Echinacea was widely used by the indigenous peoples of North America as folk medicine, with archaeological evidence dating back to the 18th century. Traditional use included external application (insect bites, burns, wounds), root chewing (throat and tooth infections) and internal use (cough, pain, snake bites, stomach cramps). Some tribes used echinacea for cold symptoms. The Kiowa used it for coughs and sore throats, the Cheyenne for sore throats, the Pawnee for headaches and many tribes, including the Lakota, used it as a painkiller.
Today, echinacea is mainly used to stimulate the body and strengthen the immune system.
The use of Echinacea has the property of increasing the number of white blood cells in the blood.