Arctium lappa

Burdock/Nutrient Depletion:

  • PotassiumPotassium: Burdock has been associated with diuretic effects (increasing urine flow) in one human report and in theory may cause dehydration or electrolyte imbalances (for example, changes in potassium or sodium levels in the blood) (11).
  • GlucoseGlucose: Burdock fruit extracts have demonstrated hypoglycemic activity in rats (1) and may lower blood glucose levels in humans (2; 3; 4). Although streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice given burdock paradoxically experienced hyperglycemia, the mechanism of burdock's effects on serum glucose is unclear (38), and the clinical relevance of this conflicting report is uncertain. A review reported that the root of burdock contains antidiabetic constituents (10).
  • SodiumSodium: Burdock has been associated with diuretic effects in one human report and in theory may cause dehydration or electrolyte imbalances (for example, changes in potassium or sodium levels in the blood) (11).