Arctium Radix, Burdock Root

Bardana, Lappa Major, Personata
Niu Bang Gen (TCM)
Byi bzung  བྱི་བཟུང་ (Tibetan Medicine)
Picture Picture
Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563

 Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599
Picture Medicinal Plants, Millspaugh, 1892

Picture Picture
ARCTIUM LAPPA
1, Crown with tuft of white hairs. 2. Longitudinal section
showing the white pith and the incurved edges of the
cortex. 3, Small curved root. 4, Large transverse
section. 5, Small transverse section.
LESSER (AMERICAN) VARIETY
1. Curved root with a crown and leaf base. 2. Twisted root with a finely furrowed surface. 3. Longitudinal section showing partially hollow pith. 4. White hairs in center of the crown. 5. Larger crown showing concentric ridges. 6. White pith.
Squibb’s Atlas of the Official Drugs, Mansfield, 1919

Botanical name:


Artcium lappa
Greater and Lesser types were recognised.

Parts used:


Root

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. Bitter, pungent

Classification:


3A. SUDORIFICS & DIAPHORETICS.   3F. LITHONTRIPTIC.   3M. ARTHRITICS
 TCM: 
B. Clears Heat, Cools the Blood      B. Clears Deficient Heat
N. Tonics (confected Root)

Uses:


1. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison:
-eczema, psoriasis, old sores, boils, styes, heat rashes
-scrofula, lymphadenitis; Tumors, Cancer (West, Tibetan Medicine)
-Spotted Fevers: Measles, Chickenpox
-‘puffy face due to attack of pathogenic Wind’ (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

2. Clears Heat and Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Dysuria, Incontinence
-clears Gravel and Stones of the Kidney or Gall Bladder (West)
-Urinary stones (Tibetan Medicine)
-‘it disperses fluid retention’ (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-Diabetes with hot sensation and wasting. (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

3. Clears Lung Heat:
-Benefits the Lungs; Cough, Bronchitis, Asthma, spitting of Blood
-‘severe coughing that has damaged the Lung, pulmonary abscess’ (Su Gong)

4. Externally:
-leaves are applied to dislocated joints, burns, tumors, inflammations, ulcers (beaten, as a poultice etc.)
-as a wash to stimulate hair growth


PREPARED (CONFECTED) ROOT:
1. Tonifies Kidney and Lungs
-Consumption, wasting
-Spermatorrhea, leukorrhea
–‘Long-term use makes one feel happy and able to enjoy a long life’. (Ming Yi Bie Lu, the unprepared root)

2. Strengthens, Clears Heat and Poison:
-clears Heat and Poison, but is better for the weak


Dose:


Root and Seed can be used in similar doses.
Decoction of the Root or Seed; 3–9 grams;
Powder: 1–3 grams

Substitute:


Various other Docks are used similarly including Yellow Dock.

Main Combinations:


