Echinacea
Echinacea supplements in capsules, tablets and liquid drops, made from purpurea root or herb. We explain how extract ratios work, which form fits short courses or daily use, and what a good label tells you.Read more →
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Choosing echinacea: species, plant part and extract strength
What echinacea is and why the plant part matters
Echinacea, also called purple coneflower, belongs to the daisy family. Supplements use three species: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida. Purpurea is the one you meet most often in the UK. The plant part counts just as much. The herb is the aerial part above ground, the root is harvested separately, and each holds a different mix of plant compounds. Two products with the same milligram figure on the front can therefore be quite different inside. The same logic runs through our herbal and plant supplements: species and plant part first, numbers second.
Reading the strength on the label
Echinacea packs use two kinds of numbers, and they are easy to mix up.
- Dried herb or root powder: 400 mg means 400 mg of ground plant.
- Extract with a ratio: a 10:1 extract concentrates ten parts of plant into one part of extract. So 100 mg of that extract is often printed as "1,000 mg equivalent".
- Liquid extracts: measured in millilitres or drops, with an extraction ratio such as 1:5 and an alcohol percentage.
A big number on the front usually describes the plant equivalent, not the weight in the capsule. The ratio tells you more than the headline figure.
How we choose echinacea at BONO
We start from the label we would want for our own mother: species named, plant part named, extract ratio stated. We stock capsules and tablets for people who want the same amount every day, and liquid extracts for those who prefer to adjust the dose by drops. We leave out products that print a large plant-equivalent number without saying which ratio produced it, and blends where echinacea is only a token pinch. Every product passes our compliance team, we test products ourselves, and independent labs spot-check batches. Read how we select our brands.
What may and may not be said about echinacea
We would rather be plain here. The European food safety authority (EFSA) has approved no health claim for echinacea, so no shop may promise you an effect from it, and we do not. In the UK you will also see echinacea sold as a traditional herbal medicine, marked with a THR number on the pack; that wording comes from its traditional use and is set by the regulator, not by us. If you want a claim you can check, look at products that also supply vitamin C: vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Our Immune Support pages group those options together.
Who it suits, and who should skip it
Echinacea suits adults who want a herbal option in the cupboard for the colder months, taken in short courses rather than all year round. Liquids suit people who like to start at the first sign of a sniffle; capsules suit anyone who wants one fixed amount and no taste. Skip it if you are allergic to plants in the daisy family, such as ragweed, marigold or chamomile. UK product information states it is not suitable for children under 12, and not to be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you prefer a different botanical for the same moment in the year, elderberry extracts are the usual alternative. Expect a herbal routine, not an instant answer: echinacea is something you keep to hand, and the label, not the marketing, tells you what you are taking.
Frequently asked questions
Echinacea is a flowering plant from the daisy family, also known as purple coneflower. Three species are used in supplements: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida. Products are made from the aerial parts, called the herb, or from the root, sometimes from both. In the UK you will find it as capsules, tablets, liquid drops and tea, and as an ingredient in blends with vitamin C or zinc.
