...I am NOT going to be drawn into discussing all the "scientific mumbo jumbo" with you. I am FAR more interested in what it actually DOES that what "science" reports it does. I'll take empirical evidence over a "study" ANY day.
As several respected CZ posters & healers can attest, it clearly seems that anyone that doesn't interpret studies according to your liking is someone you've "proven wrong".
Remember, the "scientific truths in medicine" that are accepted as "true" today will be disproven and/or substantially changed in future decades. In my opinion, anyone that "holds fast" to the scientific paradigms of their era...will likely go down with the ship.
Echinacea has been used for over a century safely and effectively by hundreds of healers and millions of people...and that's not only fresh plants, but teas & tinctures from dried roots.