The enormous basal leaves of burdock reveal its presence in the forest margins and humid meadows where it grows. Also known for major blowits scientific name, Arctium lappacomes from the Greek word arctos (bear) and lappa, for grasping, referring to its spiny bracts, which easily adhere to surfaces.

It is a biennial, robust plant, with a thick, erect and branched stem and fleshy leaves. The flowers, which bloom in spring, are tubular, and are gathered in spherical, purple floral chapters. For medicinal purposes, the root is used in its first year of growth, and is plucked in summer.

Leaves and seeds are also used, although to a lesser extent. It has a slightly sweet and viscous flavor. Burdock contains inulin in abundance, mucilage, mineral salts, bitter glycosides such as arcthiopicrin, 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

• The burdock is a natural purifier of the bodyindicated in spring cures, to promote the elimination of toxins and to reduce 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 mainly used to combat skin impurities: acne, boils, eczema, pimples or seborrheic dermatitisbeing a relief against the itching cutaneous.
• Reduces glucose in blood and exerts a hypotensive effectassociated with his condition of diuretic plantbut it must be taken under medical control in order to avoid tension decompensation.
• It also stimulates bile secretion and appetite.when it has been lost after a process or a long period of convalescence.
• The leaves and young peeled stems of burdock can be consumed boiled as a vegetable. They are also eaten raw, seasoned with olive oil and vinegar, in salads, and the roots, toasted, as a coffee substitute.

herbalist formula

• Herbal tea to treat acne: An excellent herbal formula to treat acne is the herbal tea that combines, in equal parts, burdock and dandelion roots with sarsaparilla and guaiac bark, all of which are purifying.
• How to prepare it: Take a level tablespoon of the mixture for each glass of water. Boil it 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 horsetail.
• How to prepare it: Two tablespoons of the mixture of these plants are placed in 500 ml of water. It is boiled for two minutes and left to rest for another five. The decoction is filtered, gauze is soaked with it and applied warm, making small touches on the affected area twice a day.

Related article: How to prepare burdock root oil yourself

Presentation

Burdock comes as a dried plant for decoction, tincture, powder, fluid extract, decoction for topical use and as a liniment for massages.

Jordi Cebrián. Advisor: J Mª Teixé, herbalist from “El Manantial de Salud”