Arctium lappa L.Great Burdock Achene Extract.Burdock Seed.Burdock Root.

Contents

• Brief Description and Basic Data of Burdock.
• Plant Description and Habitat of Burdock.
• Archeology and Narritive History of the Names:Burdock.
• Burdock Overview in History.
• Uses of Burdock in Traditional Record.
• Phytochemicals and Constituents of Burdock root.
• Common Action and Narrative Application of Burdock.
• Part Uses of Burdock.
• Medicinal Action and Uses of Burdock.
• Suggested Dosage,Preparations and Administrations of Burdock.
• Interactions of Burdock.
• Precautions of Burdock.
• Burdock and Treatment of Chronic skin disease.
• Research Update:Burdock and Its Constituents.

Burdock and Treatment of Chronic skin disease.:

It's bad enough waking up in the morning to find that a pimple is changing your profile. But what's even worse is turning on the television and being confronted with advertisements created with the simple intent of making you feel so bad about your imperfect skin that you run out and do something about it. As in buy a product that will not only clear up your skin, but will also bring you true love, riches, and perpetual happiness. Let's get some things straight right now. First, having pimples isn't the worst thing in the world. Second, there is no miracle cure for the problem, and anyone who tells you that there is has something to sell and should therefore be subject to suspicion.

 People's desire for flawless skin is easy to understand. The fact that they waste so much money in their attempts to achieve it is not. You are probably familiar with the over-the-counter options. In fact, you may have already spent a small fortune on them. Now it's time to look into a herbal possibility. Our next plant is excellent for any skin problem, be it eczema, dandruff, a wound that won't heal, or an infection such as chicken pox that results in skin eruptions. It will also help out with that pimple.

 Burdock has the ability to gently stimulate health and, as a consequence, to improve the appearance of the skin:

 Acne isn't anything new:

 Lyman Watkins, a physician writing in 1895, noted that: Acne is a papular eruption caused by a sub-acute or chronic inflammation of the sebaceous glands. It usually manifests itself in small elevations on the skin of the face, and less frequently upon other parts of the body. It is a very common and exceeding chronic affection, appearing for the most part about the age of puberty. Masturbation has very little, if anything to do with the production of acne.

 As you may know, at one time it was thought that acne was caused by masturbation, and the enlightened Eclectic physician clears that one up right away. I have an allopathic (that's the school of medicine we have today) medical text from the same period that takes a different view of the acne problem. The allopathic physician suggests that acne is caused by masturbation, and he goes on to recommend that obstinate masturbators be castrated. Sounds pretty severe to me.

 In the final analysis, acne is caused by infection in the skin's sebaceous glands. Fortunately, the medical tradition that once suggested castration as a cure has moved on from that to prescribing drugs that in theory kill the infection causing the pimples. Herbalists take a different tack, and our next plant, burdock, plays into this approach. It goes like this: why not boost the immune system so that it can fight the infection on its own?


 Burdock root and Its mechanism on Skin:

 The root of the burdock plant has been used in its native haunts, which include much of Africa and Europe, to improve immunity and overall health for at least 3,000 years. Like the honeybee, it has followed civilization. The plant produces a burr that gets stuck on people's clothing, and in this manner it has been carried to every continent. In recent years, the burdock has come to be considered a weed, despised by lawn owners for its tenacious growth habits.

 The plant is a biennial, which means that in its second year it blooms and then dies. Burdock spends its first year of life working industriously to store all the necessary elements to bloom the following year. The part of the plant we use in clearing the skin is the root. All the richness of the plant is safely packed away in the long, tapered root just as the leaves start to fall, and that's the time to pluck it from the ground, in the autumn of the plant's first year. The root contains lignans including arctigenin, glycoside arctiin, and matairesinol; polyacetylenes including tridecadienetetraynes, tridecatrienetriynes; and a sulfur containing arctic acid. It also contains amino acids including alpha guanidino-n-butyric acid, inulin, organic acids, fatty acids, and phenolic acids.

