"Natural Healing with Herbs for a Healthier You"
BURDOCK
by Marilyn Light
by Marilyn Light
[History] [Location] [Chemical Constituent] [Medicinal Qualities] [Contra-Indications] [Known Herbal Formulas] [Dosages & Applications] [Personal Experiences] [Bibliography]
THE BENEFITS OF THE USE OF BURDOCK
IN HERBAL PREPARATIONS
HISTORY OF BURDOCK
IN HERBAL PREPARATIONS
HISTORY OF BURDOCK
Arctium lappa (LINN.)
The Burdock, the only British member of its genus, belongs to the Thistle group of the great order, Compositae.
The name of the genus, Arctium, is derived from the Greek arklos, a bear, in allusion to the roughness of the burs, lappa, the specific name, being derived from a word meaning 'to seize.'
Another source derives the word lapps from the Celtic “llap”, a hand, on account of its prehensile properties.
The plant gets its name of 'Dock' from its large leaves; the 'Bur' is supposed to be a contraction of the French bourre, from the Latin burra, a lock of wool, such is often found entangled with it when sheep have passed by the growing plants.
An old English name for the Burdock was 'Herrif,' 'Aireve,' or 'Airup,' from the Anglo-Saxon hoeg, a hedge, and reafe, a robber - or from the Anglo-Saxon verb reafian, to seize. Culpepper gives as popular names in his time: Personata, Happy Major and Clot-Bur. Other common names it is known by are: Lappa, Loppy-major, great Burdock, Fox's Clote, Thorny Burr, Beggar's Buttons. Cockle Buttons, Love Leaves, and. Philanthropium. During the Middle Ages, English herbalists preferred burdock root to sarsaparilla for the treatment of boils, scurvy, and rheumatism. Ojibway Indian healers were quite fond of Burdock as a medicinal plant as a treatment for cleansing the body and spirit. American herbalists have used the roots and seeds as a blood purifier and pain reliever for more than two centuries.
Burdock Root, also known as "Poor-man's potatoes", is an important food in Japan known for it's many healing properties. In Japan, it is eaten as a vegetable. The Japanese call Burdock Root “Gobo” and add it regularly to their diet. It also has a reputation as a great aphrodisiac and many a bunch has been presented to a bride and groom as a honeymoon joke.
Traditionally, Burdock Root was used in Europe, India and China to treat respiratory disorders, abscesses, joint pain, urinary problems and to overcome serious health challenges by stimulating cellular regeneration, detoxification and cleansing. Parts of the Burdock plant are eaten in today in China, Hawaii and among the Native American cultures of this continent. The Cherokee use it as part of their “East Medicine” to purify the blood and for women to combat fluid buildup when they are trying to lose weight.
The German Pharmacopoeia lists this herbal drug for treating gastrointestinal complaints, as well as joint and bone conditions. Burdock Root was first used to treat cancerous tumors by a medieval German herbalist named Hildegard of Bingen. Both the “Essiac” and “Hoxsey” alternative cancer treatments used recently contain Burdock Root as one of their primary ingredients. Today, Burdock root tea is mostly considered to be a traditional blood purifier and diuretic.
A Modern Herbal quotes from Culpepper and gives the following uses for Burdock:
“The Burdock leaves are cooling and moderately drying, whereby good for old ulcers and sores. The leaves applied to the places troubled with the shrinking in the sinews or arteries give much ease: a juice of the leaves or rather the roots themselves given to drink with old wine, doth wonderfully help the biting of any serpents; the root beaten with a little salt and laid on the place suddenly easeth the pain thereof, and helpeth those that are bit by a mad dog.
The seed being drunk in wine 40 days together doth wonderfully help the sciatica: the leaves bruised with the white of an egg and applied to any place burnt with fire, taketh out the fire, gives sudden ease and heals it up afterwards .... The root may be preserved with sugar for consumption, stone and the lax. The seed is much commended to break the stone, and is often used with other seeds and things for that purpose.”
