Herbal Help for Heart Attacks

Myocardial infarction, commonly called a heart attack, is a major cause of heart failure and death. Animal studies suggest echinacea may help repair damaged heart tissue after a heart attack.⁽⁹⁴⁾

How Can Echinacea Help?

Caused by a blockage that cuts off blood flow in the heart, a heart attack kills areas of heart tissue, creating scar tissue and reduced heart function. Though our bodies naturally send in stem cells to help regenerate damaged tissue, most often it's simply not enough.⁽⁹⁴⁾

Stem cell therapy that supplements natural stem cell activity may be one way to help improve outcomes after heart attacks. Researchers have found that doses of Echinacea purpurea stimulate levels of stem cells in rats after induced acute heart attacks.⁽⁹⁴⁾

Echinacea also reduced inflammation and improved development of new blood vessels. These effects corresponded to increased levels of stem cells in the animal hearts.⁽⁹⁴⁾