A composition for treating microbial infections comprises antimicrobial isolates from at least a part of the following plants; Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallidae, E. vegetalis, E. atribactilus, Pimpinella anisum, myroxylon, arctostaphylox, carum, capsicum, Eugenia mytacea, coriandrum, inula, allium, gentiana, juniperus, calendula, origanum, mentha labiate, commiphora, plantago, rosmarinus, ruta, laptisa, artemisa, sage, mentha, parthenium, integrifolium, eucalyptus, asteriacea and their cultivars. Also claimed is a method for treating herpes simplex or other infectious disease, by topical application of a composition containing 2-90 % of a phytochemical concentrate of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia, containing echinacen; echinacen B; echinaceine; echinacoside; caffeic acid ester; echinolone; enzymes; glucuronic acid; inulin; inuloid; pentadecadiene; polyacetylene compounds; polysaccharides; arabinogalactan; rhamnose; tannins; PSI (a 4-O-methylglucoronoarabinoxylan, Mr 35kD) and PS II (an acid rhaminoarabinogalactan, Mr 450 kD), cynarin; 1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, chicoric acid; 2,3-O-di caffeoyltartaric acid; borneol; bornyl acetate; pentadeca-8(Z) en-zone; germacrene D; caryophyllene; caryophyllene epoxide; anthocyanin, pyrolizidine alkaloid, lipophilic amide; isobutylamide; polyacetylene; anthocyanin; 3-O-B-D glucopyranoside; 3-O-(6-O-malonyl-B-D-glucopyranoside); tussilagine; isotussilagine; isomeric dodeca-isobutylamide; tetraenoic acid; and / or carophylenes; and 0.005 - 0.8 % quat. ammonium salt surfactants comprising alkyl dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, benzalkonium halide, alkylbenzyldimethyl ammonium chloride, dialkyldimethyl ammonium chloride, diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyl dimethylammonium chloride and o-benzyl-p-chlorophenol; and sterile water in ratio water to phytochemical concentrate and surfactant of 2-100:1. The composition is maintained on the infected area for 1-30 hours, during which period the physical symptoms are substantially resolved.