Gundelia

Crown of Thorns
al-Kankarzad, Akoob, Akkoub (Arabic)
Picture Gundelia tournefortii
P. Miller, Figures of the most beautiful, useful and uncommon
plants, described in the gardeners’ dictionary, vol. 2 (1755-1760)

Picture Gundelia tournefortii
(Photo by Mattan nahum) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Gundelia tournefortii

Parts used:


Whole Herb / leaf and stem
Juice / gum
The wild plant is harvested and eaten as a vegetable in Palestine

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry. Bitter

Uses:


1. Clears Liver Heat, Resists Poison
-Liver disease; Cholecystitis
-lowers Cholesterol
-hepatoprotective
-Bronchitis
-Epilepsy

2. Clears Heat, Benefits Yin:
-Diabetes; proven anti-diabetic effect

3. Clears Heat, Opens Obstruction:
-Stomach and Intestinal diseases, gastric pain, diarrhea
-chest and abdominal pain

4. Moves the Blood, Resolves Masses:
-Swelling and hardness of the Spleen or Liver
-chest and abdominal pain
-Tumors and Cancers
-demonstrated anti-cancer effects

5. Other:
-has been used as an emetic in large doses
-has been used for Worms and Parasites.

6. Externally:
-applied to toxic swellings, tumors and cancers
-Vitiligo


Dose:


Herb in Decoction: 6–12 grams or more

Comment:


Gundelia is eaten as a food in various areas of the Mid East including Palestine. It is regarded as a health tonic by the local population. Young flower bud is regarded as a delicacy in the Arab world, similarly to Artichoke; the young stems are eaten like Asparagus; the gum is used in chewing gum; the seed and root are roasted as a coffee substitute; oil is expressed from the seed for cooking.

Substitute:


1. Blessed Thistle or St. Mary’s Thistle could be acceptable substitutes.

Main Combinations:


1. Liver Heat and Toxin, combine with Chicory
2. The gum with Flax mucilage is applied to Tumors and Cancers (Unani)

Major Formulas:



Cautions:


Interestingly, despite showing hepato-protective effects, large doses showed liver toxicity. Nevertheless, it is eaten as a vegetable in various parts of the Middle East.

Main Preparations used:



  • More Info
  • Research
1. REVIEW:
–Gundelia: a systematic review of medicinal and molecular perspective.

2. DIABETES:
–Gundelia tournefortii Antidiabetic Efficacy: Chemical Composition and GLUT4 Translocation
–Effects of Aqueous Extract of Gunnera (Gundelia tournefortii L.) on the Blood Serum Sugar Levels and Changes in the Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Pancreatic Tissue of Rat  
–Evaluation of Nephroprotective and Antidiabetic Effects of Gundelia tournefortii Aqueous Extract on Diabetic Nephropathy in Male Mice

3. NEPHROPROTECTIVE:
–Evaluation of Nephroprotective and Antidiabetic Effects of Gundelia tournefortii Aqueous Extract on Diabetic Nephropathy in Male Mice

4. HEPATOPROTECTIVE:
–Hepatoprotective activity of Gundelia tourenfortii.

5. LOWERS CHOLESTEROL:
–Gundelia tourenfortii (Crown of thorns) reduces cholesterol in 8 week clinical trial

6. ANTI-CANCER:
–Anticancer activity and phytochemical composition of wild Gundelia tournefortii