Copyright 1997-2004 Eileen Nauman
All Rights Reserved
The historical significance of this wonderful herbal and homeopathic remedy is far flung and well known. It is one of the easiest to grow in your own backyard; a healthy, tough, vital plant that can take the killing hundred degree heat of the desert to the high altitude, chilling region of the great Rocky Mountains.
DESCRIPTION
Echinacea Purpurea (Rudbecki pupurea) is a member of the Compositae Family. It is known as Purple Coneflower. It is a perennial and can live in many different soils, altitudes and areas. Generally speaking, the plant is stiff, erect, coarse and forms large clumps of erect stems that may, over time, grow four to five feet tall. The leaves are oblong-shaped and three to eight inches long. The heads are considered 'showy'--that is to say, they are prominent. The flower petals droop and may range in color from a very pale lavender to dark purple. There are coral, crimson and white varieties of Echinacea, also.
Often, these are used as an outer border along with other perennials such as Shasta daisies, sunflowers and Michaelmas daisies. Plant in full sun. They will take 'general' watering, but for best results, especially in very hot, desert climates, daily watering during the summer is a must. You can divide clumps of Echinacea in the Spring and Fall of the year.
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MEDICAL USE BY SETTLERS AND NATIVE AMERICANS
According to M. Grieve, author of A Modern Herbal, Echinacea is known by many names: Black Sampson, Coneflower, Niggerhead, and Rudbeckia.
The parts used herbally are the dried root and the rhizome. There is oil and resin in the wood and bark and masses of inulin, inuloid, sucrose, vulose, betaine, two phytoesterols and fatty acids, oleic, cerotic, linolic and palmatic constituents.
Echinacea increases resistance to infections. It is used for boils, erysipelas (an acute inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. It is accompanied by fever and constitutional disturbance), septicemia (blood poisoning), cancer, syphilis and other blood impurities, and its action being antiseptic. It is useful as a strong alternative and aphrodisiac. The 'fresh' root has been found beneficial in diphtheria and putrid fevers.
According to Michael Moore, author of Medicinal Plants of The Desert and Canyon West, Echinacea was also known as Kansas Snakeroot, and Spider Flower. In the desert areas, the flower only gets one to one-and-a-half feet tall. Usually, it produces May through July, when it can get water.
He suggests that the fresh root tincture be gathered from August through November (keeping in mind, this is desert region). He gather the dry root and seed heads, tinctured 1:5, in 70 percent alcohol.
Echinacea angustifolia stimulates the white blood cells during their attacking and digesting of bacteria, toxic proteins, viruses, herpes and vesicular stomatitis. He also reports that the Echinacea seems to speed up the replication of lymphocytes, one our white blood cell warriors that protect us. Once the body makes pus, he says that with Echinacea present, resolution occurs more quickly. As he says, "...the quicker the junk (dead cell debris) is removed, the less scarring occurs and the better the flesh works after healing."
Echinacea helps to limit the swelling and edema of hemorrhoids, bruises, sprains, stings of bees/wasps and mosquitoes.
When it comes to connective tissue swelling, such as when there is cartilage injury, Echinacea has shown benefit in tennis elbow, skier's knee and jogger's ankle. He also reports that "regular use of small amounts of the tincture (1:5) internally (30 drops, five times a day) helps to decrease corneal opacities and some of the interocular pressure of glaucoma."
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DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURES
Just looking at a clump of Echinacea gives you a sense of not only vitality, but robustness and power. Their stems are rigid and inflexible; and if you run your fingers along the rounded stem, you feel the many sharply pointed 'hairs' that surround it.
In fact, everything about Echinacea is 'prickly.' There is 'hair' on the leaves, too! And when you observe the head of the flower, it looks like a porcupine in full quill array--nothing to mess with! The fact that the head looks like a whole bunch of sharp, long, inflexible needles is no mistake. To lightly touch the head of a flower, you get a very good sense of the plant's strength and ability to protect itself.