 Burdock works on the skin on two levels. First, poor skin may be a symptom of poor overall health. It is a mirror into the soul and the innards, and if your skin doesn't look great, it gives you some indication of how your insides might look. Burdock has the ability to gently stimulate health and, as a consequence, to improve the appearance of the skin. Elements contained in the plant improve the digestion and absorption of food, which makes the body stronger and better able to fight infection. Furthermore, one of the powers attributed to burdock is its ability to cleanse the body. In days gone by, it was considered a blood cleanser; today we say that it offers a stimulating effect on the excretory systems, helping them rid the body of toxins.

 Second, beyond its general health-stimulating abilities and like many of the members of the daisy family, chamomile, elecampane, and calendula included, burdock has the specific ability to speed the healing of the skin. Psoriasis, dandruff, wounds, ulcers, eczema, eruptions on the skin, boils, carbuncles, sties, sores, aphthous ulcerations, and chronic acne are all treated effectively with burdock. Whereas calendula is used externally to improve the skin's appearance, burdock is taken internally.

 Beauty Uses of Burdock root:

   Arctium Lappa Extract is commonly known as Burdock Root Extract,a powder extract derived from root of Arctium Lappa. Burdock is effective in treating dry and scaly skin disorders such as psoriasis, dandruff, and eczema, particularly when they are caused by a general systemic imbalance. It stimulates the digestive juices and bile secretion and is therefore useful when treating anorexia nervosa and digestive/appetite problems. Burdock also aids liver function and is used to heal cystitis.

   Skin, Hair and Nails and Beauty Purpose: Healthy skin, hair and nails are dependent upon overall health of a number of systems, notably circulation, optimal liver function and the optimal supply of a number of micro nutrients.Healthy skin, hair and nails are dependent upon the overall health of a number of systems, notably areas relating to hormonal balance, circulation, optimal liver function and the balancing supply of a number of micro-nutrients.Silica is one of the main active nutrients contained within this herbal combination. It is stored mainly in the hair and nails. Horsetail is very high in Silica, and will allow for cellular regeneration.Horsetail provides trace elements, notably silica, which is needed for strengthening the hair, skin and nails. Silica is one of the main nutrients stored in the hair and nails. It is vital for strengthening and preventing damage to these tissues.Red Clover provides isoflavones such as genestein, and is traditionally known as an alterative (blood cleanser, balancer). Artichoke leaf and Burdock root are potent detoxifying agents, acting primarily on stimulating liver function.Burdock which has several key actions. It is known as a blood purifier, ensuring that the toxins are removed from the circulatory, respiratory and urinary system. It also assists in detoxifying the liver. These actions are important, as once the toxins are removed the skin will start healing and nutrients and oxygen will be better able to reach these areas.Nettle is another herb that works in conjunction with burdock. It is high in vitamin C, which is a potent antioxidant. It is a crucial herb when detoxifying the blood and improving the oxygen supply to the skin, hair and nails.

   Digestive Purpose:There are various actions one is seeking in order to enhance digestion. Bitters of Dandelion root and Burdock are good for this purpose. The root is responsible for stimulating the hydrochloric acid production, thus aiding in the processes of breakdown and metabolism and elimination. Combined with Mentha,Fennel and Marshmallow,it works great.Peppermint is an excellent carminative and is good to use when there is an uncomfortable feeling within the stomach, especially after a meal rich in fat or protein. Fennel is also a key carminative.Marshmallow works synergistically as an anti-inflammatory with chamomile.Burdock root is a natural herbal remedy thought to help in treating dry and scaly skin disorders such as psoriasis, dandruff, and eczema. It is known to stimulate the digestive process and support liver health.