Burdock root & Yarrow

1. To resist Infection during Epidemics, Burdock root, Ash tree bark, Pleurisy root, Rue, distilled from white wine and vinegar (equal parts), adding Camphor to the distillate (as in Compound Water of Burdock)
2. To clear Heat and Toxin, and clear Liver Heat:
i. Burdock root with Dandelion root and Fennel seed (as in Purification Powder, Pharmacopeia Pauperum, Hamburg, 1781)
ii. Burdock root, Chicory, Gentian
3. To cleanse the Blood (Alterative):
i. Burdock root with Bittersweet, Sarsaparilla, Guaiacum, Licorice (Schönmehl)
ii. Burdock root with Bittersweet, Fumitory, Elm bark, Red Dock root (Formulaire Magistral et Memorial Pharmaceutique, 1823)
4. Acne:
i. Burdock root with Poke root
ii. Burdock root with Poke root, Cleavers, Violet, Dandelion
5. Acne Rosacea, Burdock root, Feverfew, Yarrow, Gentian, Licorice
6. Boils, Abscesses:
i. decoct roots of Burdock, Yellow Dock and Sarsaparilla
ii. Salve for Boils, Burdock root, Myrrh, Rhubarb root made into a salve with beeswax, olive oil
7. Herpes Zoster:
i. decoct Burdock roots and Sassafras (Vitalogy)
ii. Burdock root, Gentian, Rhubarb
8. Eczema, Skin diseases:
i. Burdock root with Yellow Dock, Sarsaparilla, Dandelion root
ii. Burdock root with Poke root, Sarsaparilla, Dock root (Wonders in Weeds, W. Smith)
iii. Burdock root with Heart’s Ease, Scabious, Walnut leaf (Theißmann)
9. Scrofula, Swollen Lymph nodes:
i. Burdock root with Bittersweet
ii. Burdock root with Bittersweet, Fumitory, Cleavers
iii. Burdock root, Cleavers, Calendula
iv. Burdock root with Fumitory, Woody Nightshade and Sarsaparilla
v. Burdock root with Cleavers, Fumitory, Bittersweet
vi. Burdock root with Poke root, Calendula, Thuja
10. Tumors, Cancer:
i. Burdock root, Agrimony, Figwort
ii. Burdock root with Tormentil, Herb Robert, Plantain, Agrimony and Fennel seed (as in Compound Burdock Water)
iii. Burdock root, Fumitory, Bittersweet, Wood Sanicle, Cleavers, Sarsaparilla, 
11. Cancer:
i. Burdock root, Black Nighshade, Agrimony
ii. Burdock root with Yellow Dock, Agrimony and China root
iii. Burdock root, Tormentil, fresh Hound’s Tongue, Herb Robert, Plantain, Celandine, Agrimony, Fennel seed, Coriander seed (as in Water of Burdock)
iv. Burdock root with Poke root, Red Clover, Sarsaparilla, Peach bark, Licorice (as in the Hoxey Cancer formula)
v. Burdock root with Poke root, Barberry, Yellow Dock, Agrimony, Camphor (The Medical Herbalist)
vi. Burdock root with Poke root, Thuja, Violet, Dandelion
vii. Roots of Daisy, Burdock, Guaiacum, Sassafras, Sarsaparilla, China root, Tormentil. Celandine, Yarrow, Plantain, Herb Robert, Agrimony, Speedwell, Ground Ivy, Archangel flowers, Fennel seed, Coriander seed. This was distilled from Milk, adding a spoonful of the juice of Millipedes to each dose. (A Collection of Recipts, ‘By Several Hands’, Fifth Edition, 1734)
12. Spitting Blood (Hemoptysis):. decoct Burdock root with Pine nuts
13. Trauma, Bruising, Burdock root Madder, Rhubarb, St. John’s wort, Bugle, Sanicle
14. Obstinate Piles:
i. Roots of Burdock, Yellow Dock, Dandelion decocted
15. Acute Rheumatism, Syphilis, Burdock root with Bittersweet, Licorice, Sassafras, Guaiacum (Pharmacopoeia extemporanea, Augustin, 1822)
16. Gout:
i. Burdock root, Filipendula
ii. Burdock root, Burdock seed, Sarsaparilla (2 oz. each), Sassafras, Guaiacum, Mezereon (1 oz. each). Boil in 6 pints of water to 2 pints, strain, add a teaspoonful of Cayenne. Dose: a wineglassful 4 times daily. (Family Botanic Guide, Fox, 1924)

Major Formulas


Infusion for Scrofula
Decoction for Hernia
Decoction for Skin Disease
Water of Burdock

1. Sudorific Powder:
i. Juniper wood, Burdock root (6 parts), Couch Grass root, Juniper berry (3 parts), Licorice (2 parts) (Pharmacopoeia Rossica, 1803)
ii. Sassafras, Bittersweet (2 parts), Licorice (1 part), Burdock root (6 parts) (Pharmacopoeia Oldenburgica, 1801)


Cautions:


1. Use cautiously in Pregnancy
2. Avoid in cold and weakness of the Stomach.

Main Preparations used:


Confected Root