Burdock is a traditional herbal treatment for a variety of diseases, including arthritis, diabetes and cancer. It is one of four herbs used in Essiac tea--the others are rhubarb, sorrel, slippery elm--a traditional medicine used by the Ojibway Indians of Canada that is believed to have cancer-treating properties. Burdock is also al element in the Hoxsey Therapy for cancer, which although largely discredited and banned for use in the US, is in use at a cancer clinic in Mexico.
Anti-Cancer
According to an article in the November/December 2007 journal Anticancer Research, the herbs in Essiac tea, including burdock root, demonstrate significant antioxidant properties and there is some evidence that burdock root and the other ingredients in Essiac tea can destroy cancer cells. However, in the laboratory it took very high doses of burdock root to destroy cancer cells, so the main importance of burdock root is in its antioxidant effect. In other words, burdock root can help prevent cancer, like other antioxidant foods, but there is no evidence it can cure cancer once it has developed.
Prebiotic Activity
Research indicates that inulin, a compound extracted from edible burdock, is a useful prebiotic. Prebiotics are non-digestible compounds in food that stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the colon, improving your health, according to an article in the February 2008 issue of Anaerobe.
Anti-Elastase
The August 2009 journal BMC Complimetnary and Alternative Medicine reports that burdock is one of several herbs that have anti-elastase compounds. Elastase is an enzyme that damages elastin, a form of connective tissue in the lungs and other tissues. Elastase is secreted by neutrophils, scavenger white blood cells, in the inflammatory process. It is an important enzyme, but when it is out of control it can cause emphysema and other lung damage.
Lowers Blood Sugar
According to Medline Plus, a website maintained by the National Institutes of Health, animal research and initial human studies indicate that burdock lowers blood sugar. Although there is not yet enough research, it does indicate potential for the treatment of diabetes.
Protecting the Liver
There is evidence that burdock root can alleviate the severity of liver damage due to exposure to carbon tetrachloride or acetominophen, possibly due to the antioxidant compounds in the herb.
References
- "Journal of ethnopharmacology;" Essiac tea: scavenging of reactive oxygen species and effects on DNS damage; Leonard SS et al; Jan 2006
- "Anticancer Res;" In vitro analysis of the herbal compound Essiac; Seely D, Kennedy DA, Myers SP, Cheras PA, Lin D, Li R, Cattley T, Brent PA, Mills E, Leonard BJ; 2007 Nov-Dec
- "Anaerobe"; Prebiotic Effectiveness of Inulin Extracted From Edible Burdock; Li D, Kim JM, Jin Z, Zhou J; Feb. 2008
- "BMC Complement Altern Med"; Anti-collagenase, Anti-Dlastase and Anti-Oxidant Activities of Extracts From 21 Plants; Thring TS, Hili P, Naughton DP; Aug. 2009
- "J Food Sci"; Antioxidant Activity and Chemical Composition of the Fractions From Burdock Leaves; Lou Z, Wang H, Li J, Chen S, Zhu S, Ma C, Wang Z; June 2010
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