Echinacea products contain a variety of bioactive ingredients including echinacosides, caffeic acids, alkylamides, polysaccharides, and glycoproteins. Though several echinacea products are standardized to the amount of echinacosides, there is no general consensus on the active component of echinacea responsible for its purported medicinal properties. 

In vitro, echinacea causes macrophage activation and the release of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1, interleukin 6, and interferon. Echinacea has been noted to have antiviral activity against influenza, herpes, and poliovirus. Phenolic compounds present in echinacea demonstrate antioxidant activity. It has also been reported to have antiinflammatory activity through inhibition of lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase and is able to stimulate the anterior pituitary-adrenal cortex.