It was regarded as a valuable remedy for stone in the Middle Ages, and called Bardona. As a rule, the recipes for stone contained some seeds or 'fruits' of a 'stony' character, as gromel seed, ivy berries, and nearly always saxifrage, i.e. 'stone-breaker.' Even date-stones had to be pounded and taken; the idea being that what is naturally 'stony' would cure it; that 'like cures like' (Henslow).
The Burdock, the only British member of its genus, belongs to the Thistle group of the great order, Compositae.
The name of the genus, Arctium, is derived from the Greek arklos, a bear, in allusion to the roughness of the burs, lappa, the specific name, being derived from a word meaning 'to seize.'
Another source derives the word lapps from the Celtic “llap”, a hand, on account of its prehensile properties.
The plant gets its name of 'Dock' from its large leaves; the 'Bur' is supposed to be a contraction of the French bourre, from the Latin burra, a lock of wool, such is often found entangled with it when sheep have passed by the growing plants.
An old English name for the Burdock was 'Herrif,' 'Aireve,' or 'Airup,' from the Anglo-Saxon hoeg, a hedge, and reafe, a robber - or from the Anglo-Saxon verb reafian, to seize. Culpepper gives as popular names in his time: Personata, Happy Major and Clot-Bur. Other common names it is known by are: Lappa, Loppy-major, great Burdock, Fox's Clote, Thorny Burr, Beggar's Buttons. Cockle Buttons, Love Leaves, and. Philanthropium. During the Middle Ages, English herbalists preferred burdock root to sarsaparilla for the treatment of boils, scurvy, and rheumatism. Ojibway Indian healers were quite fond of Burdock as a medicinal plant as a treatment for cleansing the body and spirit. American herbalists have used the roots and seeds as a blood purifier and pain reliever for more than two centuries.
Burdock Root, also known as "Poor-man's potatoes", is an important food in Japan known for it's many healing properties. In Japan, it is eaten as a vegetable. The Japanese call Burdock Root “Gobo” and add it regularly to their diet. It also has a reputation as a great aphrodisiac and many a bunch has been presented to a bride and groom as a honeymoon joke.
Traditionally, Burdock Root was used in Europe, India and China to treat respiratory disorders, abscesses, joint pain, urinary problems and to overcome serious health challenges by stimulating cellular regeneration, detoxification and cleansing. Parts of the Burdock plant are eaten in today in China, Hawaii and among the Native American cultures of this continent. The Cherokee use it as part of their “East Medicine” to purify the blood and for women to combat fluid buildup when they are trying to lose weight.
The German Pharmacopoeia lists this herbal drug for treating gastrointestinal complaints, as well as joint and bone conditions. Burdock Root was first used to treat cancerous tumors by a medieval German herbalist named Hildegard of Bingen. Both the “Essiac” and “Hoxsey” alternative cancer treatments used recently contain Burdock Root as one of their primary ingredients. Today, Burdock root tea is mostly considered to be a traditional blood purifier and diuretic.
A Modern Herbal quotes from Culpepper and gives the following uses for Burdock:
“The Burdock leaves are cooling and moderately drying, whereby good for old ulcers and sores. The leaves applied to the places troubled with the shrinking in the sinews or arteries give much ease: a juice of the leaves or rather the roots themselves given to drink with old wine, doth wonderfully help the biting of any serpents; the root beaten with a little salt and laid on the place suddenly easeth the pain thereof, and helpeth those that are bit by a mad dog.
The seed being drunk in wine 40 days together doth wonderfully help the sciatica: the leaves bruised with the white of an egg and applied to any place burnt with fire, taketh out the fire, gives sudden ease and heals it up afterwards .... The root may be preserved with sugar for consumption, stone and the lax. The seed is much commended to break the stone, and is often used with other seeds and things for that purpose.”
It was regarded as a valuable remedy for stone in the Middle Ages, and called Bardona. As a rule, the recipes for stone contained some seeds or 'fruits' of a 'stony' character, as gromel seed, ivy berries, and nearly always saxifrage, i.e. 'stone-breaker.' Even date-stones had to be pounded and taken; the idea being that what is naturally 'stony' would cure it; that 'like cures like' (Henslow).