HEALTH BENEFITS: The plant also boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation, the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station director said
Taipei Times
Date: Jul 21, 2020
By: Chien Hui-ju and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Purple coneflower grown by the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station is pictured in an undated photograph.
Photo courtesy of the Council of Agriculture
Swiss researchers have discovered that when used as a component in medicines, Echinacea purpurea — commonly known as the purple coneflower — showed some effectiveness in combating strains of coronavirus, station director Lee Hung-hsi (李紅曦) said on Thursday, adding that the particular variety of flower grown at the station was shown to be more effective than others.
Samples of the plant were earlier this month given to National Taiwan University Hospital to begin testing its effectiveness in combating COVID-19, she said.
The station began trying to propagate the plant eight years ago due to the growing international market for health food and preventive health products, Lee said. [FULL STORY]
