Latin Name: Arctium lappa
Family: Asteraceae
Part used: Root, seed
Energetics: A bit bitter & pungent, dry, cool.
Iris: All types
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider.
CONTRA-INDICATIONS
- Not used in pregnancy or lactation as it's a gentle uterine stimulant.
- Avoid if allergic to the Asteraceae family.
ACTIONS
- Blood tonic
- Aperient
- Antibiotic (Staph)
- Adaptogen
- Alterative
- Anti-fungal
- Hepatic
- Lymphatic
- Hypoglycaemic
- Sialagogue
- Diuretic
- Detoxifier
- Laxative
- Diaphoretic
- Bitter
- Anti-neoplastic
- Gentle uterine stimulant
Main Constituents
- Mucilage 12%
- Tannin
- Bitter compounds
- Aldehydes
- Flavonoid glycosides (quercetin, kaemperol)
- Asparagin
- Sterols
- Fatty acids
- Inulin (up tp 50% in roots)
- Sulphur
- Vitamin A, C,
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Iron
- Sodium
- Magnesium
- Silicon
- Cobalt
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Manganese
Main Uses
Powerful blood tonic and antibiotic
Digestive System: Heartburn, Lack of appetite
Skin: Boils, Seborrhoea, Dermatitis, Eczema, Psoriasis, Acne
Eyes: Styes
Circulatory: Anaemia, Blood purifier
Musculo-Skeletal System: Arthritis, Gout, Rheumatism
Endocrine: Diabetes Type 2
Reproductive System: Menopause, Irregular / Painful periods
Urinary System: Cystitis, Promotes detoxification and helps to dissolve deposits: urinary stones, biliary stones
Infections:
Bacteria: E. coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Mycobacterium, Bacillus, Propionibacterium acnes.
Viruses: HIV
Fungi: Candida, Trichophyton.
More About Burdock
Burdock helps to eliminate toxins from the body and works best when used over time, treating a broad range of imbalances in the body.
It has a blood cleansing action and clears through the skin, urinary and digestive tract after taking toxins from the connective tissue and moving them into the bloodstream.
It also supports detoxification via the liver and modulates the pancreas, in both its endocrine and exocrine function, and can regulate the blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes.
It is cleansing for chronic inflammatory conditions such as gout and arthritis.
It can help clear skin issues, such as acne, boils, abscesses, psoriasis, as well as aid in skin healing from acne and chicken pox scars.
Burdock can be used in cases of digestive disturbances to relieve wind, heartburn and to stimulate the appetite. The root is naturally rich in prebiotic fibre and can help in cases of Candida overgrowth.
It is a gentle immune stimulant for both acute and chronic conditions.
It combines well with Nettle for its draining effect and ginger for its warming effect, so that tissues are both detoxified and then those toxins fully eliminated.
It forms one of the ingredients of the famous Cassie Formula, said to be a ‘cure’ for cancer. Other ingredients are Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm and Turkey Rhubarb.
Rene Cassie produced her famous ‘Essiac Tea’ for her cancer patients in Ontario and people travelled far and wide to see her.
Cassie Formula / Essiac Tea
- 120 g Burdock (chopped)
- 80g Sheep sorrel (powdered)
- 20g Slippery elm (powdered)
- 5g Turkey rhubarb.
Use 15g of herb mix to 1.5L of water. Boil, simmer for 20 minutes. Dose: 30ml before bed or upon rising once a day. Can dilute in 60ml additional water or juice.
Recipes:
Burdock Chips:
Ingredients:
-
3 x 10cm / 4" long burdock roots (about 250g / 8.8oz)
-
A pinch of salt
- Oil for deep frying
Vinegar Water:
-
2 tbsp vinegar
- 3 cups water
Instructions:
- Add the Vinegar Water ingredients in a bowl and mix.
- After washing the burdock root, if you prefer, scrape off the skin from the roots by either scrubbing the surface with a stainless-steel scourer or using the back of a knife. Put the peeled roots in the vinegar water.
- Taking one piece of the burdock root at a time, slice the burdock lengthwise using a peeler or a slicer to 1-1.3mm / 1⁄32-1⁄16" thick ribbons. Put the ribbons back in the vinegar water as you make them.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan to 170°C / 338°F. Use only as much oil with the depth which is sufficient to float the burdock slices (2-3cm / 1" deep).
- Pat dry the burdock slices using kitchen paper.
- Take a handful of the burdock slices and drop them in the oil.
- Using long cooking chopsticks or tongs, separate each burdock piece as some of them may be stuck together. Repeat for the rest of the burdock pieces.
- Cook for about 1½-2 minutes until the edges of the burdock pieces stat browning, then transfer to a tray lined with kitchen paper.
- Sprinkle a pinch of salt while hot, if using.
References
Anti-Inflammatory/Blood Circulation/Antioxidant
A review of the pharmacological effects of Arctium lappa (burdock)
In the root, the active ingredients have been found to "detoxify '' blood in terms of TCM and promote blood circulation to the skin surface, improving the skin quality/texture and curing skin diseases like eczema. Antioxidants and antidiabetic compounds have also been found in the root. In the seeds, some active compounds possess anti-inflammatory effects and potent inhibitory effects on the growth of tumors such as pancreatic carcinoma. In the leaf extract, the active compounds isolated can inhibit the growth of microorganisms in the oral cavity.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20981575/
Metabolic Syndrome
Exercise training and burdock root (Arctium lappa L.) extract independently improve abdominal obesity and sex hormones in elderly women with metabolic syndrome
SHBG and estradiol levels were enhanced by both AE and BE and correlated with changes in fat-related body composition.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33664334/
Muscular and Vascular Health
Positive influence of aqua exercise and burdock extract intake on fitness factors and vascular regulation substances in elderly.
Muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory endurance of aqua exercise and burdock extract intake group at post-test significantly increased compared to pre-test. In conclusion, our findings indicated that the aqua exercise and burdock extract intake improves senior fitness factors in elderly Korean women. Also, the program participation led to a balance between PGI2 and TXA2. Additionally, burdock extract intake may be useful in vascular health by playing a secondary role in disease prevention and health promotion.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30705515/
Acute Colonic Diverticulitis
Effects of Burdock tea on recurrence of colonic diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding: An open-labelled randomized clinical trial
The burdock tea treatment showed significant preventive effects on recurrence of ACD. A lower ACD recurrence rate (5/47 [10.6%] vs. 14/44 [31.8%]) and longer recurrence-free duration was observed in the burdock tea group.This randomized clinical trial demonstrated that daily intake of burdock tea could be an effective strategy for prevention of ACD recurrence, but not for CDB recurrence.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31043657/
Acne
Anti-Acne Action of Peptides Isolated from Burdock Root-Preliminary Studies and Pilot Testing
Preliminary biological studies confirmed the anti-acne properties of the isolated peptide fraction from burdock root and pointed to the possibility of using it to create an active dressing on the skin.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32349230/