
because the cell coating of HIV resembles CD4 receptors that are
found on normal cells. If AIDS does include an autoimmune component,
then Echinacea should probably be avoided by AIDS patients, or at
least only taken for acute infections and for less than 10 days.

A 41-year-old man realized this while using echinacea for his
flu-like symptoms, according to Canadian researchers.

Tender nodules formed under the skin of the man's legs 4 to 5 days
after taking the herb. And although the bumps disappeared after
several weeks, the man experienced three more episodes of the
condition, called erythema nodosum, before being taken off the herb.

Erythema nodosum is a condition that affects the area beneath the
skin and causes tender, bruise-like sores.

When the man stoped taking his echinacea, the episodes of erythema
nodosum stopped completely, even when he was followed over a one year
period.

Mary B.
NYC

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