Sukie,
 
You stated that echinacea has been found to have no immune-enhancing
ability, but didn't actually cite a reference for this claim.  Could you
please provide a reference for where your information came from?
 
Actually, a large number of studies have supported the immune-enhancing
abilities of echinacea.  For instance:
 
A study published in the medical journal "Infection and Immunology" showed
that a substance derived from echinacea boosts the macrophages' ability to
destroy germs.
 
Source:  Stimpel, M. et al., 1984. "Infection and Immunology" 46:845.
 
Another study at the University of Munich the same year showed echinacea
extracts increase production of infection-fighting T-cells (T-lymphocytes)
up to 30-percent more than other immune-enhancing drugs.
 
Source:  Castleman, Michael.  The Healing Herbs, 222.
 
In a more recent German study, 203 women with recurrent vaginal yeast
infections were treated with either an anti-yeast cream or the cream plus
an oral echinacea preparation.  After six months, 60 percent of the women
treated with just the antifungal cream had experienced reoccurences but
among those also treated with echinacea, the figure was only 16 percent, a
highly significant difference.
 
Source:  Bergner, P. 1989. "Townsend Letter for Doctors" July: 353.
 
In addition, German researchers have successfully treated rheumatoid
arthritis with echinacea preparations, so perhaps it might be useful in
treating arthritis in our little fuzzies?
 
Source:  Voaden, D.J. and M. Jacobson, 1972.  "Journal of Medicinal
Chemistry" 15:619.
 
Wacker, A. and W. Hilbig, 1978.  Planta Medica 33:89.
 
In addition, here are the references for a few other recent sources that
have supported the effectiveness of echinacea in immune stimulation:
 
Wagner, H. and Proksch, A. "Immunostimulatory drugs of fungi and higher
plants", Economic Medical Plant Research, 1985, 1, pp. 113-53.
 
Mose, J. "Effect of echinacin on phagocytosis and natural killer cells",
Med. Welt., 1983, 34, pp. 1,463-7.
 
Stimpel, M. Proksch, A. Wagner, H. et. al., "Macrophage activation and
induction of macrophage cytotoxicity by purified polysaccharide
fractions from the plant Echinacea purpurea", Infection Immunity, 1984,
46, pp. 845-9.
 
I have many more sources and much more information on this if anyone needs
it ... I'm currently in school studying phytopharmachology, so I go through
a lot of medical references and studies on botanical research of this
nature!  Sukie, since I know you've been plagued with a lot of health
problems recently, perhaps you might want to revisit echinacea as something
that could build your immune system and possibly help you out?  It works
well for ferrets, too !
 
- Ela
 
[Moderator's note: If Sukie wishes to explain her post I'll let it through.
Other than that, I'll have to ask that we drop this thread.  Arguing about
the efficacy of echinacea in *humans* simply is not appropriate for a list
about *ferrets*.  Of course, discussion specifically about pharmacological
effects on ferrets would be welcome.  Thanks.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 2495]