Description
Echinacea stimulates cells in the body whose primary function is to fight invading particles and organisms. White blood cells and spleen cells increase in number when echinacea is taken. These effects seem to be due to no single compound in the plant. There are a number of complex substances, called phenolic compounds, in echinacea that seem to work in combination to produce these immune enhancing effects. Components of the root, leaves and flowers all contain the immune stimulating compounds.