Echinacea alkamides decline by 70% over 1 year! German researchers found that the important immunologically active Based on this article and others, I would say that the best way to store echinacea roots is to carefully dry them out of the sun, then store the whole roots in a sealed glass jar in the freezer. This study emphasizes the rapid decline in potency of many commercial preparations containing echinacea root powders in capsules, tablets, and other products. Personally, I would not depend on an echinacea product that contained only powdered leaf or roots if it was manufactured more than 1 year before use. The researchers say that the date of manufacture should be printed on every echinacea product. Fortunately, the researchers also add that according to preliminary tests, the quality of echinacea tinctures is likely to be more stable because the constituents are not exposed to oxygen to as great an extent. Powdered extracts, where a liquid is first made, then dried under vacuum to make a powder, may also be more stable, but more testing needs to be performed on both powdered extracts and tinctures. Source: Perry, Nigel B. et al. Planta Medica 66: 54. 2000. C. Hobbs other health news
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alkamides in Echinacea angustifolia and E. purpurea declined significantly (80% after 64 weeks) over the course of a year, even when sealed in vacuum-sealed polyethylene bags.