Echinacea Purpurea and Mucosal Immunity

Abstract

This investigation examined the effects of Echinacea purpurea on mucosal immunity and the incidence and duration of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). 32 subjects completed an exercise protocol known to affect mucosal immunity. Saliva was collected prior to and five minutes after completion of exercise testing. Subjects then took either a placebo (C) or Echinacea supplement (E) for 4 weeks and the testing procedure was repeated. Each time, s-IgA concentrations and saliva flow rate were measured and the secretion rate of s-IgA was calculated. In addition, standard logs indicating symptoms of URTI were completed throughout the study. Both groups demonstrated significant exercise induced reductions in s-IgA (C - 69 %; E - 43 %) and the secretion rate of s-IgA (C - 79 %; E - 53 %) at the beginning of the study (p < 0.05). Following the 4-week intervention, only the control group experienced the post intervention decrease in s-IgA (C - 45 %; E + 7 %) and the secretion rate of s-IgA (C - 45 %; E - 7 %). Further, while there was no significant difference in the number of URTI between groups, the reported duration was significantly different (C 8.6 days vs. E 3.4 days). The results suggest that Echinacea may attenuate the mucosal immune suppression known to occur with intense exercise and reduce the duration of URTI that subjects incur.

Key words

phytomedicine - immunoglobulin A - immune function - maximal effort exercise

References

• 1 Barrett B. Medicinal properties of Echinacea: a critical review.  Phytomedicine. 2003;  10 66-86
• 2 Barrett B P, Brown R L, Locken K, Maberry R, Bobula J A, D'Alessio D. Treatment of the common cold with unrefined echinacea. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.  Ann Intern Med. 2002;  137 939-946
• 3 Berg A, Northoff H, Konig D, Weinstock C, Grathwohl D, Parnham M J, Stuhlfauth I, Keul J. Influence of Echinacin (EC31) treatment on the exercise-induced immune response in athletes.  J Clin Res. 1998;  1 367-380
• 4 Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Gruenwald J, Hall T, Riggins C W, Rister R S. (eds) .The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston; American Botanical Council 1998: 138-139
• 5 Brandtzaeg P, Baekkevold S, Farstad I N, Jahnsen F L, Johansen F E, Nilsen E M, Yamanaka T. Regional specialization in the mucosal immune system: what happens on the microcompartments?.  Immunol Today. 1999;  20 141-151
• 6 Brandtzaeg P, Jahnsen F L, Farstad I N. Immune functions and immunopathology of the mucosa of the upper respiratory pathways.  Acta Otolaryngol. 1996;  116 149-159
• 7 Brinkeborn R M, Shah D V, Degenring F H. Echinaforce® and other Echinacea fresh plant preparations in the treatment of the common cold.  Phytomedicine. 1999;  6 1-6
• 8 Burger R, Torres A, Warren R, Caldwell V, Hughes B. Echinacea induced cytokine production by human macrophages.  Int J Immunopharmac. 1997;  19 371-379
• 9 Engels H J, Fahlman M M, Wirth J C. Effects of ginseng on secretory IgA, performance, and recovery from interval exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;  35 690-696
• 10 Fahlman M M, Engels H J, Morgan A, Kolokouri I. Mucosal IgA response to repeated Wingate tests in females.  Int J Sports Med. 2001;  22 127-131
• 11 Giles J T, Palat C T, Chien S H, Chang Z G, Kennedy D T. Evaluation of echinacea for treatment of the common cold.  Pharmacotherapy. 2000;  20 690-697
• 12 Gleeson M, McDonald W A, Cripps A W, Pyne D B, Clancy R L, Fricker P A. The effect on immunity of long-term intensive training in elite swimmers.  Clin Exp Immunol. 1995;  102 210-216
• 13 Grimm W, Muller H H. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of fluid extract of Echinacea purpurea on the incidence and severity of colds and respiratory infections.  Am J Med. 1999;  106 138-143
• 14 Hoheisel O, Sandberg M, Bertram S, Bulitta M, Schafer M. Echinagard treatment shortens the course of the common cold: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.  Eur J Clin Res. 1997;  9 261-268
• 15 Lindenmuth G F, Lindenmuth E B. The efficacy of Echinacea compound herbal tea preparation on the severity and duration of upper respiratory and flu symptoms: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.  J Altern Complement Med. 2000;  6 327-334
• 16 Luettig B, Steinmuller C, Clifford G, Wagner H, Lohmann-Matthes M. Macrophage activation by the polysaccharide arabinogalactan isolated from plant cell cultures of Echinacea purpurea.  J Natl Can Inst. 1989;  81 669-675
• 17 Mackinnon L. Exercise and Immunology. Champaign, IL; Human Kinetics 1992: 18-23
• 18 Mackinnon L T. Immunoglobin, antibody and exercise.  Exer Immuno Rev. 1996;  2 1-34
• 19 Mackinnon L T, Ginn E M, Seymour G J. Temporal relationship between decreased salivary IgA and upper respiratory tract infection in elite athletes.  Aust J Sci Med Spo. 1993;  25 94-99
• 20 Mackinnon L T, Hooper S. Mucosal (secretory) immune system responses to exercise of varying intensity and during overtraining.  Int J Sports Med. 1994;  15 (Suppl) 179-183
• 21 Mackinnon L T, Jenkins D G. Decreased salivary immunoglobulins after intense interval exercise before and after training.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992;  25 678-683
• 22 Melchart D, Linde K, Fischer P, Kaesmayr J. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold.  Cochrane Database of Syst Rev. 2000;  CD000530
• 23 Melchart D, Linde K, Worku F, Bauer R, Wagner H. Immunomodulation with Echinacea: a systematic review of controlled clinical trials.  Phytomedicine. 1994;  1 245-254
• 24 Miller L G. Herbal medicinals: selected clinical considerations focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions.  Arch Intern Med. 1998;  158 2200-2211
• 25 Rininger J, Kickner S, Chigurupati P, McLean A, Franck Z. Immunopharmacological activity of Echinacea preparations following simulated digestion of muring macrophages and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.  J Leukoc Biol. 2000;  68 503-550
• 26 Robbers J E, Tyler V E. Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York; Haworth Herbal Press 1999: 253-257
• 27 Roesler J, Emmendorffer A, Steinmuller C, Luettig B, Wagner H, Lohmann-Matthes M L. Application of purified polysaccharides from cell cultures of the plant echinacea purpurea to test subjects mediates activation of the phagocyte system.  Int J Immunopharmacol. 1991;  13 931-941
• 28 See D M, Broumand N, Sahl L, Tilles J G. In vitro effects of echinacea and ginseng on natural killer and antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity in healthy subjects and chronic fatigue syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients.  Immunopharmacology. 1997;  35 229-235
• 29 Stimpel M, Proksch A, Wagner H, Lohmann-Matthes M. Macrophage activation and induction of macrophage cytotoxicity by purified polysaccharide fractions from the plant Echinacea purpurea.  Infect Immunol. 1984;  46 845-849
• 30 Turner R B, Riker D K, Gangemi J D. Ineffectiveness of Echinacea for prevention of experimental rhinovirus colds.  Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2000;  44 1708-1709
• 31 Wagner H. Herbal immunostimulants.  Z Phytotherapy. 1996;  17 79-95
• 32 Winget C M, DeRoshia C W, Holley D C. Circadian rhythms and athletic performance.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1985;  17 498-516