Burdock Root & the Liver

Burdock is a rather odd-looking plant that grows wild in the northern United States and Europe. Its prickly-looking flowers make it seem like a worthless weed, but it's actually a plant with a variety of medicinal uses, says Medicinal Herb Info. However, before you start to use burdock medicinally, talk to your health care provider.

Burdock Uses

Although the research is limited for burdock's use as a liver detoxifier, the website of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, or MSKCC, lists it as one of the common uses for the herb. The seeds of the burdock plant are also used to make treatments for psoriasis, microbial infections, eczema, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and as a diuretic to promote urination, says the site.

Research

A research study posted on the PubMed.gov website describes the study of burdock's effects on the liver. The study looked at what effects burdock might have on livers that have been damaged by alcohol consumption. The results seemed to show that burdock helped the liver to heal and acted to protect it from further damage. The conclusion was that burdock's powerful antioxidants may be responsible, at least in part, for the results.

Possible Side Effects

Pregnant or breast-feeding women are advised to avoid taking burdock due to possible damage to the unborn or nursing child, says the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Burdock may cause allergic reactions in people with known allergies to ragweed, daisies or chrysanthemums, since they are from the same plant family. People who are dehydrated should not take burdock because of the risk of making the condition worse, says the UMMC. According to the MSKCC, the roots of burdock and belladonna, a poisonous plant, look similar, so you are advised not to gather burdock in the wild. Burdock in moderate doses is considered to be safe, but when taken at high doses, it may be toxic to the liver, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine, or USNLM.

Potential Interactions

People who take diuretics, diabetes medications, blood thinners, antibiotics, HIV drugs, cancer treatments or treatments for gout should avoid taking burdock, says the USNLM. Burdock may intensify the actions of the medications in a harmful way. If you have questions about the potential for interactions between burdock and other medications and supplements you take, talk to your pharmacist or health care provider.

Forms Used

Burdock roots can be found in fresh or dried form, says the UMMC. You can also find burdock supplements in fluid extracts, tinctures, which are an alcohol solution containing the herb, or as decoctions where the herb is boiled in water. Burdock tinctures should not be used by people with alcohol-related liver damage because of the alcohol content.