Medicinal Qualities of Burdock

The following words have been used to describe the medicinal properties of this plant, found in many different sources:

Leaves: Sudorific, molient, diaphoretic, aperient, diuretic, mild laxative, depurative
Root: Sudorific, herpatic, antiscorbutic, alterative, antirheumatic, antibiotic, antibacterial,
diuretic, mild laxative, diaphoretic, depurative, orexigenic

Seed: Carminitive, tonic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hypoglycemic effect,
prevents fever, relaxant, demulcent

Burdock roots are bitter and thus capable of stimulating and enhancing digestive secretions and aiding digestion. It also promotes absorption of nutrients and supporting the elimination of wastes, especially when these complaints are due to poor diet, constipation, or liver burden. The liver plays an important role in removing impurities from the blood. It is also responsible for producing bile that digests fats; metabolizes hormones; and stores excess carbohydrates, in addition to its other functions. Everything the digestive tract absorbs goes directly to the liver to be filtered. If we eat foods that contain preservatives, artificial flavoring and colorants, pesticides, and so on, additional pressure is placed on the liver. A high-fat diet also forces your liver to work harder to produce more bile to break down the fat with. Add to this all the potential self-inflicted and environmental toxins to which we are exposed in daily life, such as; prescription and non-prescription drugs, alcohol, cleaning products, exhaust from cars, industrial pollutants, ect., and you can see how the liver can become overworked and increasingly burdened. When the amount of toxic substances in a person’s bloodstream exceeds the liver’s capacity to remove them from circulation, the offending substances get stored in the body. The accumulated toxins are primarily stored in body fats, and can be responsible for producing several symptoms, including headaches, acne, itching, nausea, arthritis, and other complaints. For this reason, many herbalists and naturopathic physicians recommend alterative herbs to clear these complaints. Burdock leaves and roots contain significant amounts of fiber that can help keep the bowels regular and promote growth of healthy bacteria in the colon. In fact, the root consists of nearly 50 percent inulin, and important fiber. A study in England found that “inulin promotes the growth of bacteria that have the ability to control inflammation and eliminate unwanted pathogens, such as those that cause diarrhea. Burdock is useful in cases of hormone imbalance that are not attributable to uterine fibroids, cancer, or other diseases. Many conditions, such as premenstrual syndrome, fibroids, and endometriosis, are associated with excess estrogen levels. Because of its alterative action, and because of the small amount of plant steroids it contains, burdock can help improve the liver’s ability to metabolize hormones such as estrogen and thereby improve symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance.” (Brett)

