Studies of total ash and moisture in fresh Echinacea purpurea herb

Among the immunomodulators of plant origin, a number of very popular formations are prepared from the purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea Moench.). One type of medicinal plant material prepared from Echinacea purpurea is the fresh herb. The total ash and moisture contents of fresh Echinacea purpurea herb were studied in relation to structures of the above-ground part and the age of the plants harvested over two years. The leaves and inflorescences were found to be the parts of fresh Echinacea purpurea herb with the highest moisture contents, i.e., 75% and 78% respectively. Total ash content in the fresh herb was about 3%, with the maximum quantities found in stems. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.