Pharmacist - Formulist
Expert in phytotherapy
#Arctium lappa
Burdock
Who is it?
Who caspiterina is the burdock? Burdock (Arctium lappa) is a plant of the Asteraceae family, with a beautiful purple flower, whose active ingredients are gathered in the leaves and especially in the roots, where the antibiotic properties are concentrated in particular.
Now do you understand who he is? No? When the burdock is harnessed for battle, its dried fruit, like a barbed helmet, throws itself at anything it encounters, it can be your clothes as well as the fur of animals, sticking to them with great force. Now you understand who we are talking about.
The Superpowers
Anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, antibiotic, antifungal, detoxifying, purifying, antiseptic, choleretic, hypoglycemic, antirheumatic and also diuretic. The burdock has a set of superpowers that it proudly fans. Of these, however, only a few are of interest to us to help dogs and cats.
First of all, the burdock defends them from itching, a perfidious enemy, but its purifying and detoxifying action is equally important.
In particular, the burdock is the queen of the skin tissue, where it is the chosen superhero. But why the skin?
The skin, along with the lungs, kidneys, liver and intestines, is among the natural excretory systems, that is, it has the ability to eliminate waste elements from the inside of the body, thanks to its aerial excretion. The skin is very vascularized, rich in sebaceous glands and nerve endings, in labile balance. Even internal variations, such as intoxication, can lead to skin problems, dermal rashes.
The burdock therefore traditionally comes into action for dermatological problems, dermatosis, rashes such as measles and rubella. For men, burdock is indicated in the treatment of acne, in dogs and cats it is useful because it stimulates hair growth.
However, burdock also offers its benefits to the liver, thanks to its antibiotic properties, stimulating biliary and hepatic functions. It is also rich in inulin, a polymer that helps good bacteria grow.
Where to find it
The burdock is sent on a mission to the skin through the FORZA10 Dermo Active and in its corresponding wet of the Actiwet line , but it also travels within the Hypoallergenic Active for cats and in the two wet references Hypoallergenic Actiwet for dogs and cats , both with lamb than to fish.
Businesses
What are the traces in the history of the burdock? More than one wrote of her, extolling her abilities.
In 1929, the Genoese doctor Gibelli, unaware of Fleming's discoveries, discovered the antibiotic effect of burdock against acne while studying plants to find out if they had antitoxic properties.
In 1935 a recipe appeared in the Medical Journal for the Clergy, which recommended combining the pulverized burdock root with butter, water and salt, to make dry biscuits that reduced the blood sugar content, therefore very suitable for common diabetics.
As for the fresh and bruised leaves, applied to the stings of bees, wasps, hornets and mosquitoes, they calm the pain.
Finally, the French doctor Cazin observed peasants treating phlegm by wrapping their feet in burdock leaves. According to acupuncturists, in fact, a point located on the sole of the foot is able to calm the cough.
