(Arctium tomentosum); burdock felt
A biennial herbaceous plant of the asteraceae (complex-flowered) family. The stem is erect, furrowed, sprawling and branched, with upwardly directed branches, green or purple, cobweb-downy, 50-150 cm tall. The leaves are large, petiolate, heart-shaped-ovate or ovate-oblong, grayish cobweb-like from below. The flowers are bisexual, dark purple, tubular, in almost spherical baskets forming a corymbose inflorescence; baskets – on long legs; the wrapper is densely webbed, its inner leaves are flat-expanded, blunt, with a straight short point, membranous, purple. The fruit is an achene. Blooms during July – September.
Distribution . It grows in forest clearings, clearings, meadows, near roads and fields throughout the territory of Ukraine.
Procurement and storage. Roots (Radix Bardanae, synonym – R. Arctii lappae), less often – leaves (Folia Arctii lappae) and fruits (Fructus Arctii lappae) are used to make medicines. The roots are harvested from plants that have not yet bloomed, washed in cold water, cleaned from the outer part of the bark, cut into pieces 10-15 cm long, if necessary, split lengthwise and dried in the sun, in a warm, well-ventilated room, or on attics Artificial drying is carried out at a temperature of up to 50°. Dry roots yield 26-28%. The leaves are collected after the flowering of the plant. It is freed from petioles (remains of petioles should not exceed 2 cm) and dried under cover in the fresh air or in a well-ventilated room. 12-13% of dry leaves are obtained. The shelf life of roots is 5 years, leaves are 1 year. Fruits are collected in August – September.
Chemical composition . The roots of cobweb burdock contain tannins and bitter substances, mucilage, flavonoids sitosterol and stigmasterol, essential (up to 0.17%) and fatty oils, inulin (up to 45%), organic acids (coffee, citric, malic), glycoside arctiin, which hydrolysis splits into lactone arctigenin and glucose; leaves — flavonoids, anthocyanins, organic acids, essential oil, tannins, mucus, ascorbic acid (up to 350 mg%); fruits — arctiin glycoside, sesquiterpene lactones and fatty oil.
Pharmacological properties and use. Burdock root preparations have diuretic, choleretic, disinfectant and diaphoretic properties; they stimulate the formation of proteolytic enzymes and improve the insulin-forming function of the pancreas, increase the amount of glycogen in the liver, and actively affect metabolism. Inside, a decoction of burdock roots is given for metabolic diseases (gout, joint rheumatism, kidney and gallstones, diabetes); with skin diseases (suppuration and skin rashes due to scrofula, boils, itching, acne); with gastritis and gastric ulcer, chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, edema, rickets and delayed menstruation. Burdock root powder is taken internally for gout. Burdock root is part of antiperspirant teas. Infusion of burdock leaves they are used for disturbances in the functional activity of the stomach and for febrile conditions, and fruit infusion for constipation. Burdock is widely used as an external remedy. An infusion of the roots on Provencal oil (Oleum Bardanae) is used under the name “burdock oil” for the treatment of circular or nested baldness (the affected areas are lubricated at night), lichen planus (the foci of lichen are lubricated once a day for two weeks), seborrhea, baldness (rubbing is carried out daily), to stimulate hair growth (depending on the oiliness of the skin and hair, rubbing is carried out every other day or 1-2 times a day). A tincture of the roots in strong vodka is used to lubricate the areas of the body affected by circular or nested baldness and red acne (inflammation of the sebaceous glands). Root decoction is used for compresses for seborrhea (increased secretion of sebaceous glands), and an infusion of leaves for compresses for eczema, ringworm, ulcers and purulent wounds. In the case of inflammation of the sebaceous glands and seborrhea, the therapeutic effect can be enhanced by simultaneously taking a decoction of burdock roots inside. Crushed fresh burdock leaves are applied to wounds, hard tumors and gouty nodes. Wounds and skin cancer are treated with fresh leaf juice. Fresh burdock roots are used in homeopathy. The curative and preventive diet includes salads made from young burdock leaves. Young leaves are put into borscht as vegetables, and boiled and peeled leaf petioles are used in salads and vinaigrettes. young burdock roots are also edible. It is consumed baked or fried as a substitute for potatoes. Burdock roots are also used as a substitute for coffee. To do this, it is cut into small pieces, dried and roasted in the oven.
Medicinal forms and applications .
