64 Journal of Agricultural Research voi.xx,No.i 



Five species of echinacea are mentioned in works on botany (<5). 

 Brauneria purpurea (DC.) (Rudbeckia purpurea or Echinacea purpurea 

 [Moench]) is found from western Pennsylvania and Virginia to Michigan, 

 Iowa, and southward. B. angustifolia (DC.) (E. angustifolia [DC.]) is 

 found from Tennessee and Minnesota to Saskatchewan, Texas, and 

 Nebraska. B. pallida (Nutt.) occurs from Michigan and Illinois to Texas 

 and Alabama, while B. paradoxa (Norton) and B. atrorubens (Britton) 

 (R. pallida) are found from Missouri to Texas. The rays of the last two 

 species are bright yellow in color. The species which furnish the larger 

 proportion of the medicinal supplies are B. pallida and B. angustifolia. 

 It has been stated that the eastern species, B. purpurea, is inert. 



CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS 



In 1897 Lloyd (//) reported the presence of a colorless alkaloid and a 

 colorless acid-reacting substance of intensely acrid properties. The root 

 has been subjected to analysis by Heyl and Staley (<?) and Heyl and 

 Hart (7), by whom the alkaloid was identified as betaine. Nothing of a 

 physiologically active nature, however, was isolated by these inves- 

 tigators. 



THERAPEUTIC USES 



General accounts of the various uses to which echinacea has been put 

 have been published by Ellingwood (4) and by Lloyd (13). Echinacea 

 is stated to be a corrective of "depravation" of body fluids, of septic, 

 fermentative, or zymotic conditions. It is said to antagonize infectious 

 processes and "blood poison," to be useful in puerperal sepsis, uremia, 

 pernicious malarial or septic fevers, typhoid fever, and all fevers caused 

 by absorption of septic material. It has been recommended as a specific 

 against the venins of rattlesnakes, other serpents, and insects (9) — 

 in crotalus it stands without a peer. 



Pyemia, goiter, smallpox, anthrax, and hydrophobia are reported to have 

 been cured by echinacea. It is said to be an antidote for tetanus. It 

 has been used locally in erysipelas, bedsores, fever sores, chronic ulcers, 

 glandular indurations, syphilitic nodules, burns, and gangrene (14) and 

 is said to be an active sialogogue, diuretic, and diaphoretic. Jensen found 

 it useful in the treatment of carbuncles. 



The uses of echinacea in veterinary practice have been discussed by 

 Fish (5), who found the root to increase the elimination of urea. In some 

 pharmacological experiments upon kittens he obtained evidence of nar- 

 cosis, and emesis was provoked by the fluid extract given per os. He 

 quotes five cases in which the administration of echinacea was followed 

 by improvement. 



The compound of inula and echinacea prepared especially for parenteral 

 administration has been stated to be useful in the treatment of tuber- 

 culosis (18), has been designated "an effective treatment for canine 



