Articum lappa – Burdock
Articum lappa; Eng: Burdock; Ita: Bardana
Family: Asteraceae
Habitat: Europe, America, Asia. Near rivers, moist loam, rich soils, Articum likes sunny spots. It is a biennial plant.
Parts used: Leaves, root, stalks, seeds.
Constituents: Inuline, tannin, mucilage, fatty acids, phenolic acids, lignans, sesquiterpenes, vitamin B, iron, sulphur, potassium.
Actions: Cleansing, blood tonic, antibiotic (root anti staphylococcus), antifungal, hepatic, lymphatic, diuretic, laxative, hypoglycemic, bitter, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory.
Uses:
Medicinal uses: Articum lappa has strong cleansing properties and is used for skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, boils. It lowers blood sugars and reduces cholesterol, so it is also useful for diabetes, gout, arthritis and rheumatism. Its antibiotic and diuretic action makes it useful for cystitis and styes. Because of its nutritional value and high mineral content it is used for anemia, and to support anorexia conditions. The seeds are used for uterus displacement and uterus prolapse. In Chinese medicine it is used for measles.
Other uses: the root and the stalks are used as food eg. in soups.
Dosage:
Infusion of the root or the leafs, 1 tbl spoon per cup, 2-3 times a day. 1:5 Tincture 1-3 ml in water 2-3 times a day.
External use: for skin conditions as infusion or tincture apply to the affected area.
Cautions: It s a powerful cleanser so do not use more than 3 weeks at time.
by Meletao, Xilef Welner
