The burdock root is a vegetable that is native to Northern Asia and Europe. Nowadays, it grows in the United States. It is known that deep roots of the burdock plant are very long. They are brown or nearly black on the outside. The burdock root has been used in the holistic medicine for centuries to treat many different conditions. Most commonly, burdock root was used as a digestive aid and diuretic. Nowadays, researchers have discovered many potential uses and health benefits for the burdock root. The benefits which the burdock root has, may be extensive enough to warrant using burdock root as a complementary treatment for certain conditions.
The burdock is considered as safe for eating, but you should buy it from reputable sellers. You should never collect in wild, because the burdock resembles belladonna nightshade plants, which are highly toxic. These two plants often grow together, so avoid collecting burdock from wild. If you are taking burdock in supplement form, then you should take it in moderation. Pregnant women or women who are trying to get pregnant should avoid the usage of it. If you are allergic to daisies or chrysanthemums, then you have increased risk of having an allergic reaction to burdock root, so you should avoid it.
There are different forms of burdock root available, such as dried root powder; fresh burdock root; burdock tea and burdock oil or burdock extract. You can consume burdock root safely in moderation and you can safely drink one cup of burdock tea per day. If you want to take burdock root supplements, then talk with your doctor about the instructions. Here are some health benefits of burdock root:
Burdock root help treat skin issues
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It has a long history as a home remedy for skin conditions, like eczema, acne and psoriasis. The burdock root has antibacterial and anti – inflammatory properties which can help to resolve skin problems. This home remedy should be applied topically to your skin and you will notice improvements in your skin problems. There was one study done in 2004 in which was found that it can help in the treatment of the tropical burns.
Aphrodisiac
In the traditional medicine, it has been used as an aphrodisiac. There was one study done in 2012 which was done on male rats and it was found that the extract of it has an aphrodisiac properties. [1] The extract of it can enhance the sexual function and it can increase the amount of sexual behavior in the male rats. There should be done a lot more studies in people, but anecdotal evidences support this claim.
It may inhibit some types of cancer
It may purify the blood, but also it can inhibit certain types of cancer. In one study done in 2011 was found that it have the potent inhibitory effects on the growth of tumors which are caused by cancers, like pancreatic cancer [2]. In another study done in 2016 was found that it significantly interfered with the cancer cell growth [3]. There should be done a lot more studies to determine the full effects of burdock root and burdock seeds on different types of cancers and tumors, but this are still a significant finding.
Burdock root removes toxins from the blood
It has been used in the traditional medicine to purify the blood. In recent studies was found that it can help to remove the toxins from the bloodstream. In one study done in 2011 was found that It can effectively detoxify the blood and it promotes increased circulation. [2]
Rich in nutrients
There was one study done in 2010 in which was shown that is has many types of powerful antioxidants, like phenolic acids, luteolin and quercetin [4]. Antioxidants can help to protect cells in the body from damage caused by free radicals. Also, they can help to prevent and treat many different health conditions. Antioxidants can help to reduce the inflammation. In another study done in 2014 was shown that it can help to reduce the inflammatory markers in the blood for people who suffer from osteoarthritis. [5]
References:
[1] Cao JF, Zhang PY, Xu CW, et al. Effect of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. (burdock) roots on the sexual behavior of male rats. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2012;12:8. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-8
[2] Chan YS, Cheng LN, Wu JH, et al. A review of the pharmacological effects of Arctium lappa (burdock). Inflammopharmacology. 2011;19(5):245-54. doi:10.1007/s10787-010-0062-4.
[3] Ovadje P, Ammar S, Guerrero JA, et al. Dandelion root extract affects colorectal cancer proliferation and survival through the activation of multiple death signalling pathways. Oncotarget. 2016;7(45):73080–100. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.11485
[4] Ferracane R, Graziani G, Gallo M, et al. Metabolic profile of the bioactive compounds of burdock (Arctium lappa) seeds, roots and leaves. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2010;51(2):399-404. doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2009.03.018.
[5] Maghsoumi-Norouzabad L, Alipoor B, Abed R, et al. Effects of Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) root tea on inflammatory status and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. 2016;19(3):255-61. doi:10.1111/1756-185X.12477.