Arcticum lappa, commonly known as burdock, is a flowering plant native to Great Britain, China, Japan and North America. It's been used in Asian cuisine and Chinese folk medicine for centuries to treat a host of ailments, internal and external. Until recently, these medicinal properties hadn't been scientifically investigated, but studies are beginning to show promising results in the lab.
Anti-inflammatory
A study in Taiwa, looking at the potential of Arctium lappa root extracts as an anti-inflammatory to reduce free radical scavenger activity in lab animals, found the effects were verifiable. A more recent study published in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology showed that arctigenin, a bioactive constituent from dried seeds of the plant, was responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Antimicrobial
Researchers in Brazil seeking natural biocomponents from plants with antibacterial activity studied an extract from burdock in vitro. After two to four weeks, the phytotherapeutic agent extracted from the plant had inhibited the growth of all of the microorganisms used in the study.
Possible Cancer-Fighting Agent
After screening 500 medicinal plant extracts used in Japanese Kampo medicine, scientists at the Institute of Natural Medicine found that extract of Arctium lappa, arctigenin, suppressed PANC-1 tumor growth in mice, as well as the growth of several of the tested pancreatic cancer cell lines. Their research built upon another study published in Mutagenic Research in 1984, which showed burdock extracts had a strong desmutagenic effect, attacking the mutations that can be carcinogenic.
Reduction of Gastric Lesions
Spurred by the use of burdock for digestive disorders, a study in Brazil looked at the gastroprotective activity of an extract of the roots from Arctium lappa. The extract significantly reduced gastric lesions by reducing gastric acid secretion.
Treating Liver Ailments
Burdock root also shows promise for treating liver disorders. One study in Taiwan found that the root extracts could protect liver cells from acetaminophen-induced liver damage. Another study published in September 2002's Journal of Biomedical Science added that burdock may also protect against ethanol-induced liver distress.
Skin Treatment
German researchers used burdock fruit extracts as a topical treatment for skin and found that it significantly improves the metabolism of the dermal cell structure and leads to a visible wrinkle reduction in vivo. The researchers concluded that the extract represents a targeted means to regenerate dermal structures, making it a potential effective treatment option for mature skin.
References
- American Journal of Chinese Medicine: Anti-inflammatory Effects of Arctium Lappa
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology: In Vitro Anti-inflammatory effects of Arctigenin, a Lignan from Arctium Lappa
- Phytotherapy Research: In vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Activity of Arctium Lappa
- Cancer Research: Identification of Arctigenin as an Antitumor Agent
- Mutation Research: A Desmutagenic Factor Isolated from Burdock
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