Echinacea Purpurea Leaf

Echinacea is a perennial herb native to the midwestern region of North America. It has tall stems, bears single pink or purple flowers, and has a central cone that is usually purple or brown in color. The main active compounds of Echinacea are caffeic acid derivatives, alkamides and polysaccharides. Among caffeic acid derivatives, several components, such as caftaric acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, echinacoside and chichoric acid, are identified from Echinacea extracts. The above ground parts of the plant tend to trigger the activity of the immune system.