AHP Releases Echinacea Compendium

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif.The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) in early February released its quality control standard and therapeutic compendium for Echinacea purpurea Ariel Parts; the monograph establishes national standards for assuring authenticity, purity and quality control of the product. Further, the compendium provides a comprehensive review of pharmacological and safety data, including information on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, medical indications, modern and traditional use, structure/function claims, contraindications and more.

There are quality issues surrounding Echinacea that make manufacturing, choosing or researching a quality product very complicated, said Roy Upton, executive director of AHP (www.herbal-ahp.org). For example, confusion between species, the presence of adulterants, instability of potentially active compounds and analytical differences create a great challenge for anyone working with Echinacea. AHP published its E. purpurea Root monograph in 2004, and is developing monographs for E. angustifolia and E. pallida.