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ARTICHOKE

Cynara scolymus L

Description

Herbaceous plant whose receptacles and bract bases are edible. The first year it appears a rosette of large, segmented and tomentous leaves without thorns. The leaf is oval or elliptic, generally 5 cm long, pinnated with a short petiole and an obstuse or slightly mucronated apex and a symmetric and rounded base. Flowers are terminated by a large globular head of imbricated oval spiny scales of a purplish-green color of 10-15 cm in diameter. Its fruit is an achene with pilose pappus.

Originally from Ethiopia, the wild plant extended throughout the Mediterranean basin, Canary Islands and Egypt. The domestic kind is cultivated in mild temperature regions around the world. It is one of the world's oldest cultivated vegetables, grown by the Greeks and the Romans in the heyday of their power. From the year 145 the infusion of its leaves was considered aphrodisiac and up to XVIII was taken as the youth elixir. However, those attributes have not been scientifically proved. Currently, it is cultivated in cold weather as a vegetable. In nutrition, the part mostly used is the soft sarcous with the involucral bracts. It has to be harvested before inflorescence.

Part used

The leaves, better harvested during their first year or at the end of summer flowering.

Indications

  • Hepatobiliary disorders: hepatitis, fatty liver (liver cirrhosis), hepatobiliary dyskinesia, liver steatosis, deficiencies, jaundice, slow gallbladder, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, etc.
  • Hypercholesterolemic and hypertriglyceridemic.
  • Dyspepsia hyposecretory, indigestion, especially after a rich in fat meal.
  • Anorexia.
  • Diabetes. 
  • Cardiocirculatory disorders: arteriosclerosis, arterial hypertension, constipation.
  • Water retention, oliguria, edema, cystitis.
  • Obesity and cellulite.
  • Hyperuricemia and gout.
  • Depurative cures, food or drug intoxication.
  • Constipation.
  • Headache or cephalea.

Bibliography

Pharpacopée Française IX Édition.

Plantas Medicinales. Margarita Fernandez y Ana Nieto. Ed Universidad de Navarra. EUNSA 1982.

Matière Médicale. RR Paris- H. Moyse. Masson 1981.

100 Plantes Medicinales. Max Rombi. Romart 1998.

The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Therapeutic Guide To Herbal Medicines. Mark Blumenthal. American Botanical Council 1998.

Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Jean Bruneton. Lavoisier Publishing.

Fitoterapia Aplicada. J.B. Peris, G. Stübing, B.Vanaclocha. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Valencia 1995.

Fitoterapia: Vademecum de Prescripción. Plantas Medicinales. Colaboran: Asociación española de médicos naturistas. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Vizcaya.

Jean Bruneton. Farmacognosia. Fitoquímica Plantas Medicinales. 2ª Edición. 2001. Ed Acribia. S.A.

Bulletin officiel Nº 90/22 bis. Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Solidarité.

French Public Health Code.

 Real Farmacopea Española, 2ª edición. 2002.

Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Norman Grainger Bisset (Ed). Max Wichtl. CRC Press. 1994.

Plantas Medicinales y Drogas Vegetales para infusión y tisana. Edición española a cargo de: Salvador Cañogueral, Roser Vila, Max Wichtl.1998.

Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Jean Bruneton. Lavoisier Publishing.

Fitoterapia Aplicada. J.B. Peris, G. Stübing, B.Vanaclocha. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Valencia 1995.

El libro de las Plantas Medicinales. M. Pahlow.

Guía de Campo de las Flores de Europa. Oleg Polunin. Ediciones Omega S.A. Barcelona, 1977.

Guía de las Plantas Medicinales. Paul Schauenberg y Ferdinand Paris. Ediciones Omega S.A.

El gran libro de las Plantas Medicinales. Editorial Everest. S.A.

Plantes Médicinales des Régions Tempérées. L. Bézanger-Beauquene, Pinkas, Torck, Trotin.

Plantas Medicinales. Thérapeutique-Toxicité. Christiane Vigneau. Masson, Paris 1985.

Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Jean Bruneton. Lavoisier Publishing.

Plantas Medicinales. El Dioscórides Renovado. Pio Font Quer.

Farmacognosia 2ª Edición. Jean Bruneton. Ediciones Acribia S.A. 2001.

Bulletin officiel Nº 90/22 bis. Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Solidarité.

French Public Health Code.

Bross B. Plantas y sus aceites esenciales. Ed. Omega, 1994.

Muñoz F. Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas. Estudio, cultivo y procesado. Ed. Mundi-Prensa, Madrid, 1987.

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