Cocklebur

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Cocklebur is one of the plants of the family called Asteraceae or Compositae, in Latin the name of this plant will sound as follows: Xanthium strumarium L. As for the Latin name of the cocklebur family itself, in Latin it will be: Asteraceae Dumort. (Compositae Giseke).

Description of common cocklebur

Cocklebur is an annual monoecious plant that will be painted in grayish-green tones, and the stem will be rough-haired. The stem of this plant is brownish and branched. The leaves are lobed and triangular, they are endowed with sharp coarsely toothed lobes, and their base will be heart-shaped. From above, such leaves are painted in green tones, and from below they will be light green. Flowers are collected in baskets, which can be both staminate and pistillate. The corolla will be greenish and the pistillate buds will be gray-green. The flowering cocklebur occurs in the period from June to September.

Under natural conditions, this plant can be found on the territory of the European part of Russia and in the Crimea, in southern Siberia, in Central Asia and in the Caucasus.

Description of the medicinal properties of cocklebur

The cocklebur is endowed with very valuable healing properties, while for medicinal purposes it is recommended to use the stems, fruits, roots and leaves of this plant.

The leaves and stems of this plant are recommended to be harvested in July-August, while the fruits are harvested in September-October, and the roots already in late autumn. The plant is endowed with very valuable anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, antiseptic, fungicidal, antipyretic, antispastic, sedative and analgesic effects.

As for traditional medicine, here due to the fact that the plant contains a high iodine content, cocklebur is used against goiter. A decoction of the fruits and roots of this plant, as well as the whole plant, is used for dysentery and diarrhea. Juice of fresh cocklebur grass is used for cramps in the throat, in the treatment of bronchial asthma, tonsillitis, goiter, hemorrhoids, abscesses in the throat, atonic dermatitis, lichens, and also malignant tumors.

An aqueous solution of this plant can be those parts of the body that are covered with a rash or are affected by fungi. For eczema and itchy dermatoses, an ointment should be applied externally, which is prepared from the fruits, seeds and roots of this plant.

The plant is widely used as a diaphoretic, antipyretic and sedative for hypothermia and rheumatism. The fruits and seeds of cocklebur are used as ointments for scabies, eczema, itchy rashes and insect bites. In addition, the fruits and leaves of this plant are also used in the treatment of paralysis. A decoction made from the roots and seeds of this plant is used in the treatment of various diseases of the bladder, and the whole plant can be used as a tea for cancer. It should be noted that the plant is also used in homeopathy. Do not forget that common cocklebur is a poisonous plant, for this reason, when using it internally, it is recommended to be very careful and strictly follow all the doctor's instructions.

For skin diseases, goiter, rheumatism and diarrhea, it is recommended to use the following remedy: for the preparation of such a remedy, one tablespoon of dry herb is taken for one glass of boiling water. Such a mixture is boiled for ten minutes over low heat, and then the mixture is infused for an hour and filtered thoroughly. Take the remedy one to two tablespoons four to five times a day.