Echinacea As An Immunostimulant
Echinacea is a herbal preparation made from the plant, Echinacea
augustifolia, The plant and its extracts have been used to promote
wound healing, and internally to stimulate the immune system. Recent
studies have indicated that the plant does possess pharmacologic
activity that supports these traditional uses.
Dr Greg Harrison, DVM, Lake Worth, Florida, has found that
Echinacea can also stimulate the immune system in birds. He has seen
a clinical response in sick birds who have evidence of an
infection, in birds following antibiotic therapy, birds with chronic
pin feathers, liver problems, pox lesions, allergic dermatiits and
for any clinical sign suggesting the need for immune stimulation.
Echinacea is available in Health Food stores and comes as an
extract as well as in tablet and capsule form. The doses in humans
are not well-defined. Toxicity studies in animals indicate that
Echinacea is essentially devoid of toxic effects.
Dr Harrison mixes 3 mL of Echinacea extract with 7 mL of lactulose
(available without a prescription for a Pharmacy). Of this mixture,
he gives one drop twice a day to a bird the size of a budgie.
The recommended dose of Echinacea for a bird is 2.5 drops/kg or 5
drops per cup of drinking water.
One study of Echinacea in humans, indicated that a single dose
stimulated the immune response, but that repeated daily doses
suppressed the immune response. These results are too preliminary to
draw any conclusions.
Based on theis one study, it would be advisable to use Echinacea
for short-term use only at this time.
DrJean Smith, DVM, Davis, California, has also used Echinacea to
treat sick birds. In her experience, herbal treatment is not as
rapidly as effective as antibiotics which may produce improvement in
2-3 days as compared to 5-7 days with herbal remedies. She warns
that critically ill birds require antibiotics and that herbal
remedies such as Echinacea should not be used alone initially. She
recommends continuing Echinacea for 14-21 days.
Bird owners are reminded that an avian veterinarian should be
consulted if their birds show any signs of illness. Echinacea may be
a useful adjunct to conventional therapy and my be considerd
following antibiotic therapy to stimulate the bird's immune system.
Gillian Willis
Vancouver, B.C.
Copyright © Gillian A.Willis. Permission to re-use any
part of this text (whole or in part) must be obtained from the
author.