Echinacea purpurea Root - Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench.

Each monograph establishes national standards for assuring authenticity, purity, and quality control of the monographed botanical. Accompanying the standards is the AHP Therapeutic Compendium which provides a complete and critical review of the pharmacological and safety data currently available, including information on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, actions, medical indications, historical and modern and traditional use, structure and function claims, dosages, interactions, side effects, contraindications, toxicology, and more.

According to AHP executive director Roy Upton, "On the quality side of things, there are numerous issues surrounding Echinacea that make manufacturing, choosing, or researching a quality product very complicated; confusion between species, the presence of adulterants, instability of potentially active compounds, and analytical difficulties create a great challenge for anyone working with Echinacea. Regarding efficacy and safety issues, there are controversies regarding proper dosing, which species or type of product to use, its short-term or long-term use, safety in pregnancy or auto-immune disease, etc. All of these issues are addressed and clarified in the monograph."

Table of Contents:

• Nomenclature
• History
• Identificaton
• Commercial Sources and Handling
• Consitutents
• Analytical
• Therapeutics
• Safety Profile
• International Status
• References