What is it?
The roots of Burdock, a herb that lives for two years in which time it grows to 2 metres tall with leaves up to half a meter across, the roots usually harvested in the Autumn of its first year or the Spring of its second.
How has it been used?
Burdock is known as one of the best cleansers in all of herbal medicine. It is especially identified with helping chronic skin conditions such as acne, eczema, boils, psoriasis and cysts.
Thomas Bartram writes Burdock is 'one of the most powerful and reliable of blood tonics of herbalism' he says that 'persistence with low doses is more favourable than larger, over short periods' and goes on to recommend it for arthritis, gout, rheumatism, boils, styes, cystitis and many skin diseases.
John Heinermann writes 'Burdock is perhaps the most widely used of all blood purifiers, among the best the herbal kingdom has to offer for this... it is the most important herb for treating chronic skin problems'.
M Grieve writes 'the name of the genus, Arctium, is derived from the Greek arktos, a bear, in allusion to the roughness of the burs, lappa, the specific name, being derived from a word meaning 'to seize'
She goes on to say that its actions are 'alterative, diuretic and diaphoretic' and that it is 'one of the best blood purifiers. In all skin diseases, it is a certain remedy and has effected a cure in many cases of eczema, either taken alone or combined with other remedies, such as Yellow Dock and Sarsaparilla'
WM Cook writes 'This is the burdock plant so annoying to the farmer; with its great coarse leaves, purplish flowers in numerous thistle-like heads, and long, tapering roots. The roots are succulent, difficult to dry, and of an unusual sweetish taste. It is best when gathered in early spring, and sliced into thin pieces. Unless very quickly and thoroughly dried, it will mildew. It yields its property readily to water and diluted alcohol. The root is mainly relaxant and demulcent, it acts slowly and mildly upon several of the secreting organs, as the kidneys, skin, and bowels. This secures from it a gentle alterant action, of use in cutaneous, scrofulous, and scorbutic affections, particularly where there is an irritable condition of the system. Its action on the kidneys and bladder is available in irritable conditions of these organs, to the bowels, it merely favours a soft and natural openness. preparations of it require to be pretty strong, and given freely; though half a pint of a decoction three times a day, as some writers advise, would be ridiculous. The agent requires to be used several weeks, to secure its full benefits'
TJ Lyle writes 'the root is a soothing demulcent tonic alterative. It slowly and steadily influences the skin, soothes the kidneys and relieves the lymphatics. It is of great importance in all skin diseases. It is very soothing to the mucous membrane throughout and is hence valuable in irritated conditions, its soothing character is also valuable in rheumatism'
From King's Dispensatory, 1898: Skin diseases are conditions in which Burdock has gained a reputation. It has been particularly praised in psoriasis, its use being long-continued to produce good results. Chronic erysipelas, milk crust, and various forms of eczema have been cured with it. Burdock is of marked value in catarrhal and aphthous ulcerations of the digestive tract. A favourable action is obtained from it in dyspepsia (indigestion) When a cachectic condition of the blood is manifest, and where an alterative is demanded it relieves broncho- pulmonic irritation and cough. Rheumatism, both muscular and articular, when previous inflammations have left no structural alteration, are benefited by Burdock
Early Chinese and Indian physicians used Burdock as an immune remedy and it was highly regarded to help against colds, flu, throat infections and pneumonia. The German Abbess/herbalist St Hildegard of Bingen wrote of Burdock for the treatment of cancerous tumours and it has been widely used by a great many people in the fight against cancer for thousands of years.
The Swiss inventor, George de Mestral, out walking in the early 1940's, became curious about the thorny 'burrs' of Burdock that attached themselves to his dog's fur. On examining them under the microscope he realised that he could formulate
Safety of Burdock
There is a healthy respect in the old teachings about Burdock that this is a herb that can bring about a healing crisis (where things get worse before they get better) and that it is a powerful medicine that needs to be used with care and caution.
The Toxicology of Botanical Medicines identifies Burdock as a uterine stimulant which would suggest that it should not be used during pregnancy but please note that there are no reports of adverse reactions in the literature and this is likely to only be a theoretical concern.
Burdock might reduce platelet aggregation by inhibiting platelet activating factor so, theoretically, taking burdock with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding due to decreased platelet aggregation. Some of these drugs include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), warfarin (Coumadin).
Note that these concerns are theoretical only, no evidence of adverse reactions or drug interactions has been published and so long as it used with care Burdock can be safely used by young and old and at any stage of life when it is needed.
a working copy; the result was 'Velcro'
