Burdock has been used as a food source and medicinal herb for centuries. You can take burdock root to treat health conditions like diabetes, arthritis and edema, as well as many different skin conditions. You should consult your doctor before taking burdock root, however, because the herbal remedy may cause side effects or interact with medications that you're taking.
History
People have taken burdock root remedies orally to cleanse the blood and purify the body, as a diuretic, to improve digestion and to ease joint pain. Herbalists have used burdock topically to treat skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema and acne. Traditional Chinese medicine has used burdock root to treat measles and tonsillitis, as well as upper respiratory ailments like colds and sore throat.
Benefits
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports that burdock root has purported uses for treating arthritis, diabetes, eczema, acne, psoriasis and edema, or water retention. Burdock root may also help to relieve your menopausal symptoms, notes the University of Michigan Health System.
The typical recommended dosage is 2 to 4 mL of burdock root tincture daily or 1 to 2 g of dried root in capsules three times daily. You can also apply the tincture to a cloth and use it topically on the desired skin area. Some people make a tea from dried burdock root by steeping 2 to 6 g of the root in 2/3 cup of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, drinking the tea three times daily.
Potential
Burdock root may have the potential to help if you have cancer, infections, HIV and AIDS or anorexia, suggests Memorial Sloan-Kettering. No published medical studies have supported burdock root's use in treating these conditions, however. Burdock root may have antitumor and antimicrobial effects, but more research is needed to confirm these uses in humans, notes the University of Michigan Health System.
Properties
Burdock root's use in aiding digestion is likely due to its inulin and mucilage content, as well as its bitter constituents, explains the University of Michigan Health System. Burdock also contains polyacetylenes, which may provide antifungal and antibacterial properties, says Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Burdock also contains antioxidants, which protect the body's cells from damaging free radicals; lignans and sesquiterpenes, which prevent inflammatory responses; as well as tannins, which may stimulate the immune system.
Scientific Evidence
Burdock root's anti-inflammatory effects and ability to treat arthritis have been studied in animals and test tubes. One of these studies, published in 1996 in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, found that burdock root has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant or free-radical-scavenging effects. Another study conducted in Japan and published in 1992 in the Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, found that burdock root prevented the chemical platelet activating factor, or PAF, which causes inflammation. A 2002 study in rats, published in the Journal of Biomedical Science, found that burdock's antioxidant effects helped to protect the liver from damage due to chronic alcohol consumption. A study published in 1994 in the Journal of Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals revealed that burdock root's polyacetylenes have antimicrobial effects.
Warnings
The biggest risk with taking burdock root is the possibility of an allergic reaction. You should avoid taking burdock root if you're allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums or daisies, because burdock is related to these plants, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also, because burdock root can stimulate uterine contractions, you shouldn't take it if you're pregnant. Burdock may also cause potentially dangerous effects if you take it with certain medications. It can increase the effects of diuretics and "water pills," as well as medications for treating diabetes. Additionally, burdock root teas have been known to be contaminated with belladonna, a dangerous and often deadly plant, warns Sloan-Kettering, because burdock roots look very similar to belladonna, or deadly nightshade, roots.
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