Plant Comparison
Purple coneflower vs Butterbur
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Purple coneflower and Butterbur: both belong to the Asteraceae family.
Key Constituents
Lipophilic alkamides are considered key immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory constituents, particularly concentrated in the root.
Antioxidant phenolic compounds contributing to the plant's immunomodulatory activity.
Water-soluble polysaccharides associated with immune-stimulating activity, particularly from the aerial parts.
The anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic active principles; standardised in commercial extracts.
Naturally present but hepatotoxic and carcinogenic; must be removed to make a safe product.
Pharmacological Actions
Relief of allergic rhinitis / hay fever (antihistaminic and leukotriene-inhibiting; systematic review found it superior to placebo and comparable to non-sedating antihistamines for intermittent allergic rhinitis)
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from immunomodulator action
inferred from antimicrobial action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Relief of allergic rhinitis / hay fever (antihistaminic and leukotriene-inhibiting; systematic review found it superior to placebo and comparable to non-sedating antihistamines for intermittent allergic rhinitis)
inferred from anticancer action
Relief of allergic rhinitis / hay fever (antihistaminic and leukotriene-inhibiting; systematic review found it superior to placebo and comparable to non-sedating antihistamines for intermittent allergic rhinitis)
inferred from antispasmodic action
Migraine prophylaxis (reduces attack frequency; up to ~60% reduction vs placebo in a randomised controlled trial of a standardised CO2 root extract)
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Generally considered safe, but caution advised for those with autoimmune conditions. Not recommended for long-term use (more than 8 weeks continuously).
Duke (2002) rates echinacea as +++ — among the most thoroughly documented herbal immunostimulants. It notes experimental and clinical evidence for immunostimulant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities. Multiple species have been studied (E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallida), and Duke emphasizes that species identification in commercial products is often unreliable. Commission E approves E. purpurea for supporting immune function during colds and flu. Dose: 900 mg standardized extract daily in acute use; use should be limited to 8 weeks continuous. Contraindicated in autoimmune diseases (MS, lupus, HIV/AIDS), tuberculosis, and with immunosuppressive drugs (cyclosporine) (Duke, 2002).
Use ONLY certified pyrrolizidine-alkaloid (PA)-free, standardised extracts. Raw or unprocessed butterbur contains PAs that are toxic to the liver and potentially carcinogenic.
Avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae), it can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to ragweed and related plants. Watch for and report any signs of liver problems.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Robust perennial herb with a basal rosette of coarse, hairy, lance-shaped leaves and tall, sturdy flowering stems. Each stem bears a single large, daisy-like flower head with drooping (reflexed), rose-purple to pink ray florets surrounding a prominent, spiny, orange-brown central cone of disc florets.[4]
Robust, rhizomatous perennial herb (Asteraceae) that flowers before the leaves emerge: thick, pinkish, scaly flower spikes push up from the ground in early spring, followed by enormous rounded to heart-shaped leaves - up to about 1 m across at maturity - on stout stalks, giving rise to the common name 'umbrella plant'.[2]
Habitat
Native to the tallgrass prairies, open woodland and dry meadows of central and eastern North America; widely cultivated worldwide as a garden and medicinal plant.[4]
Native to damp, marshy ground across Europe and western Asia - riverbanks, ditches, wet meadows and damp woodland margins - favouring moist, nutrient-rich soils.[2]
Harvesting
The flower heads are picked as they open, in summer; the root is dug in autumn from plants at least two to three years old, when its content of bioactive alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives is highest, then cleaned and dried.[4]
Rhizome/root is dug in autumn or early spring; leaves are gathered during the growing season. Raw material naturally contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so commercial products are manufactured to remove them (PA-free standardised extracts); home-gathered material should never be used medicinally.[11]
Traditional Uses
Echinacea root was widely used by Native American peoples as a remedy for infections, wounds, snakebite and toothache, and entered nineteenth-century Eclectic medicine as a broad anti-infective. It remains best known today, in standardised aerial-part or root extracts, as a supportive remedy for preventing and shortening the common cold and supporting immune function.[1, 4]
Butterbur has a long European folk-medicine history as a fever remedy - the name 'pestilence wort' reflects its historic use during plague outbreaks - and for asthma, cough and migraine-type headache. Modern clinical trials of standardised, pyrrolizidine-alkaloid-free extracts support its use for migraine prevention and allergic rhinitis.[2, 3, 4]
Preparations
Fresh-pressed juice or standardised extract of the aerial parts or root, taken as tablets, drops or capsules at the first sign of a cold; the best-studied clinical form.
