herbs - Burdock (Articum lappa)

What is it?

Burdock is a very traditional herb native to Europe and Asia. The leaf is medicinal, but it is the root that is most commonly used.

Action

Burdock contains many active constituents, including 45% inulin. It is one of the most powerful and reliable blood cleansers in herbal medicine. It acts as a diuretic, anti-bacterial and a liver cleanser.

Uses

Our experts recommend Burdock for the following disorders:

• Acne
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Rhinophyma

Other information

Burdock is often recommended by herbalists in detox programs because of its cleansing action. It is commonly combined with Dandelion. Helps with skin complaints, rheumatism and is sometimes used to improve digestion. Herbal supplements are generally available as tablets, capsules or tincture.  It can be used in tincture form for children aged above 1 year of age. Herb tincture dosage is lower than adult levels. A simple guide for children is one drop per stone of weight.

Cautions

• Generally, there are no side effects or other contra-indications from using Burdock herbal supplements, however if you have a known allergy to inulin, it is best avoided.



• When this article was written there were no well-known negative drug interactions with Burdock.

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