History Of Echinacea

History Of Echinacea

With the push towards natural remedies and alternative medicines, many are under the false impression that Echinacea and remedies like it are a new and upcoming thing. The truth of the matter is that Echinacea and other natural remedies have been around for centuries. Today’s modern technology may find new uses or ways to make them more effective, but the worth of Echinacea and other natural cures has been known for thousands of years.

Echinacea is a known herb that held great importance with the Native Americans. They were aware of its medicinal value long before the Europeans came to America. Archeological digs showed that the Native Americans could have been actively using Echinacea for hundreds of years before the arrival of Columbus. They used it to treat infections as well as a cure al for other ailments. These included mouthwashes, toothaches, headaches, dyspepsia, stomach cramps and snake bites. The Native Americans were also some of the first to realize Echinacea’s effects on colds and coughs.

When the first Europeans came to America, some learned from the Natives. Their medical knowledge of this herb as well as others slowly was passed on. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Echinacea became widely used as a treatment for syphilis, malaria, blood poisoning and diphtheria. The effectiveness was widely known, however with the discovery of antibiotics the herb soon went into decline in the United States.

Echinacea however developed quite a following overseas. H.C.F. Meyer, who was a German healer started to market Echinacea as a miracle cure all. With Echinacea declining in popularity in the United States, he soon went back to Germany to try his luck there. His luck was enormous and Echinacea became incredibly popular in Germany. In fact in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the majority of researches into new Echinacea uses were conducted in Germany.

Echinacea soon spread to the rest of Europe. It soon became one of the most widely used herbal remedies on the continent. Today Echinacea is used to treat colds and flu like symptoms. However, its uses in other areas are quite widely known. Echinacea has been around for centuries. With new uses being discovered almost daily, it is likely that it will be with us for some time to come.