Burdock.
Burdock is naturalized on every continent. This comes from the seeds being tracked far and wide in animals’ fur via the burrs it gets its name from. A member of the Asteraceae family, 2 species are used medicinally – Arctium lappa and Arctium minor. While today we primarily use the root, practitioners in the 18th century were using the seeds for urinary system conditions and as an antilithic. Burdock is today seen as one of our premiere alteratives, but it came to this identity by being a good replacement for other better-known herbs that were themselves alteratives. I like Matt Woods’ description of an alterative as a plant used as a tonic to alter the whole organism by a diffuse and general action over several different systems of the body.
Soon to flower burdock.
Nourishing Burdock.
It was the eclectics who instigated use of burdock in North America. Prior to the late 1800s the plant was little used on this continent. Originally considered to be an herb that was of benefit to conditions of the kidneys and urinary system; the 1900s saw burdock grow to be one of the premiere herbs for the liver and our single most important herb for the treatment of skin conditions – particularly chronic ones. Burdock is excellent for people in convalescence. After a long illness it is hard to remember what it is to have your health, to be vital and vigorous. Burdock root helps someone who is frail be renewed.
Burdock as an antibacterial.
The leaves are antibacterial and have shown activity against both E. coli and Salmonella bacteria. In the past burdock leaves were used to wrap butter. I wonder if this was anything more than the fact that burdock leaves are nice and big as opposed to other plant leaves or if it did play a role in keeping the butter fresh?
Burdock leaves have shown an ability to disrupt biofilms. Biofilms are becoming understood more by science. Imagine that you have something that can kill a pathogen but because the pathogen is protected by a biofilm you cannot make contact and so kill the pathogen. Anything that disrupts biofilms will help to fight infection. Burdock root extract has shown activity against the biofilm formed by Klebsiella pneumoniae. These bacteria are a common cause of pneumonia and bronchitis and are also a common hospital acquired infection. It inhabits us naturally but in those with weakened immune systems can take hold and cause problems.
Plants blow my mind!!!!!
Burdock seeds have some effectiveness as a diaphoretic and can help to relieve conditions of heat. While burdock is not today much used for respiratory conditions it does have a history of usefulness in these conditions. Burdock is also useful in conditions of the prostate. For BPH burdock can be a deep acting and effective remedy. Better even than saw palmetto. There is good quality evidence that burdock has an anti-tumoral action.
Herbs we use as roots seem for me to share a quality of sturdiness, of resilience. Resilience – there is a word I am liking. Herbs that take us back to our strength. They restore to us a sense that this body is our container – our home. We inhabit it and it is ours to make the best use of that we may.
Harvesting.
To harvest the roots – harvest first year plants in the fall, after the foliage has died back. There will be no stalks with burrs on a first-year plant. The looser the soil the easier it will be to dig them up. The roots can also be harvested in the spring heading into the 2nd year but at that point the plant has used up all the reserves in the root to survive the winter.
Leaves – As needed, better to harvest 1 or 2 leaves from a number of different plants than to decimate a single plant.
Seeds – harvest the burrs near summer’s end. Want to harvest early or they will be wormy. The seeds are often covered with the fine hairs from the burr and it is worthwhile to wear long sleeves while processing and potentially even wear a mask.
Burrs almost ready for harvest.