Same as for E. angustifolia. Widely used in Europe, but not native there. Most commercial W. German Echinacea preparations utilize extracts of above ground parts and roots of E. purpurea. Extracts are used to stimulate nonspecific defense mechanisms at infections and chronic inflammations. It has been asserted that the components thought responsible for immune-system stimulating activity were not absorbed by oral ingestion, and could be effective only in an injectable form. A recent German study, however, showed significant immune-system stimulating activity with orally administered extracts of E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida, both in mice and laboratory experiments. Perhaps additional components are involved in immuno-stimulating activity than those previously known.