Internally – a decoction of burdock roots (10 g or 1 tablespoon of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water) is taken half a glass warm 2-3 times a day (as a diaphoretic, take a glass of the decoction at once);
infusion of burdock leaves (1 tablespoon of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water, infuse for 2-3 hours) one tablespoon 4-6 times a day 1 hour after meals;
burdock root powder (Pulvis radicis Arctii lappae) 0.5 g 2-3 times a day;
infusion of burdock fruits (20 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water, infuse for 20 minutes) 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day;
a tablespoon of a mixture (equally) of burdock roots, common bean husks, common blueberry leaves and walnuts is infused for several hours in 1 cup of cold boiled water, boiled for 5-7 minutes and drunk after meals 5-6 cups per day with sugar diabetes;
a tablespoon of a mixture (equally) of burdock roots, rhizomes of creeping heather, herbs of the three-part family, veronica medicinal and tricolor violet, boil for 15 minutes in 200 ml of water and drink half a glass 3 times a day for stomach ulcers, metabolic disorders and itching;
2 tablespoons of a mixture of burdock roots (50 g), three-color violet grass (50 g) and common parsnip (100 g) and walnut leaves (50 g) are boiled for 5 minutes in 500 ml of water, cooled, filtered and drunk in half a glass 4 times a day before meals with purulent acne and inflammation of the sebaceous glands (at the same time lubricate with the same solution);
salad: washed young burdock leaves are immersed in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, taken out, dried on a towel or napkin, green onions are added, finely chopped, salted, grated horseradish is added and seasoned with cream (for 150 g of burdock leaves, take 50 g of green onions, 30 g of horseradish, 20 g of cream and salt).
Externally – infusion of burdock roots (1 teaspoon of raw material per 400 ml of boiling water, infused overnight, filtered) is used for lotions, compresses and for lubrication;
a decoction of burdock roots (20 g of raw material per 500 ml of boiling water, boiled for 15 minutes, cooled, filtered) is rubbed into the scalp in the evening every 2 days to stimulate hair growth (the hair is rinsed with clean water after the procedure);
tincture of burdock roots (made with strong vodka in a ratio of 1:10) is used for lubrication;
phytocream (3 tablespoons of burdock roots are boiled for 15 minutes in 300 ml of water, filtered, 9 tablespoons of pork fat are added, put in the oven for 2-3 hours;
after cooling, the remaining water is drained) rubbed daily into the scalp to stimulate hair growth;
infusion of burdock roots in oil (40 g of fresh roots per 100 g of Provencal or sunflower oil, infused for 10 days, boiled for 15 minutes, squeezed and filtered) is used for rubbing and lubrication;
a mixture of burdock roots, flowers of medicinal marigolds and cones of ordinary hops in a ratio of 2:1:1.5 is prepared as a decoction (45 g of the mixture per 1 liter of boiling water) and used for washing the head 2 times a week for hair loss and dandruff;
a mixture of burdock roots, common heather grass, stinging nettle leaves and common hop cones in a ratio of 2:2:2:1 is prepared as a decoction (7 tablespoons of the mixture per 1 liter of boiling water) and used to wash the head 3 times a week for hair loss and dandruff;
ointment (a decoction of one tablespoon of burdock roots in a glass of boiling water is thickened by boiling to half and mixed with butter in a ratio of 1:4 for the treatment of burns;
a decoction of a mixture (equally) of burdock and nettle roots, common heather and common bog grass, lingonberry leaves and real rosemary (500 g per 8-10 liters of cold water, bring to a boil, infuse for 40-50 minutes, strain) is used for general treatment baths for rheumatism, arthritis, ulcers, ringworm, and eczema (water temperature — 36—38°, procedure duration — 15—20 minutes).
The method of treatment of chronic eczema according to the method of O.P. Popova (1970). According to this method, local treatment is carried out in combination with oral treatment. A decoction of burdock roots (15 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water) is taken inside, 1 tablespoon 4 times a day before meals. For external treatment, take 4-5 tablespoons of crushed roots per bucket of water, boil and let it cool to medium temperature. In this still warm decoction, a four-fold sheet is soaked, wide enough to cover the whole body from the groin to the ankles, wring it out, but not completely, and quickly and tightly wrap the patient with it. Moreover, a part of the sheet is laid between the patient’s legs so that the bare legs do not touch each other. Without letting the sheet cool down, the patient should be wrapped in the same way with a dry sheet, and then with a thin woolen blanket. The sheet and blanket are fastened with pins and the patient is left in bed for one and a half to two hours. If he falls asleep, they do not wake him up and do not untie him until he wakes up. Treatment by this method is recommended to be used only once a day (preferably at night) and after 6 days you need to take a break for a day. These compresses should be applied until a slight rash appears on the body, which has already been cleansed of eczema. After 1-2 days, this rash will disappear, and the treatment can be considered finished. The duration of treatment is 2-3 weeks. Recurrent rheumatism is also treated in this way. These compresses should be applied until a slight rash appears on the body, which has already been cleansed of eczema. After 1-2 days, this rash will disappear, and the treatment can be considered finished. The duration of treatment is 2-3 weeks. Recurrent rheumatism is also treated in this way. These compresses should be applied until a slight rash appears on the body, which has already been cleansed of eczema. After 1-2 days, this rash will disappear, and the treatment can be considered finished. The duration of treatment is 2-3 weeks. Recurrent rheumatism is also treated in this way.