用途 許多在紫錐菊中植物化學物質是積極參與其作用:多糖、黃酮、咖啡酸的衍生物、精油、多炔、烷基胺(Alkylamides)和生物鹼。人們已經知道多糖類可以激發身體的細胞去對抗感染。 獲得的途徑 可以從提煉物、酊劑、片劑、膠囊、藥膏,而且穩定新鮮的提取物中得到。 建議用量 紫錐菊有免疫刺激作用減少發炎,而且幫助人體對抗細菌和病毒。實驗證明紫錐菊刺激免疫系統細胞活動。當這些細胞有活性時,白血球更迅速把引起疾病的侵略者包圍,使病毒或細菌死亡,防止他們繁殖,或僅僅停止他們的活動。 當許多人選擇在冬天以每日的方式服用紫錐菊,幫助避免感冒和流感。另一方面,紫錐菊能減少感冒或流感的患病時間。如果你有風濕性關節炎,被類固醇基礎抗炎藥所困擾,紫錐菊可作為溫和的鎮痛劑減輕症狀,並沒有副作用。 對付一般的免疫系統刺激,如果患有感冒、上呼吸道感染或膀胱炎,選擇下面的服用形式。一天三次: 1-2克乾的根,做成茶 2-3 毫升22%酒精濃縮物稀釋為含2.4%β-1,2-呋喃果糖苷 200毫克精華粉含有6.5:1,或 3.5%紫錐菊苷 精華液 (1:1):1毫升-5毫升 酊劑 (1:5):1-3毫升 穩定的鮮提取物:75毫升 對付關節炎,每日服用15滴由一個受好評的廠家生產的標準化提取物 對付難痊癒創傷,希望塗抹護膚膏或藥膏 注意事項 美國的草藥產品協會給紫錐菊一級的安全等級。因此,只要你遵照醫囑或標籤上說明服用,你就比較安全。在德國,紫錐菊的持續使用期被限制到8個星期。如果要長期服用就要諮詢醫生。 紫錐菊很少會引起過敏反應。 當你口服紫錐菊的時候,你的舌頭上會有強烈的麻木和刺痛感。這是正常並且很快會消失。 已經有一些皮疹和皮膚癢的病例報告,但是這是稀罕的。如果你有肺結核、白血球組織增生、糖尿病、複合硬化症、愛滋病或自身免疫系統疾病,不要服用紫錐菊。如果你正在懷孕,在服用紫錐菊之前諮詢你的醫生。 可能引起的不良反應 因 為紫錐菊可以影響你的免疫系統,如果你參加任何的免抑制疫力的治療,不要服用這種草藥。 參考文獻 Berman S.Dramaticincrease in immune-mediated HIV killing activity induced by Echinacea angustifolia. Int Conf AIDS 12 (582). Abstract 32309. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to HerbalMedicine. Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 1998. Braunig B, Dorn M, Knick E. Echinacea purpurea radix for strengthening the immune response in flu-like infections. Z Phytotherapie. 1992;13:7-13. Dorn M, Knick E, Lewith G. Placebo-controlled, double-blind study of Echinacea pallidae radix in upper respiratory tract infections. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 1997;5:40-42. Hobbs C. Echinacea: a literature review. Herbalgram 1994;30:33-47. Hobbs C. The Echinacea Handbook.Sandy, Ore: Eclectic Medical; 1989. Coeugniet E, Kuhnast R. Adjuvant immunotherapy with different formulations of echinacin [in German]. Therapiwoche. 1986;36:3352-3358. Hoheisel O, Sandberg M, Bertram S, Bulitta M, Schafer M. Echinagard treatment shortens the course of the common cold: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. European Journal of Clinical Research. 1997;9:261-269. Hyman R, Pankhurst R. Plants and Their Names: A Concise Dictionary. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 1995. Mattocks AR. Chemistry and Toxicology of Pyrrolytic Alkaloids. New York, NY: Academic Press; 1986:chap12. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A,eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, Fla: CRC Press; 1996. Melchart D, Walther E, Linde K, Brandmaier R, Lersch C. Echinacea root extracts for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections: a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Arch Fam Med. 1998;7:541-545. Melchart D, Linde IK, Worku F, Sarkady L, Holzmann M, Jurcic K, et al. Results of Five Randomized Studies on the Immunomodulatory Activity of Preparations of Echinacea. J Alt Comp Med. 1995;1(2):145-160. Miller LG. Herbal medicinals:selectedclinical considerations focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158(20):2200-2211. Murray MT. The Healing Power of Herbs: The Enlightened Person's Guide to the Wonders of Medicinal Plants. Rocklin, Calif: Prima Publishing; 1995. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health-Care Professionals. London: The Pharmaceutical Press; 1996. Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE.RationalPhytotherapy: A Physicians' Guide to Herbal Medicine. 3rd ed. Berlin: Springer; 1998. Snow JM. Echinacea. Protocol J Botanical Medicine. 1997;2:18-24. Thompson KD. Antiviral activity of Viracea against acyclovir susceptible and acyclovir resistant strains of herpes simplex virus. Antiviral Res. 1998;39:55-61. Tyler VE. Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. Binghamton, NY: Pharmaceutical Products Press; 1994. Verhoef MJ, Hagen N, Pelletier G, Forsyth P. Alternative therapy use in neurologic disease: use in brain tumor patients. Neurology 1999;52:617-622.