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NOW Foods

Now Echinacea 400mg 100caps

Now Echinacea 400mg 100caps

Regular price $5.97 CAD
Regular price Sale price $5.97 CAD
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NOW Foods Echinacea supports the immune system through a variety of mechanisms that aid phagocytosis and T-Cell production. The extracts in NOW Foods Echinacea are standardized to specific levels of marker compounds known to have immune enhancing effects. Now Foods Echinacea also contains Caffeic acid derivatives (echinacosides), polysaccharides, polyacetylenes, alkylamides, and flavonoids, plant constituents with known activity.

Echinacea herbal medicines are traditionally used for treatment of inflammatory and viral diseases such as cold, cough and upper respiratory infections. Recent studies show that they can also be used as antioxidants or free radical terminators to prevent cardiovascular disease, arthritis and aging. In fact, Echinacea has become one of the most widely used herbal medicines and dietary supplements in Europe, North America, and Australia.

The parts of Echinacea used in herbal medicines are the roots and aerial parts of three species: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea. angustifolia and Echinacea pallida. The main active compounds of Echinacea are caffeic acid derivatives (phenolic compounds), 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. Chicoric acid is the major phenolic compound in E. purpurea, but minor in E. angustifolia and E. pallida. Echinacoside is the main phenolic compound in E. angustifolia and E. pallida, but only trace is found in E. purpurea.

Studies have shown that chichoric acid has immunostimulating effects, as well as antioxidant properties. Recently, it has been found to inhibit HIV-1 replication. Echinacoside does not contribute its immunostimulating activity, but it has antioxidant and cicatrizing activities.

The pharmacological activity of each Echinacea species appears to reflect the slight variation in the amount of active ingredients and their chemical profiles. All three species of Echinacea are found to have a protective effect on the free radical-induced degradation of collagen, which is probably due to its polyphenolic compounds. Extracts of E. purpurea roots have greater free radical scavenging capacity than those of E. pallida or E. angustifolia due to more amounts of phenolics constitute found in E. purpurea. E. purpurea is also well known to boost the immune system in prevention of common cold, flu and chronic respiratory infections because it is rich in cichoric acid.
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