This entry was posted 12 years, 10 months ago.
July 16, 2010
Burdock, or great burdock (Arctium lappa) is a herb with giant leaves which grows all around in Europe and especially the Mediterranean region. This plant is known for its purple blossoms, surrounded by prickly burrs, which are very sticky and can gasp and hold fabric, clothing etc. very firmly. For centuries burdock root, leaves and stems have been used as the ingredients of various herbal remedies, supplements and preparations, and the burdock root benefits are immense.
Burdock root is the most frequently used as a very beneficial natural remedy rich in such elements as calcium, potassium, iron, copper, chromium, inulin, resin, flavonoids, mucilage, chlorogenic acid, lactone, a series of vitamins and so on. Long ago it was used for its excellent cleansing and purifying properties. It contains special types of essential oil which facilitate toxin elimination in our body. Traditionally, it was used to treat various viral diseases, like measles, tonsillitis and other respiratory problems. But nowadays, the most promising and developing way to utilize burdock root is oncology, while the studies are still on.
Benefits of burdock root also embrace excellent diuretic properties of this herb. Due to a high content of inulin in this herb remedy, drinking burdock root infusion is recommended to stimulate appetite and digestion, soothe digestive system and treat various stomach conditions, aid liver cleansing, etc. Such burdock root benefits as its antifungal and antibacterial powers are used to treat urinary infections, skin ulcers, acne and so on.
Besides, burdock root products can be used to calm down arthritis pains and to stimulate the immune system. In Traditional Chinese medicine, burdoch root was known as an excellent natural aphrodisiac which had great powers to treat infertility and impotence. Benefits of burdock root also include its effectiveness for hair loss prevention and dandruff as burdock root can be used as a remedy to stimulate blood flow to the scalp, this way to assist in nourishing and strengthening hair follicles. Burdock root infusion can be applied internally to treat eczema and psoriasis.
Using this herb is believed to be generally safe but one should avoid unwanted side effects of burdock root. Those include slow heart rate, dry mouth, extreme changes of sugar levels in blood and contamination. It is recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women to refrain from using burdock products because of its highly active diuretic action. Also, in order to avoid being affected by allergies and side effects of burdock root caused by interaction with other medicines or herbal remedies, talk to your health care practitioner or a specialist before starting any treatment involving burdock extracts or products.
Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.
October 10th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
So refreshing to see a medical student interested in Alternative Medicine!! We need more medical doctors interested in alternative medicine.
I just wanted to add to your post. Burdock leaves are excellent as a treatment for burns. They relieve pain and help heal the burn.
December 9th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Excellent information. I learned a great deal about burdock root from this article. Thank you so much:)
April 12th, 2011 at 10:29 pm
could I use burdock root for breast cancer.
thank you.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:05 pm
I found an ayervedic recipe with this being one of the ingredients, so thought I’d find out more information about it. I was glad to read what I did, for I had my last wisdom tooth pulled last week and am sick to my stomach right now. The medical intuitive who is helping me with MS told me this a.m., that I have a bacterial infection due to the tooth being pulled. Strange the dentist didn’t say anything about any infection in and around the tooth. But I thought with what I read that this may help with the infection. Any feedback please write to newfi4me@yahoo.com.
Thank you, take care,
LinJ