Carduus Benedictus, Blessed Thistle

Picture Picture
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

 Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599
Picture Koehler’s Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

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Botanical name:


Carduus benedictus

Parts used:


Herb; Seed

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry. Bitter, pungent
attenuates, opens, discusses, and is cordial

Classification:


2F. PURIFYING
3A. SUDORIFICS & DIAPHORETICS.    3C. ALEXIPHARMIC.   3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS.   3L. ANTI-TUSSIVE.   3M. ARTHRITIC
4c. CARDIAC.   4d. PECTORAL.   4e. STOMACHIC

Uses:


1. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison, Promotes Sweat:
-Antidote; Preserves from and treats Epidemic and Infectious diseases
-Cold, Flu, acute Cough, Asthma, Allergies
-Fever, Eruptive Fever, old Fevers and Quartan Fevers; Plague, Syphilis

2. Clears Wind-Heat, Calms the Liver, stops Wind:
-Headache, Migraine, Epilepsy, Dizziness
–‘a singular remedy against Deafness’.

3. Clears Damp-Heat:
-Jaundice, Cholecystitis
-hot and painful urine

4. Clears Phlegm-Heat, Stops Cough and Wheezing:
-Cough, Wheezing, Asthma
-opens the Lungs and frees the Breath

5. Promotes Digestion:
-promotes appetite and strengthens Digestion (as a bitter)

6. Warms the Yang:
–strengthens the principle Organs (Brain, Heart, Liver, Stomach, Lungs and Kidney)
-often used to strengthen the Brain and Memory.

7. Promotes Milk
-promotes and enriches Breast Milk

8. Kills Worms
-wine of Blessed Thistle is effective

9. Externally:
-poultice to sores and swellings
-externally to stop Gangrene (as a poultice)
–stubborn, indolent and gangrenous Ulcers
-foul and putrid Ulcers, especially of the Breast, sprinkle the powder on (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)


Dose:


Powder: 1–3 grams
Picture

Main Combinations:


1. A good way to use is to decoct Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
2. Fever:
i. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
ii. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
3. Antidote against Wind-Cold infection: Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
4. Asthma:
i. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
ii. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
5. Cholagogue: Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
6. Inflammations, Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
7. Diarrhea, Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version

Major Formula
Bitter Decoction
Decoction to Promote Appetite
Syrup of Balm (Fernelius)
Tincture Against Asthma
Tincture for Suppressed Menstruation
Powder Against Toxicity and Venom (Wecker)

Cautions:


Some have said it shouldn’t be used in Pregnancy

Main Preparations used:


Powder, Distilled Water, clarified Juice, Spirit, Distilled Oil, Conserve, Syrup, and an Extract