In Germany, researchers are focusing primarily on the
purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
July 15, 1999
Coneflowers have been part of the American landscape since before there were Americans, but only during this century have physicians recommended compounds from these flowering plants of the Echinacea genus. As a supplement, Echinacea is thought to stimulate the body's immune system and thereby help ward off infections.
Recent dramatic growth in consumer demand for this herb has a plant scientist at North Dakota State University believing that containers of Echinacea supplements may share space alongside aspirin bottles in 21st century medicine cabinets. But the lure of that demand, he says, may cause headaches for those profit seekers attempting to grow and sell Echinacea to pharmaceutical companies.
At the same time, a licensed, registered dietitian with the NDSU Extension Service says consumers need to be aware that dietary supplements can vary dramatically in terms of cost and content, and the potential exists for supplements to interact with other substances such as prescription drugs.
Echinacea Demand
"At this point, I would not recommend that anyone produce Echinacea based on a three-year gamble," says Ron Smith, horticulturist with NDSU Extension Service. "Have a contract in place specifying a price that you feel will generate a profit, and remember that labor will be your greatest expense."
Why a three-year gamble? Because it takes three years before a commercial Echinacea crop becomes harvestable, says Smith, who is currently involved in a three-year NDSU study that will evaluate Echinacea's agronomic and biochemical potential for North Dakota producers and consumers. He expects some preliminary results to be available by early next year.
Initially, unprocessed Echinacea root was fetching from $12 to $15 a pound, but prices currently hover at from $3 to $5 a pound. Smith says industry projections are that 50 percent of American adults now purchase Echinacea supplements, so demand will likely continue to grow. In fact, sales of Echinacea supplements were $33 million in 1998, and estimates are that 1999 sales will top $40 million.
"Even so," Smith stresses, "the market is being oversupplied."
Growing It--What's Known
As a crop, Echinacea presents production challenges. Its seed is small and planting depths greater than 0.25 inch threaten germination, Smith explains. Planting generally occurs in the fall (early to mid-October) because there are few pesticides, including seed treatments, labeled for the crop. Similarly, the crop is affected by the aster yellows disease, so producers will need to rogue infected plants, and, lacking an arsenal of herbicides, Echinacea producers generally must rely on mechanical weed control.
"Weeds are a big problem because Echinacea is not a canopy-forming crop," Smith says.
What's Hot
Currently, there are three coneflower species being evaluated by researchers from around the world: Echinacea augustifolia, E. purpurea and E. pallida. Germany's equivalent of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has carried on most of the research to date, Smith says. In Germany, the purple coneflower (E. purpurea) is the plant of choice. Rather than harvesting the plant's root, the Germans are experimenting with using the above-ground portion of the coneflower, which they harvest by mowing.
In the United States, E. augustifolia is the species most desired by pharmaceutical companies, which utilize the plant's root. Excessive harvesting of Echinacea roots, called "wild crafting," destroys native habitat, Smith says.
What's Now a N.D. No-No
Several states now prohibit the harvesting of native Echinacea plants, and North Dakota is one. Passed by the 1999 North Dakota Legislature, House Bill 1200 took effect on March 23 rather than Aug. 1 because legislators declared it an emergency measure and passed it by a two-thirds majority in both houses. Under the North Dakota law, any person who removes, attempts to remove or possesses E. purpurea or E. augustifolia coming from private or public land is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Besides being subject to court-ordered restitution to the landowner or the state, a guilty person is subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000. Vehicles used in the removal or transportation of coneflower can be confiscated.
Along with legal remedies, consumers can also help curb the harvesting of native Echinacea. Smith says, "I would recommend that consumers reject any Echinacea supplement if the label says, `Made of 100 percent wild-crafted product.'"
Echinacea Supplements--the Differences, the Precautions
According to information contained on its Web site, the Food and Drug Administration does not analyze dietary supplements prior to sale. Nor do manufacturers and distributors need to register with the FDA or get FDA approval before producing or selling these supplements. But each manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the ingredient list is accurate and that the ingredients are safe. Manufacturers are also required to make sure that the content matches the amount declared on the label and that the label information is truthful and not misleading.
In addition, the FDA requires the label of a dietary supplement to contain enough information about a product's composition so that consumers can make informed choices, and this information must be presented in an FDA-specified format. Even so, dietary supplements--including vitamins, minerals and herbs--are only loosely regulated by the FDA when compared to drugs, says Julie Garden-Robinson, extension food and nutrition specialist at NDSU.
"Herbal products vary considerably in terms of cost and content. Most of the promising Echinacea research done in Germany has involved administering the herb by injection," Garden-Robinson says. "In this county, though, Echinacea is available only in pill, liquid and tea form, and the effects of taking Echinacea orally could be very different compared to its injection into the bloodstream."
While much of the research focusing on Echinacea is still under way, Smith says anecdotal reports, as well as lab, animal and human studies, have yet to expose any serious side effects associated with this particular herb. He adds, "With respect to Echinacea, one thing people have to worry about is if they have an allergy to anything in the aster family."
Even though there appears to be a low risk associated with taking Echinacea, there are some precautions people should follow, Smith says. First, begin by taking Echinacea alone, and lacking a negative reaction, only then switch to an herb combination such as Echinacea and goldenseal, if desired.
"We're talking about biochemistry here, which is not a simple subject," says Smith, who takes an Echinacea-only supplement on an infrequent basis to minimize the effects of colds. "There has been no research done to show that herb combinations are beneficial. If you begin with an herb combination and an interaction occurs, how will you know which part of the supplement is causing it? The same is true for taking single-ingredient supplements. Add only one at a time."
In addition, consumers need to scrutinize supplement labels to determine if the products are standardized extracts--meaning that each capsule, tablet or pill contains the same amount of the herb. Consumers should also determine whether a supplement manufacturer has conducted clinical research on its product, Smith says.
Based on responses from the top 100 herbal supplement manufacturers operating in the United States, a November 1998 survey conducted by Condé Nast Publications Inc., found that fewer than 15 of the companies sell standardized products, and only seven of the respondents have conducted clinical research. SELF Magazine, a Condé Nast publication, reports that there are about 850 herb manufacturers currently operating in the United States.
"As with any type of supplement, the best advice for Echinacea right now probably is `let the buyer beware,'" Garden-Robinson concludes. "While research has shown promising effects in terms of Echinacea's cold-fighting ability, many health professionals still advise people with arthritis, AIDS or multiple sclerosis not to take Echinacea, due to its effect on their immune systems. Likewise, it's safest for children and pregnant women to avoid herbal preparations, in general. And remember, people who take supplements should tell their physicians what they're taking because some herbal preparations interact with medications."
###
Sources: Ron Smith (701) 231-8161
Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136
In Germany, researchers are focusing primarily on the
purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).
Click here to download this photo in a format
suitable for printing.
(purple-c.tif, 2.8MB color photo, 300 pixels per inch, 4"x2.7")