Echinacea
Echinacea is thought to help your body fight colds and the flu. You have a higher chance to have an allergic reaction with echinacea if you are allergic to plants in the daisy family.
Echinacea Overview
Echinacea is a plant.
Echinacea is used most often for for colds, flu, and other infections.
Echinacea is thought to work by stimulating the immune system to more effectively fight infection.
Common side effects of echinacea include gastrointestinal side effects.
Echinacea Cautionary Labels
Uses
Echinacea is used most often for for colds, flu, and other infections. Less common uses of echinacea includes wounds and skin problems, such as acne or boils.
Echinacea may be used for other conditions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Side Effects of Echinacea
Common side effects of echinacea include gastrointestinal side effects.
Some people have experienced allergic reactions, including rashes, increased asthma, and anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction).
This is not a complete list of echinacea side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Echinacea Interactions
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
No drug interactions have been listed by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.
Echinacea Precautions
Special precautions & warnings:
You are more likely to experience allergic reactions to echinacea if:
- you are allergic to related plants in the daisy family, which includes ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies.
- you have asthma or atopy (a genetic tendency toward allergic reactions)