The pale purple petals are always drooping and this reminds me of people who 'droop' through their day. When you've got the flu or a nasty, debilitating cold, you 'droop' too! It's as if with the flower petals naturally drooping that its speaking to us of times when we feel lethargic, run down, beat up or beat down, and how it can help us.
The more 'hair' on a plant, over the years I've learned, means the more it can protect me--either externally as a salve or internally either as a flower essence, herbal tincture or taken as a homeopathic remedy. Echinacea bristles with armament. The only 'soft' part of it is the purple petals which are somewhat flexible, and thin as paper--but even they are wimps either!
When a plant can live in so many altitudes and different weather regions and soil conditions, that tells me much about it's strength and flexibility to SURVIVE. This is one tough customer in the plant world, and the flower essences!
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THE HOMEOPATHIC CONNECTION
BOERICKE'S MATERIA MEDICA
We are indebted to the Eclectic school for this remarkable medicine as a "corrector of blood dyscrasia." Acute auto-infection. Symptoms of blood poisoning, septic conditions generally. Diarrhea in typhoid. Gonorrhea. Boils. Erysipelas and foul ulcers. Gangrene.
Goiter with exophthalmic symptoms; full doses, also injecting 5-10 drops into thyroid gland. Tendency to malignancy in acute and sub acute disorders. Last stages of cancer to ease p in. Venom infection. Cerebro-spinal meningitis. Puerperal infections. Tired feeling. Piles (hemorrhoids). Pustules.
Acts on vermiform appendix thus has been used for appendicitis, but remember it promotes suppuration and a neglected appendicitis with pus formation would probably rupture sooner under its use. Lymphatic inflammation; crushing injuries. Snake bites and bites and stings generally. Foul discharges with emaciation and great debility.
HEAD: Confused, depressed. Aches with a peculiar periodical flushing of the face, even to the neck; dizziness and profound prostration.
NOSE: Foul-smelling discharge, membranous formations protruding. Post-nasal catarrh with ulceration and fetor. Nose feels stiffed up. Right nostril raw, bleeding.
MOUTH: Canker; gums recede and bleed easily; corners of mouth and lips crack; tongue dry and swollen; sores; dirty brownish. Tongue, lips, and fauces tingle, with sense of fear about heart. [Aconite] White coating of tongue, with red edges. Promotes the flow of saliva.
THROAT: Tonsils purple or black, gray exudation extending to posterior nares and air-passages. Ulcerated sore throat.
STOMACH: Sour belching and heartburn. Nausea; better lying down.
CHEST: Pain as of a lump in chest and under sternum. Pain in pectoral muscles. [Aristolochia.]
URINE: Albuminous, scanty, frequent, and involuntary.
FEMALE: Puerperal septicemia;. discharges suppressed; abdomen sensitive and tympanitic (hard, sounds like a drum, swollen) offensive, excoriating Leucorrhea.
EXTREMITIES: Aching in limbs and general lassitude.
SKIN: Recurring boils. Carbuncles. Irritations from insect bites and poisonous plants. Lymphatics enlarged. Old tibial ulcers. Gangrene.
FEVER: Chilliness, with nausea. Cold flashes all over back. Malarial fever.
RELATIONSHIP--Compare: Cenchris contortrix; Bothrops; Ars.; Lach., Baptis.; Rhus; Cistus; Hepar; Calendula.
Dose.-Tincture, one to ten drops, every two hours, and larger doses. Locally, as a cleansing and antiseptic wash.
MODALITIES (Source: Lotus MM/R. Murphy):
Better: from lying down, by rest, bending double (if there are pains in abdomen).
Worse: from injury, an operation, cold air, in the evening and after eating, from physical or mental exertion.
OTHER HOMEOPATHIC RESOURCES
Utilizing Robin Murphy's Lotus Materia Medica, here are some other interesting tidbits on Echinacea:
1. Echinacea angustifolia, the Western species, is the "blood tonic." The Eastern species is Echinacea Purpurea (also called Black Sampson).
