Artichoke

"The study of simple drugs is a study so agreeable, and so exalted in its own nature, that it has been the pursuit of the first geniuses of all ages." (Pierre Pomet, Histoire Generale Des Drogues)

     Artichoke is a vegetable. The Italians love it and the Spanish have a yearly festival dedicated to their beloved “alcachofa”. Around the globe, many restaurants serve artichoke dishes to their customers nowadays. The Mediterranean diet introduced us all to the delicate flavor and the juicy heart of this plant and people fell for it in an instant.

     Very few people know that artichoke is also a very useful natural remedy. The leaves, stalks and even the roots of the artichoke can be made into powerful remedies that will restore the normal functions of the liver and the gallbladder. Artichoke is intensely cultivated in some parts of Europe and in some regions of the United States and Mexico.

     The mature plants must be picked up in June when they contain the most of that very bitter chemical compound called cynarin that is so valuable. After that, they are placed in shady and airy places to dry. Dried leaves and stalks are powdered so that the remedy can be administered to those who need it. The powder is very bitter but the benefits are enormous. Artichoke powder can fight dangerous infections like hepatitis A, B and C. It is also beneficial in reducing blood sugar in diabetes, lowering high levels of cholesterol and there were some reports about artichoke improving liver function in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Artichoke regenerates the liver cells and restores bowel movements affected by the irritable colon syndrome. The powder needs to be administered 4 times a day on an empty stomach. The dried leaves can also be administered as herbal infusion or as an herbal tincture (alcoholic extract).