Nektium unveils Echinacea immunity booster to fight bacterial and viral infections

06 May 2020 --- Spain-based Nektium is expanding its portfolio of standardized botanical ingredients with the launch of a new Echinacea angustifolia ingredient, touted as able to support the immune system and strengthen the body’s resistance to bacterial and viral diseases. The ingredient is produced from the herb’s roots and is standardized to 4 percent echinacoside – the major polyphenol prevalent in the root. Moreover, the company notes that Echinacea has been historically employed for such uses and is backed by scientific evidence.

“Apart from the traditional use, scientific publications demonstrate the applicability of the botanical for immune health and in particular for upper respiratory tract infections. This was further backed by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) that accepted the use of the botanical for the common cold. Other studies show that the botanical can also reduce pain related inflammatory processes,” Bruno Berheide, Strategy & Business Development Director at Nektium, tells NutritionInsight.

“We have established a transparent supply chain with an accredited European raw material supplier, backed by our established ID testing to ensure the quality of our ingredient”, notes Deborah Thoma, Marketing Manager at Nektium. “Since we manufacture the ingredient in our GMP-certified production plant on the Canary Islands, this is an ingredient 100 percent made in the EU.”

Bruno Berheide, Strategy & Business Development Director at Nektium.The botanical extract has a characteristic astringent taste, as most root extracts have, according to Berheide. “It then depends on the product formulator to mask the taste for which there are a broad number of possibilities,” he says. The extract is also soluble so can be included in a wide variety of product formats that are getting more popular compared to the traditional tinctures or pills. 

 As far as defining suitable ages and target groups, Berheide says that depending on the formulation of the product and the application, this needs to be evaluated individually. However in general there are no substantiated contraindications for particular age groups regarding Echinacea angustifolia that Nektium is aware of, he adds.

While there are many products containing different Echinacea species, Nektium’s new launch is a standalone product from Echinacea angustifolia – a herbal remedy that was traditionally used by Native Americans, primarily to treat upper respiratory tract infections and snake bites. Scientific research furthermore emphasizes the immune-stimulating properties of Echinacea angustifolia as well as the applicability as anti-inflammatory, the company supports.

Besides other ingredients such as elderberry, that are already established in the product portfolio, Echinacea angustifolia is the most recent addition of immunostimulant ingredients. “Echinacea angustifolia is one of three major Echinacea species (the others being E. purpurea and E. pallida) that have traditionally been of medicinal interest. The species E. angustifolia is widely recognized and employed in many supplements in North America, while it has an untapped potential in the rest of the world, where the other species are more popular to date, either on its own or in combination,” says Berheide. 

While there are many products containing different Echinacea species, Nektium’s new launch is a standalone product from Echinacea angustifolia.“There are few raw material suppliers for the botanical in Europe, but we managed to establish a stable source from Europe which we use to produce the ingredient in our production facilities in Gran Canaria,” he concludes.

Many industry players seek to tap into the immunity trend, especially in light of COVID-19 which has re-ignited interest. Recently, however, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published an opinion piece on the matter. ANSES supported that plants with anti-inflammatory properties contained in food supplements can disrupt the body’s immunity by interfering with the inflammatory defence mechanisms that tackle infections such as COVID-19. Industry reacted intensely, however, as turmeric, echinacea and other anti-inflammatory herbs have long been promoted for a range of science-backed health benefits. 

Meanwhile, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) recently reported a host of supply chain issues within the herbal ingredients sphere to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). These were submitted by AHPA member companies and refer to shortages and delivery disruptions for a variety of ingredients, supplies and services. In light of this, AHPA is collecting supply chain data to inform industry and government, and is inviting companies to complete a relevant survey to aid with the endeavor.

By Kristiana Lalou