The effects and functions of cardoon

Cardoon is a traditional Chinese medicinal material. This type of medicine can be used in many aspects of disease treatment. Therefore, before choosing cardoon, you must have a good understanding of it. Let us introduce it in detail below.

【English name】 Globe Artichoke

[Other names] Cardoon, Artichoke, Artichoke

[Source] Medicinal material source: The leaves of the cardoon of the Asteraceae family.

[Original form] Cardoon is a perennial herb, up to 2m tall. The stem is erect, strong, ribbed, branched at the top, and all branches are covered with dense spider-like hairs or the hairs become sparse. The leaves are large, with basal leaves in a rosette shape; the lower stems and leaves are all oblong or broadly lanceolate, about 1m long and 50cm wide, twice pinnately divided, gradually narrowing at the bottom and with long petioles; the middle leaves and upper stems and leaves are gradually smaller, sessile or slightly decurrent along the stems, the leaves at the top and below the capitula are oblong or linear, up to 5cm long; all leaves are green and glabrous above, grayish white below, covered with dense or sparse hairs, and there are no long hard thorns at the tips of the twice lobes or leaves. The capitula is extremely large, growing at the top of branches; the bracts are multi-layered, hard leathery, and almost glabrous, the tips of the middle and outer bracts gradually pointed, but without hard thorns, and the tips of the inner bracts have hard membranous appendages; the florets are purple-red, the corolla is about 4.5cm long, the tubule is about 2.8cm long, the eaves is about 1.7cm long, and the corolla lamellae are about 9mm long. Achenes are oblong, 4-sided, and truncated at the tip; the pappus is white, multi-layered, about 3.6 cm long, and feather-like in shape of bristles, gradually tapering toward the tip, united into a ring at the base, and falling off as a whole. Flowering period is June-July.

[Habitat distribution] It is commonly cultivated in Beijing, Shaanxi, Jiangsu and Guangdong in my country. Native to the Mediterranean region.

[Chemical composition] The leaves contain cynarin[1] and cynarin trisaccharide (cy-narotrioside). The latter is composed of luteolin, two molecules of glucose and one molecule of rhamnose[2].

[Pharmacological Action] Cynaropicrin has choleretic and liver-protective effects, and has anti-fatty liver effects. The leaf extract can accelerate the increase in liver weight in rats. Cynaropicrin has cytotoxic effects on Helazzq cancer cells. The fresh leaves of thistle are extracted and concentrated to make a powder for hepatitis, liver and gallbladder diseases, digestive system diseases, kidney diseases and allergies; in addition, the water extract of the leaves without protein is sold under the trade name Anghirol. It has the same effects as cardoon.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet; neutral

【Functions and indications】 Soothes the liver and promotes bile secretion; clears away dampness and heat. Indications: jaundice; pain in the ribs and flanks; diarrhea caused by damp-heat

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 6-15g.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Xinhua Compendium of Materia Medica": Leaves: used for hepatitis.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

The above are some basic functions of cardoon, as well as ways to eat cardoon, so that you won’t make mistakes when eating it and can also maximize the value of cardoon.