2. It was valuable as a local/external cleansing and anti-septic wash. (In tincture form and mixed with water to dilute it).
3. Three homeopathic remedies were thought to be of service, in order of importance, to the condition known as gangrene: 1st, Rhus Tox., 2nd, Echinacea and 3rd, Arsenicum. (I would add Pyrogenium here, personally--if nothing else worked--EN).
4. Echinacea is especially of benefit to weak or broken-down constitutions.
5. In the 1900's it was used in the last stages of cancer to ease pain.
6. MIND: So nervous they could not study. Slowness in every action and speaks slowly, replies slowly and walks slowly. Confused feeling in the brain. Confused, depressed or cross. Angry when corrected. Hates to be contradicted. Felt depressed and out of sorts. Can't think or study. (Many of these symptoms were seen with the flower essence proving--EN).
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STAGE 2 PROVING INFORMATION
GC, PROVER
Prover's Meeting Diary
Date: 3/26/1997
Name of Remedy: Echinacea Purple Cone
Chakra(s) influenced by remedy: Root Chakra.
Circle areas affected in you: Physical and emotional.
Was there (list appropriate sensations/emotions): (primary feeling) rocking sensation(forward and back wanting to go to right side), calmness, in-the-body/anchoring, lightness/buoyancy, androgynous.
Other: movement in lower left back area. Upper arm muscles either bigger or tighter / sore movement on right side of lower back. Lightheaded . My back seems to be straightening, coccyx very sensitive (not sexually).
Major Physical sensation: wanting to sit straight, my spine is moving. Wanting to sit very upright. Toes and nose in the same direction. Lots more mucous draining from my sinus cavities. I needed to drink water.
Major positive healing pattern: back problems, sinus problem, Squirrel cage mind &endash it shuts it down totally. Emotions really don't have a chance to come through.
MF, PROVER
Prover's Meeting Diary
Date: 3/26/1997
Name of Remedy: PURPLE CONE FLOWER--ECHINACEA
Primary color: Pastel Green (1), Pink (2), Blue(3) all pastel colors.
Chakra(s) influenced by remedy: HC (1) RC(2)
Circle areas affected in you:
Physical mental emotional spiritual
Was there (circle appropriate sensations/emotions): warmth, calmness, peacefulness, in-the-body/anchoring(a lot), androgynous(felt each male/female separately)
Other: Nice feeling
Major Emotional Feeling: Calming.
Major Physical sensation: Heart area warmth but not an outside heat more like a natural pervasive warmth that just is, like a after glow type of warmth you feel when something nice happens or meaningful occurs.
Major Pattern of imbalance that it can address: Grounding to some extent, calming mental and containing emotions.
Major positive healing pattern: Get back to self.
Major essence attunement message you received:
Other (any other thoughts you want to put down that were not asked)
Story line : (Purple cone flower (Echinacea) Slight acid taste &endash needed to take a deep breath. Warmth started in center of chest and did a right to left spiral outward to about 2/3 of chest( several blocks of pastel colors spraying outward mostly green, then pinks , then blue). Big impression of heart beating stronger (could feel the pounding in the chest). Feet felt grounded to Earth. After second dose felt more grounded (heavier through chest). Mental quieting down (don't want to expend any effort to think), emotions steady (could not feel like they didn't matter or were in a can). Feelings of stability, not happy but serene and satisfied . Feel some bowel activity. Hands getting a little sweaty. Warmth across forehead just above eyebrows about an inch into skull. (Right to left 1 inch from each temple). Calming, more peaceful (knowing all is ok).
EN, PROVER
1. After first taking it, I felt energy movement on the LEFT side, the hip and pelvic area--a tingling sensation; very pleasant.
2. Wave-like pulsing sensation coming up from my Root Chakra area.
3. Energy movement is now in my thighs.
4. I don't want to breathe. Lots of pauses between my breaths/breathing. I am not struggling to want to breathe--it just seems so nice not to breathe (no panic, no anxiety); it's as if I just want to 'be' with no breathing; that I can live without breathing. A very calming feeling about this non-breathing stasis.
