Burdock root - medicinal properties

Burdock is a two-year herbaceous plant, one of the most popular and widely used in folk medicine. In addition, in a number of countries it is considered a vegetable crop, which is grown on plantations and eaten. For medical purposes, the burdock root is used most often, and sometimes the leaves and fruits.

Harvest burdock in the fall of the first or, in extreme cases, in the spring of the second year of plant life, because during this period the concentration of nutrients is as high as possible, and the root itself is juicy and fleshy. In the second year, the accumulated substances begin to be spent on the growth of the stem, and by autumn the root for medicinal and culinary purposes no longer suits.

What is the usefulness of the burdock root?

The burdock root contains polysaccharide inulin, essential oil, tannins, proteins, mineral salts, vitamins, including a large amount of vitamin C.

The healing properties of burdock root are very diverse. It has a diuretic, choleretic and diaphoretic properties, improves the production of pancreatic enzymes, normalizes the work of the liver, kidneys, gall bladder, helps to remove salts and stones from the body. In folk medicine, burdock root is used for inflammation of the throat and oral mucosa, some skin diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic disorders, rheumatism.

Preparations based on burdock are used as wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic agents.

In cosmetology, burdock root is used to strengthen and stimulate hair growth.

Treatment with burdock root

1. To normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract use a decoction of burdock roots. A tablespoon of the ground root is poured with a glass of water, boiled for 10 minutes over a small fire, after which it is insisted for another 20 minutes. Take the decoction on a tablespoon, four times a day before eating.
2. As a remedy for stones in the gallbladder and kidneys use a decoction of 2 tablespoons of root. The ground raw material is poured with three glasses of warm water, it is insisted for about two hours, after which a quarter of an hour is boiled. Then filter and take a third of the glass three times a day after meals.
3. As a diuretic prepare the next broth: 5 tablespoons of burdock root pour a liter of water and boil until half the water evaporates, then add 3-4 teaspoons of honey. Take a mixture of 2-3 tablespoons a day.
4. In case of problems with joints (in particular, rheumatism) it is recommended to use juice from burdock root mixed with any vegetable oil in the proportion of 2: 1 as compresses.
5. When eczema and poorly healing ulcers use an ointment, prepared from a fresh burdock root. 25 grams of root pour a glass of oil (preferably olive oil) and insist for a day, after which they simmer for a quarter of an hour. Store the finished product in the refrigerator. On the damaged areas, the ointment is applied topically, in the form of a compress of gauze moistened in oil tincture.

Burdock root for hair

1. To accelerate the growth of hair use a mask based on the thickened broth of burdock root. A tablespoon of raw material is poured into a glass of boiling water and boiled until half of the water evaporates, after which it is mixed in equal proportions with the heated interior pork fat.
2. To strengthen the hair is recommended after washing rinse your head with a decoction from the root of burdock. It is also useful twice a week to rub the roots of hair and scalp juice from the root of burdock. To prepare this juice fresh roots are washed, rubbed on a fine grater and squeezed. The resulting juice is half diluted with water and used for rubbing.