Blessed Thistle, Carduus benedictus

Carduus Benedictus, Blessed Thistle

New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

Koehler’s Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

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Botanical name:

Carduus benedictus

Parts used:

Herb; Seed

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Bitter, pungent
attenuates, opens, discusses, and is cordial

Classification:

2F. PURIFYING
3A. SUDORIFICS & DIAPHORETICS. 3C. ALEXIPHARMIC. 3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS. 3L. ANTI-TUSSIVE. 3M. ARTHRITIC
4c. CARDIAC. 4d. PECTORAL. 4e. STOMACHIC

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison, Promotes Sweat:
-Antidote; Preserves from and treats Epidemic and Infectious diseases
-Cold, Flu, acute Cough, Asthma, Allergies
-Fever, Eruptive Fever, old Fevers and Quartan Fevers; Plague, Syphilis
2. Clears Wind-Heat, Calms the Liver, stops Wind:
-Headache, Migraine, Epilepsy, Dizziness
–‘a singular remedy against Deafness’.
3. Clears Damp-Heat:
-Jaundice, Cholecystitis
-hot and painful urine
4. Clears Phlegm-Heat, Stops Cough and Wheezing:
-Cough, Wheezing, Asthma
-opens the Lungs and frees the Breath
5. Promotes Digestion:
-promotes appetite and strengthens Digestion (as a bitter)
6. Warms the Yang:
–strengthens the principle Organs (Brain, Heart, Liver, Stomach, Lungs and Kidney)
-often used to strengthen the Brain and Memory.
7. Promotes Milk
-promotes and enriches Breast Milk
8. Kills Worms
-wine of Blessed Thistle is effective
9. Externally:
-poultice to sores and swellings
-externally to stop Gangrene (as a poultice)
–stubborn, indolent and gangrenous Ulcers
-foul and putrid Ulcers, especially of the Breast, sprinkle the powder on (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)

Dose:

Powder: 1–3 grams

Main Combinations:

Cautions:

Some have said it shouldn’t be used in Pregnancy

Main Preparations used:

Powder, Distilled Water, clarified Juice, Spirit, Distilled Oil, Conserve, Syrup, and an Extract