5. There is a slight rocking motion associated with the spinning of my Root Chakra.
6. There is a SLOW onset of sensations with this NE.
7. Very subtle energy movement; nothing strong or overwhelming. Gentle. Androgynous feeling to it.
8. I am very sleepy feeling.
9. I feel very laid back, very relaxed.
10. I'm experiencing a pain on the RIGHT side, T-4 thoracic vertebrae of my spine (between the shoulders).
11. My back suddenly 'popped' and that vertebrae, which was out of place, snapped back in--on it's own! Amazing.
12. A LOT of mucus in my throat. I'm hawking constantly. Sinus drainage in the back of my throat. Deep yellow, thick discharge. 3.
13. Would be good for calming people down (stressed out, frazzled, over-worked, unable to relax), great for sinus conditions of any kind, good for back problems?, respiratory distress of any kind, including emphysema or COPD's (asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, or chest colds/pneumonia)??
RB, PROVER
I see a purple color, like a cluster of grapes. I see a purple artery, a blood vessel. I have neutral emotions. My chest expands, I want to breathe deep. I see alveoli, like clusters of grapes, in my lungs. It feels like it can cleanse all the tubing of my body from my lungs, breathing to my blood and blood vessels. I can feel it clearing the pathways of my body.
I feel this would be useful in respiratory problems, sciatic and cleansing of the blood in general.
NG, PROVER
Date: March 26, 1997
Name of remedy: Echinacea (purple Coneflower)
Primary color: red
Chakra: Root Chakra
1. Mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. pervasive heat without it being a physical heat (heat as in post-orgasm). Sexual feeling, but again without being truly physical. Female energy expression.
Other: at first dose was surrounded by red, as if the world around me had turned red. Saw spiral from root chakra upward, turning counter-clockwise with the wide part of spiral at bottom. Sexual feeling, not in the sense me feeling sexually aroused, but that the remedy was about sex.
Major emotional feeling: sexual in the femme fatale sense (Mata Hari).
Major physical sensation: I sat with very straight spine. heat, but not really a physical heat, but as if the heat were on a spiritual plane.
Major pattern of imbalance that it can address: sexual problems, nymphomania, or possible someone with no interest in sex.
Major positive healing pattern: healing sexuality-related problems. Nymphomania.
Natural essence attunement message you received: healing through heat - as in tempering steel.
COMMENT: As the leader of the proving, I asked "NG" for more information about the sensations she was experiencing. She said: There was a warmth in my genital region/Root Chakra area, but it wasn't physical. I felt like a femme fatale, a seductress, kind of like a Mata Hari type of woman. I had a heat, like a flush or a Kundalini kind of charge in that region. If was not sexual arousal. It was more like it would be a sexual remedy for nymphomania; as if too much of a good thing, or obsessed to having orgasm after orgasm."
Here is the actual Natural Essence of Echinacea being made. You can see several of the flower heads in the clear glass bowl, in aquifer water, sitting in direct sunlight. An hour from now, this will be taken, strained off and a mother essence made of it. From this ME, mother essence, 4 drops of it goes into the stock bottles which are sold to people such as yourself.
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COMMENTS ON THE PROVING:
LOSS OF INTEREST IN SEX
It's of interest to me that in the herbal literature, it talks about Echinacea being used as an 'aphrodisiac' and one of our provers had obvious symptoms in that direction. Might it be of use as a flower essence in sexual dysfunction? Nymphomania? (in man or woman). The ability to come to full orgasm? Or the woman who goes through menopause and she loses her interest in sexual activity (because her testosterone levels are low during that 2-5 year period)? Or the man who goes through 'male-pause' and he loses sexual interest? More provings need to be undertaken to see if this is so or in what ways Echinacea affects our sexual quotient.
