Why Do People With HIV Use Echinacea?
Many people with HIV have used echinacea because it stimulates the immune system, or for short-term treatment of colds and the flu. The use of echinacea for people with HIV is controversial. Some doctors believe that it is not a good idea to stimulate the immune system in people who have some type of immune disorder. Increasing the activation of CD4 cells could give HIV more “target cells” to infect. Other doctors believe that some parts of the immune system are already overactive, causing damage to healthy cells and tissues. They are also concerned about an animal study showing that echinacea increased levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), a substance produced by the immune system to kill unhealthy cells. High levels of TNF-alpha have been linked to the progression of HIV disease. Unfortunately, as with most herbal products, there is no careful research in people with HIV. There is no published research to document any dangerous results from the use of echinacea by people