Burdock has many known medicinal uses. Green states that, “Burdock is a “deep food” and alterative that moves the body to a state of well-nourished health, promotes the healing of wounds, and removes the indicators of system imbalance such as low energy, ulcers, skin conditions, and dandruff. As a diuretic and alterative, it works through the liver and kidneys to protect against the build-up of waste products and is considered to be one of the best tonic correctives of skin disorders. Burdock is a classic remedy for skin conditions which result in dry, scaly skin and cutaneous eruptions (eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, boils, carbuncles, sties), as well as also being helpful in relieving rheumatism and gout. As a mild bitter that stimulates digestive juices and bile secretion, it aids appetite and digestion and is well used in anorexia. Externally, it is an exceptional fomentation or poultice to promote healing of wounds and ulcers, especially when also taken internally on a regular basis.” (35-36) Burdock is known as the “King” of blood purifiers. In all skin disorders and diseases, it is certain to remedy and affect a cure in many cases of eczema, either taken alone or combined with other remedies, such as Yellow Dock and Sarsaparilla. The root is principally employed, but the leaves and seeds are equally valuable. “The anti-scorbutic properties of the root make the decoction very useful for boils, scurvy and rheumatic affections, and by many it is considered superior to Sarsaparilla, on account of its mucilaginous, demulcent nature; it has in addition been recommended for external use as a wash for ulcers and scaly skin disorders. An infusion of the leaves is useful to impart strength and tone to the stomach, for some forms of long-standing indigestion. When applied externally as a poultice, the leaves are highly resolvent for tumours and gouty swellings, and relieve bruises and inflamed surfaces generally. The bruised leaves have been applied by the peasantry in many countries as cataplasms to the feet and as a remedy for hysterical disorders. From the seeds, both medicinal tinctures and a fluid extract are prepared, of benefit in chronic skin diseases. Americans use the seeds only, considering them more efficacious and prompt in their action than the other parts of the plant. They are relaxant and demulcent, with a limited amount of tonic property. Their influence upon the skin is due largely to their being of such an oily nature: they affect both the sebaceous and sudoriferous glands, and probably owing to their restore that smoothness to the skin which is a sign of normal healthy action. The infusion or decoction of the seeds is employed in dropsical complaints, more especially in cases where there is co-existing derangement of the nervous system, and is considered by many to be a specific for all affection of the kidneys, for which it may with advantage be taken several times a day, before meals.”(Grieve, 144) Burdock is a very nutritious food as well. It contains a good amount of several vitamins (especially A and B2 - thiamin) as well as minerals, especially iron, chromium, cobalt, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, zinc, and potassium. The leaves are so full of nutrients that the water in which they are cooked turns black; and despite the unappealing color and taste, people eagerly drink the liquid as a spring tonic to make themselves feel better after a long winter. Human studies have also shown that the inulin in Burdock root does help control blood sugar levels. The root also contains chemicals called polyacetylenes, which have antibacterial and antifungal properties, however, these substances dissipate when the root is dried - the form that is most often used medicinally. Burdock is an herb that cleanses the body of toxins through its diuretic and mildly laxative effects, when taken a little at a time, in increasing amounts. The root is used as a vegetable in Japan, but it is also considered to be the most important part of the herb by Western Herbalists used as a cleansing, eliminative remedy where a buildup of toxins causes skin problems, digestive sluggishness, or arthritic pains. It is also used externally for skin sores and infections. In China, the seeds are used to treat symptoms of pleurisy and that of the common cold characterized by sore throat and non-productive cough. Other parts are used to treat impotence and infertility. In Russia and India, the herb is a popular cancer treatment. In North America, it is used as a diuretic and mild laxative, and general blood purifier. It is used to treat indigestion, loss of appetite, skin conditions, and reducing symptoms of gout, arthritis, and rheumatism. It is the seeds that are used for skin diseases and as a diuretic. (Burdock.1) Burdock is also alleged to neutralize and eliminate poisons in the system. Fresh, bruised leaves are sometimes used as a remedy for poison ivy or poison oak. (Niu bang) In The Physiomedical Dispensatory, written by William Cook, M.D., in 1869, the writes, “the root is mainly relaxant and demulcent, with a limited amount of tonic property. It acts slowly and mildly upon several of the secreting organs, as the kidneys, skin, and bowels. This secures from it a gentle alterant action, of use in cutaneous, scrofulous, and scorbutic affections, particularly where there is an irritable condition of the system…The seeds possess somewhat the same properties as the root; but are more prompt and temporary in their impressions. They increase the flow of urine; and are very serviceable in irritation and aching of the bladder, scalding urine, and urine charged with mucous and grayish sediments. Their action on the skin is very good, and affects the sebaceous as well as sudoriferous glands…They seem also to abate the nausea of lobelia…The leaves, or their inspissated juice, is said to make a good ointment in scrofulous ulcers. I have been told that a tablespoonful of this juice, three times a day, will act on the liver and bowels gently, and purify the blood speedily in boils. It is in some places a popular practice to apply the bruised leaves directly to boils, as a “drawing” and cleansing fomentation.” (Cook) In an article published on his website, Christopher Hobbs writes “Modern research has isolated chemical constituents that have proven to be antibacterial and anti-fungal, and most importantly, tumor-protective and desmutagenic. Desmutagens are defined as substances that inactivate mutagens (cancer-causing agents) by reacting with them and “taking them out of action.” These mutagens include pesticides and natural chemicals from plants and compounds that are created from foods (such as meats) by cooking. These potential cancer-causing compounds are now abundant in our food, water, and air; many of them are already stored in our fat tissues. Natural herbal remedies such as burdock may very well be of extreme importance to modern societies such as ours.”