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SINUSITIS AND SINUS CONDITIONS
Some provers had their sinuses running and discharging full bore when they took the flower essence drops. Gail Carswell was repeatedly blowing her nose, gulping the discharge down the back of her throat and asking for water to 'clear her throat' of the sinus drainage. I was continually 'hawking' and clearing my throat because it created such swift onset of mucus from my sinus cavities.
I have used the flower essence version of Echinacea in a formula along with Olive Tree blossoms and Orange Globemallow to create Aller-Rest, a gentle allergy formula that has, thusfar, helped 75% of the people who have used it on a variety of 'allergy' conditions--ranging from pollen in the air, to dust, pet allergy, mold and other inhalants. The sinus part of the formula belongs assuredly, to Echinacea. There is no doubt in my mind that Echinacea is a major flower essence for acute and chronic sinusitis, or colds that have a non-stop 'runny nose' or 'runny sinuses' with it.
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DEPRESSION
The sense of well-being that this gave some of our provers. Michale Foltz noted that he felt 'contained' and just didn't want to feel his emotions--as if they were in 'neutral.' For some people who suffer from depression, they can't feel anything--as if someone had switched off their feelings and they were in a vacuum of sorts. He also felt this would be a wonderful Natural Essence for people who weren't in touch with their feelings--and not necessarily depressed, but more repressed/suppressed due to some trauma earlier in that person's life.
Judging from the homeopathic materia medica information, there is no question that Echinacea, in potentized form, does address depression. With the flower essence, this may be a gentler form that is able to accomplish the same thing, perhaps over a longer period of time, however.
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FOR STRESS
More than one of our provers emphasized the sensation of feeling relaxed; as if they didn't have a care in the world. In our modern, hurry-up world, this Natural Essence may act like a natural tranquilizer. Stress causes the immune system to go down and Echinacea is well known to increase the strength of our immune system. One of the ways to do this is limiting the amount of damage that stress takes on us, personally, on an every day basis.
Another area of application that needs to be verified is the possibility of INSOMNIA where people, because they are so tense and stressed out, cannot get to sleep at night for a long time--until they force themselves to unwind. Perhaps the taking of this Natural Essence five to ten minutes before bedtime, would bring sleep more rapidly because it has a decided, calming effect on our nervous system?
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THE BONES OF OUR BODY
A number of provers remarked how it made their spine feel straightened, stronger and they all wanted to sit up straighter than they had when they first started this proving. I noted that three out of the five provers immediately shifted in their chairs, squared their shoulders and sat upright--in a far better posture, than before taking the essence!
Might this be of assistance to spinal problems in general? Might it help the weakening vertebrae in the elderly; particularly women who contract osteoporosis? Or what about the person whose back is always going 'out' on them and they are having to go to the chiropractor nonstop to get an adjustment to put the vertebrae back in? What about weakness of the back in general?
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GENERAL TONIC AND TONER
I've seen few of the flower and gem essence be all things to all people; usually, they have specific talents and skills in a given area. However, with Echinacea, it is clear from not only our proving on it, but herbal as well a homeopathic proving and anecdotal cases, that Echinacea is what I call a 'general tonic.'
I find, for myself, when I'm having a 'draggy' day when my energy just isn't what it should be, that if I take 4 drops of the essence under my tongue, four times that day, that my energy rises.
Further, because I do so much mental work (writing books for a living), and my work at the computer and creating articles for the Athena list, that the Natural Essence of Echinacea also feeds my work-worn brain so that I can continue at a decent speed in accomplishing the work I've set out for myself on that day.
There is no question that Echinacea is a miracle herb and wonderful flower essence. We have yet to explore what all it can do, and it is my hope that as people use the Natural Essence, they will get back to me on their use of it and how it helps them so we can continue to build on our base of knowledge in the "Anecdotal Case" section.
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ECHINACEA TINCTURE--HOW TO MAKE IT
by Eileen Nauman, DHM(UK)
Copyright 2000 - 2004 Eileen Nauman
All Rights Reserved
I don't know about where you live, but today is a PERFECT day for digging up my 4 year old Echinacea plants from my Desert Planter. The day is a bright blue, blindingly bright sky with a warm 55 degree temperature, a slight breeze with yellow gold coin-like Cottonwood leaves sprinkling down like snow from our many trees as I dig.
