Everything about Arctium totally explained
Burdock is any of a group of
biennial thistles in the
genus Arctium, family Asteraceae. Native to the
Old World, several species have been widely introduced worldwide.
Plants of the genus
Arctium have dark green leaves that can grow up to 18" (45 cm) long. They are generally large, coarse and ovate, with the lower ones being heart-shaped. They are woolly underneath. The leafstalks are generally hollow.
Arctium species generally flower from July through October.
The prickly heads of these plants are noted for easily catching on to fur and clothing, thus providing an excellent mechanism for
seed dispersal. and is also low calorie. It also contains
polyphenols that causes darkened surface and muddy harshness by formation of
tannin-iron complexes though the harshness shows excellent harmonization with
pork in miso soup (
tonjiru) and Japanese-style
pilaf (
takikomi gohan).
Dandelion and burdock is a
soft drink that has long been popular in the
United Kingdom. Burdock is believed to be a
galactagogue, a substance that increases
lactation.
Traditional medicine
Folk herbalists consider dried burdock to be a
diuretic,
diaphoretic, and a
blood purifying agent. The seeds of
A. lappa are used in
traditional Chinese medicine, under the name
niupangzi (; Some dictionaries list the Chinese as just 牛蒡 niúbàng.)
Burdock is a traditional
medicinal herb that's used for many ailments. Burdock root oil extract, also called Bur oil, is popular in Europe as a scalp treatment applied to improve hair strength, shine and body, help reverse scalp conditions such as
dandruff, and combat
hair loss. Modern studies indicate that Burdock root oil extract is rich in
phytosterols and essential
fatty acids (including rare long-chain EFAs), the nutrients required to maintain a healthy scalp and promote natural hair growth. It combines an immediate relieving effect with nutritional support of normal functions of
sebaceous glands and
hair follicles.
According to some European herbalists, combining Burdock root oil with a Nettle root oil and massaging these two oils into the scalp every day has a greater effect than Bur oil alone.
Burdock has been used for centuries as a blood purifier clearing the bloodstream of some toxins, and as a diuretic (helping rid the body of excess water by increasing urine output), and as a topical remedy for skin problems such as acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis.
Burdock and Velcro
After taking his dog for a walk one day in the early 1940s,
George de Mestral, a Swiss inventor, became curious about the seeds of the burdock plant that had attached themselves to his clothes and to the dog's fur. Under a microscope, he looked closely at the hook-and-loop system that the seeds use to hitchhike on passing animals aiding seed dispersal, and he realised that the same approach could be used to join other things together. The result was
Velcro.
Tolstoy
The
Russian writer
Leo Tolstoy wrote in his journal, in
1896, about a tiny shoot of burdock he saw in a ploughed field, “black from dust but still alive and red in the center … It makes me want to write. It asserts life to the end, and alone in the midst of the whole field, somehow or other had asserted it.”
Species
Arctium lappa : Greater Burdock, Gobō
Arctium minus : Lesser Burdock, Burweed, Louse-bur, Button-bur
Arctium pubens : Common Burdock
Arctium tomentosum : Downy Burdock, Woolly Burdock
Safety
Because the roots of burdock closely resemble those of Deadly nightshade (also known as belladonna or Atropa belladonna), there's a risk that burdock preparations may be contaminated with these potentially dangerous herbs. Be sure to buy products from established companies with good reputations. Do not gather burdock in the wild unless you know what you're doing.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Arctium'.
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