Is Echinacea good to be used in UTI?
This article will explain how herbal remedies can alleviate urinary tract infections.
And yes, Echinacea is good to be used in UTI!
Herbs are usually secure thanks to strengthening and toning the body’s systems (but not always).
Herbal treatments for UTI are used for hundreds of years.
Herbal remedies could relieve urinary tract infections by combating the microorganism, decreasing irritation, and healing tract tissues.
Some herbs also can help prevent future occurrences.
UTI is usually treated with prescription antibiotics. However, it’s progressively recognized that antibiotics often could contribute to continual UTI symptoms and increased dependency on antibiotic use may additionally weaken the immune system and lead to increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
The immune system is very important for our survival.
With a weak immune system, we are susceptible to infections of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and more.
It is very important to strengthen the immune system and keep it strong for the pathogens.
Natural remedies will give an efficient different from prescription medications and their aspect effects.
One of the commonly accepted herbal remedies is Echinacea.
Echinacea could be a genus of herbaceous flowering plants within the daisy family.
Echinacea is an endemic species in eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in damp to dry prairies and open overseas areas.
They have giant, showy heads of composite flowers, purple in color blooming from early to late summer.
It’s a faint aromatic smell, with a sweet style, causing a burning sensation in the mouth.
Echinacea is an extraordinary plant that can easily reproduce, is very adaptable, tolerates heat and cold, and does not require special climatic conditions for its development.
She loves sunny places more and she is also resistant to cold. It tolerates a temperature of only 5 °C. Some species are employed in herbal medicines and a few are cultivated in gardens for their showy flowers.
There are three species of Echinacea are commonly used for medicinal purposes:
Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea purpurea.
Echinacea products can be made from one, two, or all three types of Echinacea.
Echinacea products can be made from different parts of the Echinacea plant, so the efficiency of these products varies.
Echinacea is used to fight the organism that causes infections and to strengthen the immune system.
Echinacea is one of the most popular herbs and has been extensively studied for its effects on the immune system.
It has been used as an immune stimulant for a variety of afflictions.
Echinacea is very popular with its ability to strengthen immunity.
A number of studies have shown that Echinacea appears to increase immunologic activity by increasing levels of white blood cells.
Echinacea is approved by Commission E for the treatment of cold and chronic infection of the respiratory tract, and in addition to lower urinary tract infections. And besides that, it is also used to strengthen the wound in the form of gels due to its anti-inflammatory effect.
Primary chemical active ingredients of Echinacea are divide into their major groups.
They are caffeic acid derivatives (phenolic compounds), alkamides, mucopolysaccharides, and glycoproteins.
The phenolic compounds are the majority such as caftaric acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, echinacoside, and cichoric acid.
Echinacea also contains small amounts of iron, iodine, copper, potassium, sulfur, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
Several species of the Echinacea plant are used for making drugs from its leaves, flower, and root.
Alkamides and mucopolysaccharides are directly related to the strengthening of immunity.
The polysaccharides play an important role in the anti-inflammatory effect of Echinacea preparations and in this way they enhance the defensive ability of the body against bacteria that causes UTI.
Alkamides act by stopping inflammatory mediators that are active and elevated during inflammation of the urinary tract.
A person who uses painkillers for UTI pain, their effects can very easily be duplicated if he uses Echinacea at the same time, which would not be good.
Mucopolysaccharides are prebiotics that serves to keep probiotic bacteria as long as possible in the body.
Some probiotics play a role in regulating the immune system and they show antimicrobial activity, which has a direct impact on UTI-related symptoms.
Probiotics fight bacteria in the long intestines or colon some of these bacteria can escape the colon through the anus and reach the urinary tract causing UTI an example of them is E. coli bacteria.
It is assumed that probiotics have a relationship with a decrease in blood sugar, hence in urine, which has a beneficial effect on UTI.
Decreased concentration of sugar in the urine is beneficial for the UTI because the sugar draws the bacteria to the urine.
Glycoproteins they constitute an ingredient in the mucous membrane of the urinary tract, they coat and strengthen the defense function of the urinary clock, which is very convenient for the UTI.
Phenolic compounds form a substantial part of plant foods.
Most of these phenolic compounds are antioxidants.
Antioxidants may significantly reduce the risk of developing urinary tract symptoms and are good for UTI. A major class of phenolic compounds is hydroxycinnamic acids, which are found in almost every Echinacea plant.
The major representative of hydroxycinnamic acids is caffeic acid, which occurs in foods mainly as chlorogenic acid.
The main source of chlorogenic acid in the diet is coffee. Other dietary sources of chlorogenic acid include apples, pears, berries, artichoke, and aubergines.
Chlorogenic acid from Echinacea with its antioxidant effect has a beneficial effect on UTI.
Echinacoside is a natural phenol. It is a caffeic acid glycoside.
It occurs in trace amounts in Echinacea purpurea, while in Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida can be found in larger quantities.
It shows weak antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococci bacteria. Research shows that it has bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity against Escherichia coli which is the cause of UTI and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
bacteriostatic means that it impairs the replication of the bacteria which will eventually kill the bacteria same thing for fungistatic but for fungi. Cichoric acid occurs in a variety of plant species.
Cichoric acid has first been isolated from chicory but also occurs in significant amounts in Echinacea.
Chicoric acid helps to maintain brain health and relieve the risk of Alzheimer and dementia.