When I make a tincture, I go through a process--may not be the same for other people, but what I do is dig up the roots, shake loose the dirt. And then, I gathered about 1/4 pound of roots and took them into my kitchen and washed them vigorously under warm tap water.
I then cut off the leaves and stem, so that only the roots are left.
I give them another thorough washing. Remember, these have been grown with compost (horse manure) and if ANY of that is left on the root, it can cause you serious, acute health problems. I then take a scrub brush that I have dipped into a plastic pail that contains a gallon (or two) of water and 1/4 teaspoon of bleach in it.
I prepare a large bowl with water (at least a quart) and add 1/4 teaspoon of bleach to it. I vigorously scrub these roots (even inch of them!) with the water/bleach. This gets rid of any E-coli that is in the compost that may have clung to the roots. It is important to do this for health and safety's sake. DRAIN THIS OFF.
I then put them in a one gallon steel pot with 1/8 teaspoon of bleach added. For health reasons, bleach must be used because it will kill any bacteria or virus left on the roots. Bring it to a boil for 20 minutes. Why? Because between the boiling hot water and bleach NOTHING bacterial or virus-like, survives.
I then pour the water and roots through a colander. DRAIN OFF ALL WATER. Wash the hot, steamy roots off with a quick rinse of tepid water from your faucet. DO NOT USE THIS WATER AS PART OF THE TINCTURE!! THROW IT AWAY.
Then, I take out my heavy duty blender and add half a cup of fresh water to it.
I strain out the roots (as many that will fit into my blender) and turn it on to "chop" speed. I macerate them until they look "chunky" but broken down and their roots cut open. The roots must be open to "bleed off" the internal contents which is where the goodies are at. I quickly strain them from the water used in the blender. I throw the blender water away. Keep only the chopped roots.
Taking my 8 ounce amber bottles, I put an ounce of roots into it and top it off with a fruit brandy. If you are using something smaller--like a one ounce eye dropper bottle, I would fill the bottle 1/3rd with the roots and 2/3rds with brandy.
These bottles are then labeled and dated and put in the pantry where it is cool, dry and dark to "stew" for a month while the alcohol does its work to leach out the chemical contents from the Echinacea roots.
I will then, at the 30 day mark, will take them out, sift out the contents and keep the brandy tincture. Voila! Echinacea tincture for us! :-)
Anyone else make their tincture a different way, please post--it's a fun way to learn of different techniques for different plants and herbal tinctures.
MARY CONLEY
I dig up part of my roots, leaving some of the root system in the hopes that the plant will regenerate next year. I have this terrible problem of digging things up - just hate to do it, so I leave some, and put on a mixture of rescue remedy to each plant.
Then I too use my Cusinart® for breaking up many things from the garden, except the rocks my lab carries around. I take a bit of alcohol and place it in the Cusinart® and splash it around a bit, then add the bits of root. Then I place in large 2 gallon jars and stir a bit, sending some intention in along with it too. These I place on a back shelf of my kitchen because that's where most of the love in my house accumulates. I will turn the jars each day, giving them a pat as I go by. At the end of 4 to 5 weeks, I will strain them out.
Now I will never need a tincture press because we have our "Big Craig." He is huge and wonderful like a wooly bear, with large arms, but who can handle the most tender of herbs. He'll come in and squeeze the remainder of herb mixture through cheesecloth that I strain it through. When he's done we return the dried herb to the garden for tilling under next spring. He also gets a lick or two of the mixture, but at the end of the day he leaves with a big smile on his face - doesn't get sick much either. He's not for loan, but
everybody should have a "Big Craig."
My acupuncturist partner tells me she has most of her clients "hooked" on peach brandy tinctures, they all love that Menstrum so much, we ran out of Echinacea tincture at my office last week. I'm going to try Cherry Brandy next.
