Burdock

Burdock consists of the fresh or dried, first-year root of great burdock, Arctium lappa; common burdock, A. minus; or woolly burdock, A. tomentosum. The leaves and fruits may also be used. Burdock contains volatile oil, fatty oil, sucrose, resin, tannin, and large amounts of the carbohydrate inulin. Active constituents include podophyllin type lignan derivatives and guanidinobutyric acid.

The fresh root and root extracts may have mild bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity and may also stimulate the flow of bile from the gallbladder to the duodenum. Polyacetylenes, specifically, arctiopiricin, may be responsible for the gram-positive and gram-negative antimicrobial properties.

Burdock may have antimutagenic, antimutagenic, hypoglycemic, and uterine stimulant activity, and it may increase carbohydrate tolerance. The hypoglycemic and antimutagenic component may be a polyanionic, lignan-like compound.

It's speculated that guanidinobutyric acid, a substance found in fruit extracts derived from burdock, may be responsible for its hypoglycemic activity.

Burdock may also have antipyretic, diuretic, and diaphoretic properties. It may inhibit human immunodeficiency virus 1infection, antagonize platelet activating factor, prevent tumors, and affect the digestion of dietary fiber.

Burdock is available as capsules, liquid extract, fresh root, tinctures, and various topical formulations for cosmetic and toiletry products. It's available in products such as Arth Plus Capsules, Catarrh Mixture (oral liquid), Potter's G.B. Tablets, Gerard House Blue Flag Root Compound Tablets, Seven Seas Rheumatic Pain Tablets, Skin Eruptions Mixture (oral liquid), and Tabritis Tablets.

Benefits And Uses of Burdock

Burdock is used orally to treat cancers, renal or urinary calculi, GI tract disorders, constipation, catarrh, fever, infection, gout, arthritis, and fluid retention. It's also used as a blood purifier, diaphoretic, and aphrodisiac.

Burdock is used topically to promote healing and to treat skin conditions such as hair loss, dandruff, eczema, scaly skin, psoriasis, acne, and dry skin.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the burdock fruit is commonly combined with other herbs to treat colds, sore throat, tonsillitis, coughs, sores, and abscesses. In Asia, the root is considered a nutritious element of the daily diet.

Administration

• Liquid extract 0:1 in 25% alcohol): 2 to 8 ml by mouth three times a day .
• Oral: 2 to 6 g of dried root by mouth three times a day .
• Tea: Prepared by placing 1 to 2.5 g (1 teaspoon equals 2 g) of finely chopped or coarsely powdered herb into 5 oz of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, then straining; consumed three times a day .
• Tincture 01:10 in 45% alcohol): 8 to 12 ml by mouth three times a day.

Side Effects of Burdock

Burdock may be associated with headache, drowsiness, slurred speech, loss of coordination, incoherent speech, restlessness, hallucinations, hyperactivity, seizures, disorientation, flushing, blurred vision, dryness of mouth and nose, rash, lack of sweating, allergic dermatitis (topical), and fever. It is possible, however, that these adverse effectsn with the exception of allergic dermatitis are actually associated with atropine contamination rather than with burdock itself.

Herbal products prepared with alcohol may cause a disulfiram like reaction. Additive effects may occur when burdock is used with alcohol containing products.

Burdock used in conjunction with insulin or oral antidiabetics may interfere with control of blood glucose level. Pregnant patients should avoid use because it may cause uterine contractions; breast-feeding patients, because it isn't known whether herb appears in breast milk.

Patients allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies should use burdock with caution.

Clinical considerations

• .Monitor patient for signs of atropine toxicity as it's easy for an inexperienced herbalist to mistake burdock for the poisonous belladonna.
• Liquid extract and tincture contain alcohol and may be inappropriate for alcoholic patients or those with liver disease.
• Burdock may cause or exacerbate hypoglycemia. Dosage of insulin or antidiabetic may need to be adjusted. Instruct patient with diabetes or hypoglycemia to monitor his blood glucose level closely. Warn patient not to delay seeking appropriate medical evaluation because doing so may delay treatment of a potentially serious medical condition.
• If patient is pregnant or breast-feeding or is planning pregnancy, advise her not to use burdock.
• Instruct patient to report any allergic symptoms to his health care provider.
• Inform patient that some liquid formulations contain alcohol.
• Tell patient to remind prescriber and pharmacist of any herbal or dietary supplement that he's taking when obtaining a new prescription.
• Advise patient to consult his health care provider before using an herbal preparation because a treatment with proven efficacy may be available.

Research summary

German Commission E lists burdock as an unapproved herb. and doesn't recommend its use because of a lack of data. None of the fresh herb's adverse properties have yet been proven to exist in the dried commercial product.