Burdock

The huge basal leaves of the burdock give away its presence in the forest margins and moist meadows where it grows. Also known by greater mopits scientific name, Arctium lappacomes from the Greek word arctos (bear) and lappa, for grasping, alluding to their spiny bracts, which easily adhere to surfaces.

It is a robust, biennial plant with a thick, erect and branched stem and fleshy leaves. The spring-flowering flowers are tubular, and are gathered in spherical purple flower heads. For medicinal purposes, the root is used in its first year of growth, and is uprooted in summer.

The leaves and seeds are also used, although to a lesser extent. It has a slightly sweet and viscous taste. Burdock contains abundant inulin, mucilage, mineral salts, bitter glycosides such as arctiopicrin, flavonoids such as arctiin, an essential oil, phenolic acids, phytosterols, and tannins.

Potassium and inulin give burdock a powerful diuretic and purifying action. It is also detoxifying, antibacterial, hypoglycemic and digestive.

Medicinal properties

Burdock is a natural cleanser of the organismindicated in spring cures, to favor the elimination of toxins and to decrease the volume of uric acid and urea. It is useful to treat urinary tract infectionto prevent the formation of kidney stones and promote its dissolution. It is used above all to combat skin impurities: acne, boils, eczema, pimples or seborrheic dermatitisbeing a relief against the itching skinlowers glucose in blood and exerts a hypotensive effectassociated with his status as diuretic plantbut it must be taken under medical control in order to avoid tension decompensations.It also stimulates the secretion of bile and appetitewhen it has been lost after a process or a long period of convalescence.The leaves and peeled young stems of burdock can be eaten boiled as a vegetable. They are also taken raw, seasoned with olive oil and vinegar, in salads, and the roots, toasted, as a coffee substitute.

Herbalist Formula

Tea to treat acne: An excellent herbal formula to treat acne is the herbal tea that combines equal parts burdock and dandelion roots with sarsaparilla and guaiac bark, all purifying.How to prepare it: Take a level tablespoon of the mixture for each glass of water. Boil for about five minutes and let it rest. A glass of the herbal tea will be taken before the main meals. Decoction for eczema: Burdock is combined with pansy, cat’s tail and horse’s tail.How to prepare it: Two tablespoons of the mixture of these plants are arranged in 500 ml of water. Boil for two minutes and leave to rest for another five. The decoction is filtered, a gauze is soaked with it and it is applied warm, making small touches on the affected area twice a day.

Related article: How to prepare burdock root oil yourself

Presentation

Burdock is presented as a dry plant for decoction, tincture, powder, fluid extract, decoction for topical use and as a liniment for massages.

Jordi Cebrian. Advisor: J Mª Teixé, herbalist at “El Manantial de Salud”