Cardoon is a thorny medicinal plant. Among other things, it is considered effective against Lyme disease.
Occurrence and cultivation of cardoon
The healing effect of cardoon includes an antibacterial, diaphoretic and blood purifying effect. Cardoon (Dipsacus follonum) is a medicinal plant of the card family (Dipsacoideae). The name Dipsacus comes from the Greek “Dipsa” and means thirst. The plant also bears the name cistern plant. Thus, the leaves, which grow together on the lower side, create a reservoir for water. The wild cardoon belongs to the biennial herbaceous plants. It can reach a height of growth of about 1.5 meters. The plant has spiny stems as well as short-stalked basal leaves, the arrangement of which is in a rosette. The stem leaves of cardoon grow together in pairs and have a notch on the edge. A typical feature of the thorny plant is its pointed spines, which are found all over it. The flowering period of cardoon takes place in the months of July and August. The oval, head-shaped inflorescences can reach a length of 5 to 8 centimeters. The bracts have a greater length than the flower, which takes on a blue coloration. The fruits of the wild cardoon are single-seeded, membranous nuts. The place of origin of the cardoon is believed to be the Mediterranean region. However, over the years, the plant spread to Central Europe, without the participation of man. Today, it is found primarily in Central Europe, Southern Europe, Turkey, North Africa and the Canary Islands. In Germany it grows in North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Thuringia and in the south of Lower Saxony. Preferably, the cardoon thrives on paths, banks, loamy fallow land and on agricultural land that has been abandoned again. The plant is most common in flat and hilly areas. A rosette of leaves forms at the beginning of the plant’s flowering in the early summer months. This has light green, elongated leaves. They grow in pairs 90 degrees apart. In the second year, a stem emerges from the rosette. Immediately on the stem are two long leaves. Later on, the leaves fuse with each other as well as with the stem. The best time to collect wild cardoon is considered to be spring or autumn. In earlier times, people used the flower heads of cardoon to comb unspun wool. In this way, the wool was easier to spin. However, in modern times, this is no longer necessary.
Effect and application
As a medicinal plant, the wild cardoon was already appreciated in ancient times by the Greek physician Pedanios Dioskurides. This recommended it for internal and external use against warts and fistulas, for which he boiled the root in wine. Furthermore, the root was considered useful against jaundice and could be used as a diuretic. Also from the Middle Ages, wild cardoon was used in folk medicine to treat rheumatism, digestive problems, headaches, skin diseases, freckles, nail diseases, barley corns, wounds on the fingers, boils, bile weakness, stomach problems, edema or gout. The healing effect of cardoon includes antibacterial, diaphoretic and blood purifying effect. It also strengthens the immune system of the body. Furthermore, the root of cardoon can be used as a diuretic. Since it also strengthens the tissue, it can also be used against cellulite. A decoction of cardoon root is said to be effective against diarrhea and liver disorders. In addition, the plant is considered appetizing and analgesic. Thus, it helps in the subsiding of inflammations. A tea made from cardoon can be helpful for making ablutions, thus treating acne or blemished skin. Ingredients of cardoon are saponins, iridoids, caffeic acid compounds, glucosides, organic acids and the glycoside scabioside. Cardoon is taken either internally or externally. For internal use, the patient receives 10 to 50 drops two or three times a day. Externally, the herbal remedy can be used diluted as a partial bath or for washing, as a compress or cream. Pure application of a card tincture on the skin is also possible. If the cardetincture is to be prepared by oneself, the user washes the roots thoroughly after digging them up and then crushes them. Then the herbs are filled into a screw-top jar and poured over with double grain schnapps.After sealing the jar, the preparation must infuse in a warm place for 4 to 6 weeks. After that, the user filters it with the help of a coffee filter. The last step is to fill the tincture into a dark bottle. In a cool place, the remedy can keep up to a year.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Cardoon does not represent a classical medicinal plant. Nevertheless, its root is used for the treatment of Lyme disease. Thus, the positive effect is attributed to a change in the environment within the body. This makes it more difficult for the triggering Borrelia bacteria to settle in the organism. Ultimately, the human host can no longer be inhabited. As the disease progresses, the microorganisms eventually begin to leave the body again, which largely occurs through the skin. By using cardoon, Lyme disease can be treated without chemical additives. Possible side effects consist of unpleasant itching. However, this is part of the healing process and is only temporary. For treatment, the patient takes the root in the form of a tea or tincture. This can be useful to support a therapy with antibiotics, or if the antibiotic agents remain ineffective. If the attending physician has no objections, a course of treatment lasting six weeks can be carried out with the card tincture. However, the effectiveness of cardetincture in Lyme disease is controversial and scientifically unproven. Since cardet tincture can cause skin irritation, it is recommended not to use it in concentrated form, but diluted. Treatment of warts is also possible with the tincture. To enhance the positive effects of card, a healthy lifestyle is recommended. This includes a balanced diet and regular sweating baths.
