Blessed thistle's therapeutic uses
Blessed thistle, a natural plant product, has a long-standing history in European herbal medicine and is utilized for various therapeutic purposes. Traditionally, it has been used to address digestive issues such as dyspepsia, heartburn, and poor appetite. It is recognized for potential health benefits, including immune support, lactation enhancement, and wound healing. The herb contains cnicin, which may have antimicrobial properties, and tannins that may aid in relieving diarrhea and cough.
Commonly consumed as a tea or incorporated into food, dosages typically range from 2 grams taken two or three times daily. While Germany's Commission E has approved its use for loss of appetite and nonspecific indigestion, more extensive clinical studies are necessary to substantiate these claims and explore additional uses, such as liver detoxification and antiviral effects. Blessed thistle is generally considered safe, but caution is advised for individuals with allergies to the daisy family, as well as for young children, pregnant or nursing women, and those with severe liver or kidney conditions.
Blessed thistle's therapeutic uses
DEFINITION: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USES: Dyspepsia, poor appetite, immune support, lactation, wound healing, treating coughs and colds
Overview
Blessed thistle has a long history of use in European herbal medicine. All parts of the above-ground plant were used medicinally. The herb was used primarily for digestive problems, including heartburn, gastritis, burping, constipation, and flatulence. Blessed thistle was also used for liver and gallbladder diseases. Blessed thistle is still used in the twenty-first century as an alternative health option.
Therapeutic Dosages
A typical dose of blessed thistle is 2 grams two or three times daily.
Therapeutic Uses
Germany’s Commission E has approved blessed thistle as a treatment for loss of appetite and nonspecific indigestion (dyspepsia). Blessed thistle contains the bitter constituent cnicin. Bitter substances are widely believed to promote appetite, though this has not been proven. Blessed thistle also contains tannins believed to help diarrhea, cough, and swelling, and the herb, often consumed as a tea or in food, is also believed to relieve indigestion. Blessed thistle should not be consumed by people taking medications to reduce stomach acid.
Cnicin does appear to have antimicrobial properties, killing bacteria and fungi in the test tube. These findings do not, however, indicate that blessed thistle can be used as an oral antibiotic. Antibiotics are substances that can be taken into the body at high enough doses to kill microbes throughout the system. In contrast, blessed thistle extracts, like many plants, appear to have antiseptic properties, meaning that they kill microbes on direct contact. Further clinical study is needed to confirm findings on blessed thistle.
Blessed thistle may have other therapeutic uses. Studies indicate it may aid in liver detoxification and support liver function. In addition to its antimicrobial qualities, blessed thistle may also ward off infections using its antiviral properties. Breastfeeding mothers have used blessed thistle as a supplement to increase breast milk supply. Finally, topical applications of blessed thistle employ its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects to promote wound healing. However, there is an overall lack of large, double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies on blessed thistle, and more robust clinical trials are necessary.
Safety Issues
Although comprehensive safety studies have not been performed, blessed thistle is believed to be safe. However, cross-reactions are possible among people allergic to plants in the daisy family. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.
Bibliography
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Bruno, M., et al. "Antibacterial Evaluation of Cnicin and Some Natural and Semisynthetic Analogues." Planta Medica, vol. 69, 2003, pp. 277-281.