Burdock

Scientific Name(s): Arctium lappa L.
Common Name(s): Fructus arctii, Bardana, Beggar's buttons, Clotbur, Edible burdock, Goboushi (Japanese), Great bur, Great burdocks, Lappa, Niu Bang Zi (Chinese)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 20, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects have been described for burdock whole root extract, as well as for its individual chemical constituents. Diabetes, CNS conditions, gastric ulcer, and colitis are under investigation for possible therapeutic use; however, not enough clinical evidence is available to recommend burdock for any condition.

Dosing

There is limited clinical evidence to guide burdock dosing. Dosages reported include 6 g/day of burdock root tea, and 12 g/day of a burdock fruit extract for advanced refractory pancreatic cancer. Burdock leaves have also been used and studied as non-stick bandages in wound care.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Documented adverse effects.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Allergic dermatitis and anaphylaxis have been reported.

Toxicology

Burdock is generally considered a safe and edible food product, but toxicology studies are lacking.

Scientific Family

• Asteraceae (daisy)

Botany

Burdock is native to Europe and northern Asia and is naturalized in the United States. Six species of the Arctium genus are recognized in the United States, including greater (A. lappa L.) and lesser (Arctium minus Bernh.) burdock. A synonym for burdock is L. major Gaertn. The plant is a perennial or biennial herb that grows up to 3 m (about 9 feet). It has large, ovate, acuminate leaves and broad pinkish flowers made up of reddish-violet tubular florets surrounded by many involucral bracts ending in a stiff, spiny, or hooked tip. The root pieces, used in teas, are hard, minimally fibrous, longitudinally wrinkled, and grayish-brown to black in color.Duke 2003, Leung 1996, USDA 2014

History

Burdock has been recognized as a traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years, and its use as a detoxifying agent is documented in the Compendium of Materia Medica (1578). In traditional medicine, burdock fruits, seeds, roots, and leaves have been used as decoctions or teas for a wide variety of ailments, including colds, catarrh, gout, rheumatism, stomach ailments, and cancer, as well as use as a diuretic, diaphoretic, and laxative. It has also been promoted as an aphrodisiac and used topically for various skin problems. Burdock root is commonly used as food in Asia. Some US health stores carry fresh burdock root for sale as a food and nutraceutical.Chan 2011, Duke 2003

Chemistry

Burdock root yields a variety of compounds on analysis, including inulin (up to 50%), tannins, polyphenolic acids (eg, caffeic, chlorogenic acids), volatile acids (eg, acetic, butyric, costic, 3-hexenoic, isovaleric, 3-octanoic, propionic), polyacetylenes (0.001% to 0.002%, dry-weight basis), and a crystalline plant hormone, gamma-guanidino-n-butyric acid. A xyloglucan has been isolated and characterized from the 24% potassium hydroxide extract of edible burdock. Fructooligosaccharides have been determined as well. The leaves contain triterpenoids, while the root contains vitamins A, B₁, B₂, and C, as well as minerals including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, zinc, and copper. Burdock seeds yield 15% to 30% fixed oils, a bitter glycoside arctiin, 2 lignans (lapp...