Burdock
Botanical Description & Habitat
Arctium lappa
Family
Compositae
Common Names
| Bardana | Bardane herb |
| Beggar's Buttons | Burrseed |
| Clotbur | Cocklebur |
| Edible Burdock | Grass burdock |
| Great Burdocks | Hardock |
| Hareburr | Hurr-burr |
| Lappa | Turkey burrseed |
Habitat
North America, Asia, and Europe; found along roadsides and fences, in waste places and vacant lots.
Description
Burdock is a biennial plant growing from 2-3 feet in height, with a simple spindle-shaped root, brown in color and a foot or more in length. During its second year, the plant grows a furrowed, reddish stem with wooly branches. Its leaves are alternate, stalked, and ovate, with a hairy upper surface and gray underside. The flowers are purple, globose, and grow in terminal panicles, blooming from July to September.
Medicinal Parts
Aerial parts (including the seeds and usually the root) gathered in the 1st year of growth.
Historical Properties & Uses
Burdock root has been listed for centuries in official pharmacopoeias of several countries in which it grows as one of the foremost alteratives. It is promoted as an effective blood purifier and pain killer.
American herbalists have testified for the past two hundred years burdock effectively relieves the symptoms of arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
The diuretic and diaphoretic actions of burdock are also well accepted throughout the world. Research shows the root has some cholagogue activity.
Burdock works to help the body get rid of and/or detoxify wastes through diuresis, sweating, blood purification and bile stimulation. Antibiotic and antifungal principles have been discovered in burdock root, and at least one study found anti-tumor action. Other research has uncovered a strong hypoglycemic effect in burdock.
This herb has not achieved approval status by the German Commission E. Either there was insufficient evidence in favor, or a contraindication.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Method of Action
Burdock has hypoglycemic action
The oral hypoglycemic action of burdock root has been more or less confirmed. Tests to data have shown a profound and long lasting decrease in blood sugar levels, increased carbohydrate tolerance and little toxicity.
The presence of vitamin B has been suggested as playing an important role in the hypoglycemic process.
Burdock root has antibiotic and tumor-inhibiting properties
Burdock root has been shown to have good antibiotic activity against staphylococci, and against various gram positive and gram negative bacteria.
Further evidence of bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity has been provided, but the dried root material was much less active than the fresh root. A tumor-inhibiting mixture as been extracted from burdock. Burdock root is a possible cholagogue and choleretic. Burdock enhances liver and gallbladder function, as established early in this century.
Burdock root contains high amounts of inulin
The clinical significance of high amounts of inulin (up to 45%) in this herb may be very great.
See Dandelion for a discussion of inulin.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Possible Interactions
The anti-inflammatory activity of burdock can be seriously inhibited by phenobarbital as well as by certain other sedatives and hypnotics, such as chloral hydrate and meprobamate.
This is also true of beta-adrenergic blocking agents, such as propranolol.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Burdock root is listed as an herb of undefined safety by the FDA.
There is no known toxicity. However, some concern has been generated by an article entitled, "Burdock root tea poisoning", appearing in the JAMA.
The German Commission E status is "null" or neutral i.e. while it is not approved, there is no documented risk. There may also be some concern over the claims made by manufacturers i.e. they are unproven.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Preparation & Administration
Three times a day
Dried root
2-6 grams
Tea
made of 1-2 tsp dried root
Fluid extract
1:1 in 25% alcohol, 2-8 ml
Tincture
1:10 in 45% alcohol, 8-12 ml
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Am Hospital Formulary Service. Am Soc of Hosp Pharm. Wash, D.C.
Bressler, R., M.D. Bogdonoff & G.J. Subak-Sharpe. 1981. The Physicians Drug Manual. Doubleday & Co, Inc. Garden City, NY. 1213 pp.
Bryson, P.D., et. al. Burdock root tea poisoning. JAMA. 239(20). 2157. 1978.
Chambers, G., R.J. Kerry & G. Owen. 1977. Lithium used with a diuretic. British Medical Journal, 2.
Clark, T.H., A.H. Conney & B.P. Harpole, et.al. 1967. Drug interactions that can affect your patients. Pat Care, 1(11).pp.33-71.
D'Amico, M.L. Richere sulla presenza di sostanze ad azione antibiotica nelle piante superiori. Fitoterapia, 26(1), 77-79, 1950.
Donbradi, C et al., Screening report on the antitumor activity of purified Arctium lappa extracts. Tumori. 1966, 53(3):173.
Foldeak, S. & G. Dombradi. Tumor-growth inhibiting substances of plant origin. I. Isolation of the active principle of arctium lappa. Acta Physiology & Chemistry (Szeged), 10, 91-93, 1964.
Goodman, L.S. & A. Gilman. 1975. Pharm Basis of Thera. MacMillan, NY.
Hansten, P.D. 1979. Drug Interactions, 4th ed. Lea & Febiger, Phila.
Hyde, F.F. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. British Herbal Medicine Assoc: West Yorks, England, 1983
Kastrup, E.K., ed. 1981. Drug Facts and Comparisons, 1982 edition. Facts and Comparisions Division, J.P. Lippincott Co, Phila(St. Louis).
Lapinina, L. & T. Sisoeva. Investigation of some plants to determine their sugar-lowering action. Farmatsevticcheski Zhurnal, 19(4), 52-58, 1964.
The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Dec, 1996.
List, P.H. & L. Hoerhammer. 1969-1976. Hagers Hanbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, vols. 2-5. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Martin, E.W. 1978. Drug Interactions Index, 1978/79. J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Riesterer, L. & R. Jaques. 1968. Interference by beta-adrenergic blocking agents with the antiinflammatory action of various drugs. Helv Physiol Acta, 26. pp. 287-293.
Schulte, K.E., G. Ruecker & R. Boehme. Polyacetylenes in burdock roots. Arzneimittel-forschung, 17(7), 829-833, 1967.
Scientific Committee, British Herbal Pharmocopaeia, British Herbal Med. Assoc, Lane House, Cowling, Na Keighley, West Yorks, Bd Bd220lx, l983.
Silver, A.A. & J. Krantz. Effect of ingestion of burdock root on normal and diabetic individuals. Preliminary report. Ann. Int. Med., Ann Arbor, 5, 274-284, 1931.
Stuart, D.M. 1968. Drug metabolism Part 2. Drug interactions. PharmIndex, 10(10). pp. 4-16.
Vincent, D. & G. Segonzac. Higher plants having antibiotic properties. Toulouse Med., 49, 669, 1948.
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