Can you take echinacea while breastfeeding?

What LactMed says

The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.

Echinacea species (Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida) contain high molecular weight polysaccharides (e.g., heteroxylan, arabinogalactan) and lower molecular weight compounds (e.g., alkylamides, caffeoyl conjugates such as cichoric acid and echinacosides), but no single chemical is known to be responsible for Echinacea's biological activity. Some products have been standardized based on echinacoside, and others on cichoric acid. Echinacea has no specific uses during breastfeeding, but is commonly used orally to treat or prevent upper respiratory infections. Excretion of some of the purportedly active alkamides was found in breastmilk in one mother. No data exist on the safety and efficacy of Echinacea in nursing mothers or infants. In general, Echinacea is well tolerated with gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea and constipation, skin rash and rarely allergic reactions reported. It may also alter the metabolism of some dugs metabolized by the P450 enzyme system. Some sources indicate that Echinacea is safe in recommended doses, while others recommend avoiding it during breastfeeding because of the lack of published safety data. Echinacea has also been used topically to treat skin infections. A topical combination with Calendula (Calendit-E) was more effective than breastmilk in treating sore and cracked nipples in one study.

Dietary supplements do not require extensive pre-marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety, but do not need to prove the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. Dietary supplements may contain multiple ingredients, and differences are often found between labeled and actual ingredients or their amounts. A manufacturer may contract with an independent organization to verify the quality of a product or its ingredients, but that does not certify the safety or effectiveness of a product. Because of the above issues, clinical testing results on one product may not be applicable to other products. More detailed information about dietary supplements is available elsewhere on the LactMed Web site.

Quoted from Echinacea — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised October 15, 2024.