Burdock

by Raphaël Nanni February 16, 2020

My first is commonly consumed in the land of the rising sun under the name of gobo. My second is at the origin of the invention of Velcro. My whole is a plant with many well-known medicinal virtues…

My everything is...burdock, whose surprisingly versatile profile we are introducing to you!

Overview of Burdock

Burdock is a biennial plant of the Asteraceae family. Its name “arctium” comes from the Greek “arktos” which means bear, most likely because of the tiny hooks present at the ends of its bracts, or leaves, which cling to the clothes and fur of animals.

The leaves of the burdock are slightly hairy on their underside, and are heart-shaped, more or less toothed. They can reach 71 cm in length. The burdock offers purple tubular flowers from July to October.

Burdock is commonly known as wild rhubarb, devil's tobacco, cleavers, or even ringworm herbs, due to its medicinal properties.

Burdock on your plate?

Did you know that burdock was once grown in the vegetable garden? It is in fact a forgotten vegetable that was commonly consumed in Europe. Today, neglected in our countries, the Japanese still enjoy it on a daily basis, under the name of gobo.

The roots and stems of burdock are eaten, once they have been removed from their cortex. It has a taste similar to that of the artichoke, and a rather sweet flavor.

Composition and medicinal properties of burdock

Burdock roots and leaves are mainly used for their medicinal properties. They are full of active ingredients.

Potassium nitrate, inulin and arctigenin give it anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. Indeed, these substances would have an inhibitory effect on the growth of certain cancer cells.

They also have a powerful detoxifying power. Burdock is known for its detoxifying properties for the blood in particular. It acts as a purifier, and has been used for this purpose for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine in particular. This action could be explained by the plant's ability to fight infections and bacteria.

The polyenes and polyines present in burdock are the source of its antibacterial properties. For this reason, the plant is very often used in cosmetics to treat skin problems such as acne, psoriasis or eczema.

The many natural antioxidants present in all parts of the plant (quercetin, luteolin, phenolic acids, etc.) also make it an excellent anti-inflammatory. When applied locally to the skin areas to be treated, burdock is known to be very effective.

But its richness in antioxidants is also very useful to fight against free radicals responsible for skin aging among others , and cellular aging in general. Burdock thus acts preventively against diseases linked to the degeneration of cells , such as cancer, inflammatory diseases, etc.

Burdock is also said to be excellent for sexual health! It can improve sexual functions and activity.

The effectiveness of burdock, proven or not?

There are multiple studies supporting some of the traditional uses of burdock.

We can cite a first study carried out on patients with osteoarthritis. A treatment of 3 cups of burdock root tea per day was administered to them for 42 days, in addition to a glucosamine and acetaminophen intake. A second group did not receive burdock teas in addition to the standard treatment.

The results showed that the level of C-reactive protein , a significant marker of inflammation, was significantly reduced in people who used burdock. This confirms that burdock reduces inflammation and oxidative stress (1).

Much research has also been conducted to study the detoxifying effects of burdock on the blood. A meta-analysis was able to confirm that burdock root contains components that have the property of purifying the blood, activating circulation to the surface of the skin in particular, which supports the relevance of the use of burdock in the treatment of skin problems such as eczema (2).

The seeds contain directly anti-inflammatory agents which also have the effect of inhibiting the growth of certain tumors such as pancreatic carcinoma, but which also act in cases of diabetes or dermatitis (3) (4).

A Chinese study specifically looked at the effects of burdock on diabetes. According to the results of this research, the plant has the ability to inhibit the production of glycation, an element known to constitute one of the complications linked to diabetes. The inhibitory action was also much more effective than the standard treatments given to the control group. This study is a precursor and has revealed a new property of burdock, previously unknown (5).

As for the antimicrobial and antibacterial action of burdock, it has been widely studied by researchers. Burdock has the ability to slow down skin aging and the appearance of wrinkles (6) and accelerates the skin healing process (7).

On the other hand, despite what some people may say, the effects of burdock on sexual function have only been studied in our rodent friends! However, the results are encouraging since an oral dose of 600 to 1200 mg/kg of body weight significantly increases testosterone levels and the number of ejaculations (8). When will there be research on humans…?

How to take burdock? Dosage and usage

There are several different forms available commercially for those who would like to take burdock.

In decoction and herbal tea, it is recommended to boil 3 to 6 g of leaves and roots in ½ liter of water and consume this drink at a rate of 3 cups per day. It is even possible to apply this solution directly to the skin.

Fluid extracts should be taken at a rate of 2 to 6 drops 3 times a day, and the mother tincture at a dose of 1.6 to 2.4 g in a glass of water, 3 times a day.

For burdock capsules, it is best to follow the manufacturer's directions, which may vary depending on the parts of the plant used and the dosages of the capsules.

Contraindications and side effects of burdock

To date, no adverse effects or major contraindications have been detected. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to avoid using food supplements without the advice of a doctor.

Burdock, a precious ally for our skin

Burdock has many scientifically proven benefits for our health. Today, its use is more often known in cosmetics to treat so-called “problem” skin. Green light for burdock, a plant that is definitely very catchy!