Burdock
Common names
Burdock (Great), Bardane, Great or Thorny Burr, Beggar’s buttons, Clotbur, Cocklebur, Cockle Buttons
Latin name
Arctium lappa
Family
Compositae/Asteraceae
Parts used
Dried aerial parts or roots. Also fruits and leaves.
Botanical description, cultivation and harvesting
Large biennial with broad cordate leaves up to 40 cm long. Purple globular flower heads. The bracts are hooked burrs. Its location is in Europe, parts of Asia, and North America.
History, folklore, taste and energetics
Burdock is a wonderfully nourishing and cleansing herb. It helps to comb out old patterns and debris from us, its emotional and spiritual healing mirroring what it does on a physical level as is the case for all our allies.
The burrs of this plant inspired a French scientist to develop Velcro; after finding the burrs in his dog’s fur and combing them out, he realized that the tiny hooks and fur would make an ideal closure system for astronaut’s suits, and now it has found many other applications.
The root is sweet and mucilaginous with some bitterness. The herb is very bitter.
Constituents
Roots Bitter principle, Inulin (up to 50%), Lignans, including arctigenin (a weak tumour growth inhibitor), Polyacetylenes (antibiotic0, Arctic acid, Sesquiterpenes, Amino acids, Acids (isovaleric, lauric, mystiric, caffeic, chlorogenic), Dietary fibre
Seeds
15-30% fixed oils, Bitter glycoside (arctiin), Chlorogenic acid
Leaves
Arctiol, Fukinone, Taraxasterol
Actions
Diuretic
Orexigenic (stimulates appetite)
Alterative
Diaphoretic
Anti-rheumatic,
Antiseptic,
Depurative (blood purifier)
Close-up of the strong Burdock leaf
Traditional and current uses
Root;
Skin eruptions –acne, boils and abscesses, eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis
Rheumatism, arthritis, gout
Cystitis
Anorexia nervosa
Reduces the effects of mutagens, being investigated as a possible treatment of certain tumours
Digestive tonic
Lowers blood sugar – may be helpful in diabetes
Seeds;
Flu, measles, tonsillitis, colds, fever
Kidney stones
Leaves;
As a treatment for falling hair, use as a rinse
Poultices for bruises and skin eruptions
Recipes
Used as a vegetable in Asia – steamed or stir-fried.
The seed burs contain seeds with small hooks which attach to animal fur and so on as a way of dispersing the seed. These gave the original inspiration for Velcro.
Dandelion and burdock flapjacks
150 g porridge oats
100 g butter or olive oil
3 tablespoons agave syrup or honey
50 g raisins optional
50 g hazelnuts chopped optional
3 tablespoons mixed seeds optional
Dessert spoon ground dandelion root
Dessert spoon ground burdock root
Heat oven to 180 C. Melt butter and agave together. Mix in dry ingredients and press into a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool and cut into squares.