Dosage
Clinical trials for the common cold commonly use around 300-900 mg of standardised extract daily, started at the first sign of symptoms and continued for up to 7-10 days; continuous use beyond about 8 weeks is not recommended. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Clinical trials have used standardised PA-free extracts (for example around 50-75 mg twice daily of a CO2 root extract for migraine prevention). Always use a certified PA-free commercial product, never raw plant material. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
References
Drug Class Interactions
Not documented
Lookalikes Review
Dangerous Lookalikes
Not documented
References & Sources
- Karsch-Völk, M., Barrett, B., Kiefer, D., Bauer, R. et al (2014) 'Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold', Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2(2), pp. CD000530. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000530.pub3 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000530.pub3 - Kamin, W., Seifert, G., Zwiauer, K., Bonhoeffer, J. et al (2025) 'Phytotherapy for acute respiratory tract infections in children: a systematically conducted, comprehensive review', Frontiers in Pediatrics, 13, pp. 1423250. doi:10.3389/fped.2025.1423250 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2025.1423250 - Fashner, J., Ericson, K. and Werner, S (2012) 'Treatment of the common cold in children and adults', American Family Physician, 86(2), pp. 153-159. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22962927/ Traditional / reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22962927/ - Manayi, A., Vazirian, M. and Saeidnia, S (2015) 'Echinacea purpurea: Pharmacology, phytochemistry and analysis methods', Pharmacognosy Reviews, 9(17), pp. 63-72. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.156353 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.156353 - Burlou-Nagy, C., Banica, F., Jurca, T., Vicas, L.G., Marian, E., Muresan, M.E., Bacskay, I., Kiss, R., Feher, P. and Pallag, A (2022) 'Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench: Biological and Pharmacological Properties. A Review', Plants, 11(9), pp. 1244. doi:10.3390/plants11091244 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11091244 - Hall, H., Fahlman, M.M. and Engels, H.J (2007) 'Echinacea purpurea and mucosal immunity', International Journal of Sports Medicine, 28(9), pp. 792-797. doi:10.1055/s-2007-964895 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-964895 - Ross, S.M (2016) 'Echinacea purpurea: A Proprietary Extract of Echinacea purpurea Is Shown to be Safe and Effective in the Prevention of the Common Cold', Holistic Nursing Practice, 30(1), pp. 54-57. doi:10.1097/HNP.0000000000000130 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1097/HNP.0000000000000130 - Hudson, J.B (2011) 'Applications of the phytomedicine Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) in infectious diseases', Journal of Biomedicine & Biotechnology, 2012, pp. 769896. doi:10.1155/2012/769896 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/769896 - Mishima, S., Saito, K., Maruyama, H., Inoue, M., Yamashita, T., Ishida, T. and Gu, Y (2004) 'Antioxidant and immuno-enhancing effects of Echinacea purpurea', Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 27(7), pp. 1004-1009. doi:10.1248/bpb.27.1004 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.27.1004 - Saunders, P.R., Smith, F. and Schusky, R.W (2007) 'Echinacea purpurea L. in children: safety, tolerability, compliance, and clinical effectiveness in upper respiratory tract infections', Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 85(11), pp. 1195-1199. doi:10.1139/Y07-103 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1139/Y07-103 - Micheli, L., Maggini, V., Ciampi, C., Gallo, E., Bogani, P., Fani, R., Pistelli, L., Ghelardini, C., Di Cesare Mannelli, L., De Leo, M. and Firenzuoli, F (2022) 'Echinacea purpurea against neuropathic pain: Alkamides versus polyphenols efficacy', Phytotherapy Research, 37(5), pp. 1911-1923. doi:10.1002/ptr.7709 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7709 - Gholami, M., Amri, J., Pazhoohan, S. and Sadegh, M (2021) 'Anticonvulsive and anti-epileptogenesis effects of Echinacea purpurea root extract, an involvement of CB2 receptor', Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine, 19(4), pp. 879-886. doi:10.1515/jcim-2020-0219 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2020-0219 - Awortwe, C., Bruckmueller, H., Kaehler, M. and Cascorbi, I (2021) 'Interaction of Phytocompounds of Echinacea purpurea with ABCB1 and ABCG2 Efflux Transporters', Molecular Pharmaceutics, 18(4), pp. 1622-1633. doi:10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c01075 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c01075 - Perry, N.B., van Klink, J.W., Burgess, E.J. and Parmenter, G.A (1997) 'Alkamide levels in Echinacea purpurea: a rapid analytical method revealing differences among roots, rhizomes, stems, leaves and flowers', Planta Medica, 63(1), pp. 58-62. doi:10.1055/s-2006-957605 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-957605 - Linde, K., Barrett, B., Wölkart, K., Bauer, R. and Melchart, D (2006) 'Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Echinacea%20for%20preventing%20and%20treating%20the%20common%20cold - Sharma, M., Schoop, R., Suter, A. and Schoop, W (2010) 'The possibility of prophylactic treatment of streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis with a standardized Echinacea preparation', 29(8), pp. 1025--1035. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=The%20possibility%20of%20prophylactic%20treatment%20of%20streptococcal%20pharyngotonsillitis%20with%20a%20standardized%20Echinacea%20preparation - World Health Organization (1999) 'WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=WHO%20Monographs%20on%20Selected%20Medicinal%20Plants - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition - Gorski, J.C., Huang, S.M., Pinto, A., Hamman, M.A., Hilligoss, J.K., Zaheer, N.A., Desai, M., Miller, M. and Hall, S.D (2004) 'The effect of echinacea (Echinacea purpurea root) on cytochrome P450 activity in vivo', Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 75(1), pp. 89-100. doi:10.1016/j.clpt.2003.09.013 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clpt.2003.09.013
- Alhusayan, R.M., Aldahmash, B.A., El-Nagar, D.M., Rady, A. and others (2020) 'Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) Extract Ameliorates Hepatic Damage Induced by Ovalbumin in Mice', Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2020, pp. 3178214. doi:10.1155/2020/3178214 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3178214 - Kalin, P (2003) 'The common butterbur (Petasites hybridus)--portrait of a medicinal herb', Forschende Komplementarmedizin und Klassische Naturheilkunde, 10(Suppl 1), pp. 41-44. doi:10.1159/000071691 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1159/000071691 - Brattstrom, A (2003) 'A newly developed extract (Ze 339) from butterbur (Petasites hybridus L.) is clinically efficient in allergic rhinitis (hay fever)', Phytomedicine, 10(Suppl 4), pp. 50-52. doi:10.1078/1433-187x-00304 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1078/1433-187x-00304 - Lipton, R.B., Gobel, H., Einhaupl, K.M., Wilks, K. and Mauskop, A (2004) 'Petasites hybridus root (butterbur) is an effective preventive treatment for migraine', Neurology, 63(12), pp. 2240-2244. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000147290.68260.11 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000147290.68260.11 - Apostolova, S., Oreshkova, T., Uzunova, V., Georgieva, I. and others (2023) 'A Standardized Extract of Petasites hybridus L., Containing the Active Ingredients Petasins, Acts as a Pro-Oxidant and Triggers Apoptosis through Elevating of NF-kB in a Highly Invasive Human Breast Cancer Cell Line', Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark Edition), 28(6), pp. 111. doi:10.31083/j.fbl2806111 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2806111 - Danesch, U.C (2004) 'Petasites hybridus (Butterbur root) extract in the treatment of asthma--an open trial', Alternative Medicine Review, 9(1), pp. 54-62. Clinical study
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Petasites%20hybridus%20%28Butterbur%20root%29%20extract%20in%20the%20treatment%20of%20asthma--an%20open%20trial - Aydin, A.A., Zerbes, V., Parlar, H. and Letzel, T (2013) 'The medical plant butterbur (Petasites): analytical and physiological (re)view', Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 75, pp. 220-229. doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2012.11.028 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2012.11.028 - Kulinowski, L., Luca, S.V., Minceva, M. and Skalicka-Wozniak, K (2022) 'A review on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of butterbur species (Petasites L.)', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 293, pp. 115263. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115263 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.115263 - Alternative Medicine Review (2001) 'Monograph: Petasites hybridus', Alternative Medicine Review, 6(2), pp. 207-209. Meta-analysis / review
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Monograph%3A%20Petasites%20hybridus - Kulinowski, L., Luca, S.V., Pecio, L., Minceva, M. and Skalicka-Wozniak, K (2023) 'Liquid-liquid chromatography isolation of Petasites hybridus sesquiterpenes and their LC-HR-MS/MS and NMR characterization', Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 234, pp. 115529. doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115529 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115529 - Sadler, C., Vanderjagt, L. and Vohra, S (2007) 'Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: butterbur', Pediatrics in Review. doi:10.1542/pir.28-6-235 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.28-6-235 - Guo, R. and Pittler, M.H. and Ernst, E (2007) 'Herbal medicines for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review', Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 99(6), pp. 483--495. doi:10.1016/S1081-1206(10)60375-4 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1081-1206(10)60375-4 - Grossmann, M. and Schmidramsl, H (2000) 'An extract of Petasites hybridus is effective in the prophylaxis of migraine', International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 38(9), pp. 430--435. doi:10.5414/cpp38430 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.5414/cpp38430 - Sperl, W. and Stuppner, H. and Gassner, I. and Judmaier, W. and Dietze, O. and Vogel, W (1995) 'Reversible hepatic veno-occlusive disease in an infant after consumption of pyrrolizidine-containing herbal tea', European Journal of Pediatrics, 154(2), pp. 112-6. doi:10.1007/BF01991912 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01991912
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.