BURDOCK ARCTIUM LAPPA

BURDOCK (Arctium lappa L.) +++

Synonym :
- A. edule (Siebold ex Miq.) Nakai, Lappa edulis Siebold ex Miq., L. major Gaertn., L. officinalis All.

Activities (Burdock) :
- Alterative (f; CRC; PED); Antibacterial (1; APA; CAN; PED); Antidiabetic (1; FNF); Antifuruncular (1; CAN); Anti-HIV (f; APA); Antileukemic (1; FNF); Antilymphomic (1; FNF); Antimutagenic (1; APA; CAN); Antiphlegmatic (f; CRC); Antipyretic (f; CRC; FNF); Antirheumatic (f; PNC); Antiseptic (1; CRC; PNC; SKY); Antitumor (1; APA; CRC; SKY); Aperitif (f; CAN); Astringent (f; PED); Bifidogenic (1; AKT; FNF); Bitter (1; CAN); Carminative (f; CRC); Choleretic (1; APA; FAD); Cytoprotective (1; CAN); Demulcent
(1; SKY); Depurative (f; APA; FAD; PHR); Desmutagenic (1; PNC); Detoxicant (1; CAN); Diaphoretic (f; APA; PHR; WAM); Digestive (1; SKY); Diuretic (1; APA; CAN; WAM); Fungicide (1; APA; PED); Gastrostimulant (1; FNF); Hepatotonic (1; WAM); Hypocholesterolemic (1; FNF); Hypoglycemic (1; APA; PNC; SKY); Immunomodulator (1; FNF); Immunostimulant (1; FNF); Lipolytic (1; FNF); Lymphotonic (1; WAM); Prebiotic (1; AKT; FNF); Stomachic (f; CRC); Uterotonic (1; CAN).

Indications (Burdock) :
- Abscess (f; CRC); Acne (f; CRC; SKY); Adenopathy (1; CRC; FNF; JLH); Alopecia (f; APA); Anorexia (f; CAN); Arthrosis (f; APA; CRC; PNC); Backache (f; APA); Bacteria (1; APA; CAN; PED); Bladder Stone (1; APA; CRC); Boil (1; CAN; WAM); Bruise (f; CRC; FAD); Bunion (f; CRC); Burn (f; FAD); Cancer (1; APA; CAN; FNF); Cancer, breast (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, colon (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, knee (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, lip (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, liver (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, sinus (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, stomach (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, tongue (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, uterus (1; FNF; JLH); Canker Sore (f;
APA; CRC); Chancre (f; DEM); Childbirth (f; CRC); Cold (f; APA); Constipation (f; APA; FAD); Corn (f; JLH); Cystosis (f; CAN); Dermatosis (1; APA; CAN; WAM); Diabetes (1; CAN; CRC); Dropsy (f; CRC); Dyspepsia (f; APA); Eczema (f; APA; CAN; WAM); Enterosis (f; APA); Eruption (f; CRC); Fever (f; APA; CRC; FNF; PHR; WAM); Flu (f; APA; FAD); Fungus (1; APA; PED); Furuncle (1; CAN); Gas (f; CRC); Gastrosis (f; APA); Gonorrhea (f; CRC); Gout (f; APA; CAN; FAD); Gravel (f; DEM); Hepatosis (f; FAD); High Cholesterol (1; FNF); HIV (f; APA); Hives (f; FAD); Hyperglycemia (1; APA; CAN; PNC; SKY); Hysteria (f; CRC); Ichthyosis (f; PHR); Immunodepression (1; FNF); Impotence (f; CRC); Induration
(f; JLH); Infection (1; APA; CRC; PED; PNC); Inflammation (f; JLH); Itch (f; CRC); Kidney Stone (1; APA; X7860196); Leukemia (1; FNF); Leukorrhea (f; CRC); Lumbago (1; CRC); Lymphoma (1; FNF; JAD); Measles (f; CRC; FAD); Mycosis (1; APA; PED); Nephrosis (f; CRC; FAD); Pain (f; APA); Parturition (f; APA); Pharyngosis (f; APA); Phosphaturia (f; CRC); Psoriasis (1; APA; CAN; WAM); Rheumatism (1; APA; CAN; CRC; PNC); Ringworm (f; CRC); Scarlet Fever (f; FAD); Sciatica (1; APA; CRC); Scirrhus (f; JLH); Scrofula (f; CRC; FAD); Shigella (1; FNF); Smallpox (f; CRC; FAD); Snakebite (f; CRC); Sore (f; APA; CRC; FAD); Staphylococcus (1; FNF); Sterility (f; CRC); Swelling (f; CRC); Syphilis (f; APA; CRC); Tumor (1; APA; CAN; CRC; JLH; SKY); Ulcer (f; APA; JLH); Urethrosis (Unapproved KOM); UTI (f; APA); VD (f; CRC); Vertigo (f; CRC; FAD); Wart (f; APA; JLH); Water Retention (1; APA; CAN; WAM); Wound (f; APA).

Dosages (Burdock) :
- 0.25 - 0.5 cup fresh root (PED); 1.25 tsp chopped or powdered root/cup water (1 tsp = ~2 g) (APA; BIS); 2 - 6 g dry root as tea, 3 ×/day (CAN); 6 - 12 g dry root (PED); 9 g dry root:45 ml alcohol/45 ml water (PED); 2 - 8 ml liquid root extract (1:1 in 25% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 8 - 12 ml root tincture (1:10 in 45% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 0.5 - 1 tsp tincture up to 3 ×/day (APA); 3 (475 mg) capsules 3 ×/day (APA; NH); 3 (470 mg) capsules 3 ×/day (NH); 0.5 - 2 ml liquid seed extract (PNC).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Burdock) :
- Class 1 (AHP). CAN notes that it may conflict with other hypoglycemic medications. Physicians in Burgos, Spain, in 1995, reported three cases of contact dermatosis caused by burdock root poultices. Herbs for Health (November/December) page 68, reviewing Rodriguez, P. et al., 1995. Allergic contact dermatitis due to burdock. Contact Dermatitis 33(2):134 - 5. (However, a letter from Alvaro Palacios in Spain tells me this is based on contamination with belladonna). Should be avoided during pregnancy due to a slight estrogenic effect (WAM). CAN also cautions that because it is a uterine stimulant, in vivo,
its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided (CAN).

Extracts (Burdock) :
- High inulin and mucilage may explain GI soothing effect (SKY). The bitter compound artipicrin kills Gram-positive bacteria (CAN). Bitter constituents explain digestive properties (SKY); polyacetylenes are antimicrobial (SKY). Lignans have antileukemic, antilymphomic, antimutagenic, and antitumor activities. (FNF). The burdock fiber (root can be 50% inulin) at 5% in the diet of rats protects against the toxicity of artificial food coloring. Plant juice reduces chromosome aberrations (CAN). Inulin seems to have antidiabetic, gastrostimulant, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, immunostimulant, and lipolytic activities. Flowers and leaves antibacterial against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, and Staphylococcus aureus.