Echinacea is believed by many people to stimulate the immune system.Echinacea stimulates the overall activity of the cells responsible for fighting all kinds of infection.Unlike antibiotics, which directly attack bacteria, echinacea makes our own immune cells more efficient at attacking bacteria, viruses and abnormal cells, including cancer cells.It increases the number and activity of immune system cells including antitumor cells, promotes T cell activation, stimulates new tissue growth for wound healing and reduces inflammation in arthritis and inflammatory skin conditions.The most consistently proven effect of echinacea is in stimulating phagocytosis .Extracts of echinacea can increase phagocytosis by 20-40%.