   Detoxification Purpose:The detoxification starts from the circulatory system and works through the digestive organs which include the stomach, liver, gallbladder, kidneys and finally the channels of elimination. The bitterness responsible for stimulating the digestive secretions within the stomach, liver and gallbladder are brought about by the Dandelion leaf and root and Nettles. Dandelion leaf is a diuretic and will assist in cleaning the kidneys and reducing fluid retention. The root is responsible for stimulating the hydrochloric acid production, thus aiding in the processes of breakdown and metabolism and elimination.Nettles are high in vitamin C and iron. It is a crucial herb when detoxifying the blood.


 Legacy from a Tradition:

 In the European capitals, burdock was always the plant of choice when it came to improving the skin, and when colonials moved on to the New World, the burr-covered plant went with them. In the Appalachian woods of North America, burdock was, and still is, made into root tea to clear poor complexions. In the European medical tradition, it has also been a classic blood purifier for several hundred years.

 Like the Europeans, the Chinese were mad about the plant. They recommended its use for just about any kind of skin problem you might have, including cancers, induration and tumors of the breast, glands, intestines, knees, lips, tongue, liver, sinuses, stomach, or uterus; ulcerated, glandular, and white tumors, canker and other sores, leprosy, prurigo, psoriasis, abscesses, acne, corns, warts, and scaly skin. The Chinese felt that in addition to clearing up the skin, burdock would clear up problems with all the glands that lie under the skin. This is noteworthy because we now know acne is caused by infected sebaceous glands.

 Chinese researchers have proven burdock to be anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, diuretic, antitumor, antifungal, estrogenic, hypoglycemic, and antibacterial. Right here you can see how burdock would help skin improve itself. Its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties are just what the doctor ordered (or should have) for acne.

 A traditional Chinese physician would tell you that burdock cleanses the body of toxins so that the skin can clear on its own accord. Acne or eczema is seen as a symptom of toxins in the system, and the solution is to get the skin cleaned out. Interestingly enough, the Pennsylvania Dutch say the same thing on the other side of the world. The Pennsylvania Dutch are an ethnic group famous for preserving their traditions, and one of these is home doctoring. They prefer to handle most medical problems themselves and only call in a professional when necessary. As acne and poor complexions aren't highly rated health issues, the Pennsylvania Dutch turn to a weed from the backyard to cure them instead of an M.D. They brew burdock root into a strong tea. Applied externally, this is used to cure dandruff; taken internally, it is said to clear up skin afflictions of all sorts.

 If in fact poor complexion is caused by toxins in the system, burdock and its clinically proven ability to act as a diuretic would indeed help the body cleanse itself through the traditional means, urination. It is also mildly laxative and will get things moving out from that exit point as well. Doctors in the medical establishment tend to dismiss the notion that poor skin is caused by toxins in the system, but it makes a lot of sense. Alcoholics, smokers, drug addicts, and people who eat chemical-laced food always have horrible skin. Those who work with chemicals all the time, such as painters and farmers, similarly suffer from poor skin. Burdock's ability to rid the body of excess fluids may be the reason for its skin-clearing powers. At any rate, it's worth a try.


 The 1917 booklet entitled Health from Field and Forest reiterates this idea of burdock as a cleansing plant: The root is one of the best blood purifiers, used in scorbutic, syphilitic, scrofulous and leprous diseases, eliminating very rapidly any impurity or poison from the blood. It is also very useful in gout. The leaves form a cooling and healing poultice for boils, carbuncles, etc., and the seeds are excellent for dropsy and kidney trouble, and are also an effective remedy for neuralgia. At the time the booklet was written, all forms of skin conditions were treated with burdock, even leprosy!

Reference:

• 1.Arctium lappa L.Great Burdock Achene Extract.Burdock Seed.Burdock Root.

This article written and edited via herbalist of MDidea Extracts Professional. They run a range of online descriptions about this herb,including general information related and summarized updating discoveries from findings of professional scientisits this field related.Describe style aimed to form a useful detecting literature space where the intertwined threshold and related questions raise out and visualize themselves.

♣ last edit date:3rd,Dec.2010.