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Burdock (burdock) is a biennial plant from the Asteraceae family, which has long been known for its healing power. Its beneficial properties were mentioned by the ancient Greek military doctor Pedanius Dioscorides. In folk medicine, plants of 3 types are most often used: burdock large, small and cobweb (felt).
Healing properties of burdock
Burdock root is the most valuable part of the plant. In autumn, the roots contain up to 45% inulin, a polysaccharide that lowers blood sugar and “bad” cholesterol levels.
Scientists also found in the roots of burdock:
- vitamins A, C, E, P, group B;
- essential bardan oil, which has an antiseptic effect and improves skin condition;
- protein (up to 12%);
- tannins, fat-like and bitter substances;
- organic acids (coffee, malic, citric).
The leaves of the plant are rich in vitamins, essential oil, tannins, and the seeds contain up to 20% fatty oil and arctin glycoside, a strong diuretic.
Alcoholic tincture of burdock has wound healing, diuretic, diaphoretic, choleretic, immunostimulating properties.
Burdock preparations are used:
- to strengthen immunity;
- with metabolic disorders;
- to get rid of excess weight;
- with bleeding gums and other diseases of the oral cavity;
- with acne, boils, furunculosis;
- to strengthen hair;
- with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and constipation;
- with inflammation and pain in the joints;
- with colds and respiratory diseases;
- as a diuretic for edema;
- with tumor diseases, ovarian cysts, myoma.
Rules for the procurement of medicinal raw materials
The most useful roots of burdock of the first year of life, dug out from mid-September until frost (the later the better). During this period, the aerial part of the plant dies off, giving everything of value to the roots. If it was not possible to collect them in the fall, you can do it in early spring, as soon as the first leaves hatch. Burdock roots of the second year of life are much tougher than those of young plants.
In May, you need to collect young leaves along with petioles. Greens are dried or squeezed out of her juice. Burdock petioles of the second year of life are very bitter. Bitterness is good for digestion, but significantly spoils the taste of the juice. Leaves are harvested from May to mid-June. It is allowed to use older greens, but the closer to September, the weaker its healing properties.
Burdock flowers are harvested in July – August, seeds – from August to September. It is important to prepare the seeds until they are completely dry.
Preparation of tinctures from burdock
All parts of the plant can be infused with vodka or alcohol. There are recipes for tinctures with honey. It is useful on its own, but it is added to preparations to soften the bitterness. For those who do not like or cannot eat honey because of allergies, it is recommended to take the usual alcohol or vodka tincture, the effect of which is no weaker.
Burdock root tincture
Wash the dug up burdock root thoroughly, dry it and grind it on a grater (or in a blender). Pour a glass of raw materials into a glass jar, pour a glass of vodka, close the lid and put in a cool dark place. Shake the jar once a week. After a month, the liquid is filtered off.
If you don’t want to rub the root, you can cut it, put the pieces in a glass jar and pour vodka over them so that the liquid level is 3 cm higher than the raw material level. Then the drug is insisted in the same way as in the previous case.
If the bitterness is unbearable, then either 100–200 g of honey is added to the tincture, or each time they bite the medicine.
Tincture on flowers and fruits of burdock
Burdock flowers and fruits are washed, dried, placed in a glass container and poured with vodka so that the liquid covers the raw material. The tincture is placed in a cool dark place, after a month it is filtered. This medicine is best used as an external agent for lotions, compresses, for cosmetic purposes.
Canned juice
The juice of May burdock leaves is very useful, but even in the refrigerator it lasts no more than 3 days. To prepare for the future, it is mixed with alcohol.
Fresh burdock leaves, along with petioles, must be washed, dried, chopped in a meat grinder or in a blender and squeezed out the juice. You can add a little juice from the root of the plant to it.
A liter of the resulting liquid is mixed with 0,5 liters of vodka or 250 g of alcohol. Optionally, 200-300 g of honey is added to the medicine. The drug must be kept in the refrigerator. The shelf life of canned juice is 12-15 months.
The use of tinctures of burdock
Burdock juice and tincture are drunk 30-40 minutes before meals. Due to the diuretic effect of the drug, potassium is washed out of the body. Therefore, during the treatment period, you need to eat more foods rich in this trace element, or take some kind of potassium supplement.
To strengthen immunity and normalize metabolism, it is recommended to take canned juice according to the scheme:
- the first 2 days – a teaspoon 2 times a day;
- the next two days – a teaspoon 3 times a day;
- from 5 to 30 days – 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
Then they take a break for a month and repeat the course. For prevention, it is recommended to conduct 3 courses per year.
For colds and respiratory diseases, it is necessary to drink juice by a tablespoon or root tincture by a teaspoon 3-4 times a day for 2 weeks.
For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, juice is drunk 3 times a day, but the second time – always after 13 hours. With constant constipation and problems with the genitourinary system, they drink the medicine for the third time after 20 hours. If there is no juice, you can take a teaspoon of tincture 3 times a day. Sometimes taking the tincture causes discomfort. In such cases, the dose of the drug is reduced to 20 drops.
With bleeding gums in the morning and evening, after brushing your teeth, rinse your mouth with a solution of juice or tincture of burdock root (a teaspoon per 50 ml of water). Rinsing is combined with a 3-time intake of juice (according to the above scheme).
Joint treatment
For arthritis, take a teaspoon of tincture of burdock root in vodka 3 times a day. In the cold season, every evening, sore spots are rubbed with tincture of the root, fruits or flowers. From May to September, fresh burdock leaves can be applied to the joints at night instead. To make the treatment effective, the reverse side of the leaf is smeared with vegetable oil.
Cosmetic procedures
With boils, acne, the affected areas are wiped every evening with a tincture of flowers or burdock fruits. Additionally drink juice or tincture of the root.
To strengthen the hair, 1-2 hours before washing, a mask is applied to their roots from:
- a tablespoon of tincture or juice;
- egg yolk.
Treatment of ovarian cysts, fibroids, tumor diseases
For these diseases, herbalists recommend drinking 20-30 drops of tincture 3 times a day. The course is 30 days, the interval between courses is a week. But we must not forget about the immunostimulating properties of the plant. In some cases, taking burdock juice and tincture can provoke accelerated tumor growth. It is possible to be treated with such means only with the permission and under the supervision of a doctor.
Contraindications to taking tinctures and canned juice
Internal use of burdock tincture and canned juice is prohibited:
- patients with a removed gallbladder (due to the choleretic effect of the drug);
- with exacerbations of gastritis or stomach ulcers;
- pregnant and lactating;
- with individual intolerance to the drug.
Before you start taking herbal medicines, you should consult a doctor.