The plant, which will be discussed in this article, you probably well familiar. It can often be found growing at the side of the road, in forests and in parks. Many pass by and do not even realize what a wonderful plant grows under their feet. Burdock it is used both in traditional and modern medicine, and its use is very diverse. What is its use and how it is used to treat various diseases - we will tell you in this article.
Description
Burdock felt (also bears the name "burdock", "shovel", grandfather) belongs to the Astrovie family. These are biennial plants, the genus of which includes 20 species, and more than half of them are known for their healing properties.
You probably know this representative of the plant world. It reaches a height of 2 meters, its leaves are heart-shaped, with a length of about 40 cm. The root system of a felt burdock is very well developed - the rod-like root grows to a depth of one and a half meters. 
Flower baskets are egg-shaped and have pointed outer leaves with small hooks on the ends. With these hooks, burdock easily sticks to clothing and animal hair, which allows the plant to travel long distances.
Important! The shelf life of the roots of 5 years, and leaves - 1 year. Store harvested burdock in a wooden container, preferably away from direct sunlight.
Composition
Burdock felt very valuable plant, it contains in its composition a large number of nutrients, among which the following should be noted:
- organic acids;
- essential oils;
- ascorbic acid;
- vitamins of groups A, B, D, E and P;
- palmitic acid;
- stearic acid;
- protein;
- inulin;
- sitosterol.
Beneficial features
The beneficial substances contained in the seeds, leaves and roots of this plant help to cure the following diseases and disorders in the functioning of human internal organs:
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (hemorrhoids, flatulence, colitis, constipation, ulcers, pancreatitis);
- kidney and gallbladder disease;
- skin diseases (acne, furunculosis, psoriasis, ulcers, pressure sores and dermatitis);
- colds and diseases of the oral cavity (stomatitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis);
- burns and long healing wounds;
- pain relief;
- alopecia;
- diabetes;
- diseases of the joints and musculoskeletal system (rheumatism, gout, arthritis, arthrosis);
- oncological diseases;
- mastopathy.
Recipes of traditional medicine
In folk medicine, there are a huge number of recipes based on different parts of burdock. We suggest you to get acquainted with the most popular and easy-to-cook recipes for the treatment and prevention of various diseases.
Read more about how leaves and burdock root are used in traditional medicine.
Burdock root infusion
Infusion of the roots is effective in the treatment of diseases of the throat, ulcers, gastrointestinal diseases, skin diseases and diabetes. In addition, it can be used as a vitamin supplement to the basic diet and as a hair rinse.
For its preparation you will need:
- chopped roots - 20 g;
- boiled water (boiling water) - 2 glasses;
- Fill the roots with boiling water and let it brew for one hour, preferably in a thermos or other closed container. Use the prepared broth 50 ml three times a day after meals.
Important! Juice of the roots and leaves of burdock has a very bitter taste and make children drink this medicine is not easy. It is allowed to dissolve the juice in a small amount of water with honey, or you can eat it while holding it.
Burdock broth
A decoction of burdock root is used to treat and prevent colds, kidney and bladder diseases, joint diseases and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
The recipe for the healing broth is very simple, you will need:
- chopped burdock roots - 20 g;
- water - 1 cup;
Fill the roots with water and put on a small fire, stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. Cooked decoction must be filtered and cooled. Apply a teaspoon three times a day. 
Burdock alcohol infusion
Alcoholic infusion of the roots or leaves of burdock is used to treat colds, diseases of the joints and the gastrointestinal tract, and also helps to strengthen the immune system.
We have prepared for you a classic recipe for cooking burdock on alcohol, which is suitable for both internal use and for external grinding and poultices.
You will need:
- vodka - 0.5 l;
- crushed root and leaves (can be used separately) - 2 cups;
Thoroughly clean and rinse the prepared parts of the plant. After they dry out from moisture - grind in a blender.
In a glass container made of dark glass, place the chopped burdock and fill with vodka. The resulting infusion should be infused for two weeks.
Did you know? One type of plant - burdock, is grown in some Asian countries and in the USA as a cultivated plant. In the vast territories it is specially planted, harvested, and also harvested on an industrial scale.
Before use - strain and ingest a teaspoon three times a day. As compresses for joints, just wet the gauze with the prepared infusion and put it on the right place on the body, you can wrap it up with a film or wrap it up with a warm scarf.
Decoction of burdock seeds
A decoction of seeds successfully treats constipation, moreover, both in children and in adults. The recipe of preparation is quite simple: one tablespoon of seeds for one glass of water.
Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and bring to a boil, after 5 minutes, remove from the heat and let the broth infuse for a day, and then strain.
Take a cooked decoction of a teaspoon three times a day, be sure to eat.
Burdock oil
In this form, burdock is used to treat burns, skin diseases, and also as masks for hair. 
To make it you will need:
- chopped fresh root - 75 gr;
- any vegetable oil (for example, sunflower or olive) - 1 cup;
Fill the root with oil and leave to stand for a day. After that, boil the mixture on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Bring to a boil is not necessary. Strain the resulting oil and use as directed.
Burdock juice
Juice of young leaves has a pronounced choleretic property, it is no less effective for external use: they are treated with burns, ulcers and wounds. Thanks to the anesthetic and anti-inflammatory effects, the juice of the burdock leaves speeds up the healing process of various skin lesions.
Did you know? If you wrap the leaves of burdock with fresh herbs from the garden (for example, parsley or dill), it will retain its freshness and useful substances for much longer.
Juice from the roots will be useful in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diabetes mellitus, as well as in cough therapy.
It can be either purchased at a pharmacy or made by yourself. For the preparation of therapeutic juice at home you will need young, fresh leaves or burdock roots. Remember that raw materials must be intact from diseases and insects. The highest concentration of beneficial substances is observed in annual plants in May or in June. 
The collected leaves or roots must be thoroughly rinsed and dried from moisture. The next step is to grind the prepared leaves and roots. Easily and quickly cope with this kitchen blender. After grinding, squeeze the healthy juice with gauze.
It is applied at the rate of one teaspoon three times a day. A week is usually enough to get positive results, followed by a week-long break.
Use in cosmetology
In cosmetology, burdock oil has gained special popularity. It can be found in various shampoos and hair masks. Burdock oil strengthens hair follicles and nourishes the scalp, helping to fight alopecia and seborrhea.
Masks based on this oil nourish hair, making it shiny and docile. Such medicinal formulations are easy to prepare at home by yourself. Most often, egg yolk or onion gruel is added to burdock oil. Additional ingredients depend on what effect you are expecting.
The time of application of the mask from 45 minutes to one hour. After washing your hair with plenty of warm water with shampoo and dry it in your usual way. After the first application, you will see a positive result from the burdock mask. 
Use in cooking
In cooking, this wonderful plant also found application. Its leaves and petioles are added to soups, salads, garnish for meat, and while the young leaves are more suitable for salads, they make flour for baking from the root, cook jams, and also add them to drinks.
Contraindications
With caution, taking burdock-based medication should be taken by pregnant and lactating women. Also at risk are people who are allergic to ambrosia and pollen - being close to burdock or taking medications based on it can trigger an allergic reaction.
We advise you to read about the beneficial properties and the use of such herbaceous plants as: chervil, nettle, quinoa, sow thistle, horsetail, clover, celandine, yarrow, elecampane, wormwood, and healing.
Seeing burdock on the road - do not pass by. Now you know how useful this inconspicuous plant looks and how easy it is to make it.