The problem with dementia can arise if a person suffering from UTI neglects to have to urinate, chicoric acid helps in this and acts favorably on UTI, otherwise, the retention of urine in these patients would worsen UTI.
Cichoric acid has been shown to stimulate the defensive function of the body and in this way strengthens the immunity and can work well with the UTI.
Echinacea (including one, two, or all three species) is available in drops, extracts, tinctures, tablets, capsules, and ointments. It can also be found in combination with other minerals and vitamins that increase immunity.
Echinacea drops are made as a tincture, alcoholic solutions that are very stable. But this made tincture is not good for UTI because of alcohol content.
It is best to use Echinacea drops with glycerin and purified water.
Echinacea drops can be added to milk, tea, water, or even honey that is good for immunity.
Very often drops will be enriched with vitamins for immunity, above all vitamin C, which we all already know is the main vitamin when it comes to the immunity.
These drops are quite strong because they are concentrated, so they should not be taken on an empty stomach so as not to damage the stomach flora.
Echinacea drops can be taken up to three times a day, but not longer than 6-8 weeks, as it may have negative effects on the body if it is used too long.
Echinacea tea is especially rich in vitamins and contains calcium, iron, sodium, and magnesium.
Echinacea tablets and capsules are taken with plenty of water and up to 3 times a day to strengthen the immunity.
Protection against UTI
Echinacea strengthens the immune system and acts as an anti-inflammatory providing immediate relief to the burning sensation that often accompanies a UTI.
Echinacea signals the immune system to attack the infection and flush the bacteria out of the body by speeding up the urine flow.
The key to using Echinacea effectively is to take it immediately following the onset of symptoms.
Echinacea is most commonly used for 7-10 days when symptoms of UTI are increased.
Echinacea should be used with caution because it may have contraindications or side effects.
Side Effects and safety
Some side effects have been reported such as fever, nausea, vomiting, bad taste, stomach pain, diarrhea, sore throat, dry mouth, headache, numbness of the tongue, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, a disoriented feeling, and joint and muscle aches.
Sometimes it can also cause liver inflammation.
If applied Echinacea to the skin it can cause a rash, itching, or redness.
Allergic reactions in children and adults who are already allergic to ambrosia, virgin, chamomile.
If you have these symptoms immediately stop using Echinacea and contact your doctor.
If you have any form of allergy, before using Echinacea, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Persons suffering from tuberculosis, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, HIV, connective tissue disorders, liver disorders, and any autoimmune disease must not use Echinacea.
Echinacea can reduce the effects of immunity medications. So people who have transplanted organs must avoid Echinacea.
Limit the use of these products because they should not be used for longer than 6-8 weeks in continuity.
Due to its specific chemical composition, Echinacea can cause unwanted reactions in the body if it is used too long without interruption.
Long-term use can lead to a negative effect, or to a weakening of the immune system and consequently a reduced ability to fight the organism and bacteria that causes UTI.
It should be noted that Echinacea, as a natural antibiotic, can’t replace prescription antibiotics by a physician or pharmacist for UTI.
Possible Interactions
If you are preparing for an operation or any intervention where anesthesia will be used, and if you use prescription drugs, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist pre-use Echinacea.
Some of the well-known interactions include the following:
Econazole.
This preparation is used to treat yeast infections, most often on the foot (athlete’s foot), this is an antifungal agent. Echinacea is useful in combination with this preparation.
Immunosuppressants.
Immunosuppressants are a group of drugs that are used to treat cancer and are used after organ transplantation to avoid rejection.
People who get immunosuppressive, and they also have UTI should not use Echinacea because they can reduce the effects of these drugs which are used to treat the underlying disease.
You should be cautious about using Echinacea with immunosuppressants (Sandimun, Prograf,) because it can reduce their effect.
Caffeine.
Echinacea may increase the amount of time it takes for the body to break down caffeine, and therefore, increase the amount of time caffeine stays in the body, and because caffeine worsens the UTI, caffeine should not be used in combination with Echinacea in patients with UTI.
These patients could use decaf coffee in moderate amounts.
In diabetic patients, increased levels of sugar in urine attract bacteria, speed up their growth, and exacerbates UTI.
These patients mainly use Echinacea drops with glycerin and purified water. If they use Echinacea drops with alcohol, this worsens UTI.
Echinacea may interact with medications that increase the risk of bleeding.
Examples include aspirin, anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin®) or heparin, platelet antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel (Plavix®), and painkillers such as ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) or Naproxen (Naprosyn®, Aleve®).
One spoon provides relief for about an hour, and three spoons a day prevent the deterioration of the UTI.
The root of the Echinacea can also be taken as capsules, 4-6 capsules 3 times a day or can be prepared as tea, in this case, 3 or 4 cups a day.
The best Echinacea tea is prepared by sprinkling a spoon of dried root with a liter of water and cooking 20-30 minutes, filter, and drink.
The portion of the Echinacea plant that has the most powerful medicinal properties is the root due to the large amount of alkamdes in relation to the above-ground part of the plant.
A large number of Echinacea capsules sold today are a mixture of roots and flowers, leaves, and stems.
Conclusion
1. Echinacea is good to be used for UTI.
2. Echinacea cannot replace an antibiotic on a prescription for UTI.
3. Echinacea should be taken as soon as the symptoms of the disease begin.
4. Echinacea should be applied at the right time, not too long.
5. Echinacea drops with alcohol as a solvent should be avoided in UTI.
I hope that reading this article will be very important, useful, and interesting. Thank you for your attention.
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