Wood burdock
StarArctium nemorosum
Synonyms: Lappa bardana subsp. macrospermum, Lappa communis subsp. nemorosa, Arctium newbouldii, Lappa macrosperma, Arctium glabrescens, Arctium nemorosum f. mathei, Arctium lappa subsp. nemorosum, Arctium minus subsp. nemorosum, Lappa intermedia, Arctium macrospermum, Lappa officinalis subsp. nemorosa, Arctium majus subsp. nemorosum
Western Herbalism Properties
Gallery
Botanical Description
Arctium nemorosum, the wood burdock or woodland burdock, is a stout biennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe and parts of western Asia, where it grows in damp woodland margins, hedgerows, riverbanks and shaded ruderal habitats. In the first year it forms a large rosette of long-petiolate, broadly ovate to cordate leaves with rounded basal lobes, dark green and slightly hairy above and white-cottony beneath, the largest of which may exceed 50 centimetres in length. The second-year flowering stem is erect, much-branched and ribbed, reaching 1 to 2.5 metres in height. The flower heads are globose to ovoid, 2 to 3.5 centimetres across, arranged in elongated, racemose or paniculate inflorescences; the involucral bracts are slender and terminate in stiff hooked tips that cling to clothing and animal fur. Tubular florets are purple to pinkish-purple. It is distinguished from the more familiar A. lappa by its narrower, often pyriform heads and shorter peduncles, and from A. minus by its larger heads.
Active Constituents
Arctiin
Dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan glycosideConcentration: A principal lignan of Arctium fruits and leaves (documented across the genus)
Arctiin, the glycoside of arctigenin, is the characteristic lignan of burdock. It shows anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiproliferative activity in laboratory studies and is hydrolysed to the more active aglycone arctigenin. Data for the woodland burdock A. nemorosum are largely inferred from the closely related and better-studied Arctium species.
Arctigenin
Dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan (aglycone)Concentration: Present in fruits/seeds and leaves
The bioactive aglycone of arctiin, with documented anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antitumour activity in vitro; a marker of the pharmacological interest in Arctium lignans.
Lappaol and other macrolignans
LignansConcentration: Reported in Arctium fruit extracts (lappaol A, C, F)
Higher-order lignans characteristic of burdock fruits that contribute to the antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activity of seed extracts.
Onopordopicrin
Sesquiterpene lactoneConcentration: Major bitter principle of Arctium leaves
A germacranolide sesquiterpene lactone responsible for much of the bitterness of burdock leaf and for its antimicrobial and antifeedant activity; also a potential contact allergen.
Flavonoids (luteolin, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin)
FlavonoidsConcentration: Present in leaf and aerial-part extracts
Provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity typical of Arctium leaf extracts.
Caffeoylquinic acids (chlorogenic acid derivatives)
Phenolic acidsConcentration: Present in roots and aerial parts
Chlorogenic-acid-type phenolics contribute the strong antioxidant, radical-scavenging capacity of burdock extracts.
Inulin
Fructan polysaccharideConcentration: Major storage carbohydrate of burdock roots
A prebiotic fructan that gives burdock root its use as a mild demulcent, diuretic and food; it supports gut flora and gives the root its characteristic sweetish taste.
Preparation Methods
Root decoction / vegetable
Parts: Root
As with other burdocks, the fleshy first-year root is decocted as a traditional 'blood-purifying' diuretic and mild bitter, or eaten as a vegetable. Correct identification matters - woodland burdock (A. nemorosum) is a European congener of the more commonly used A. lappa and A. minus and is used interchangeably in folk practice.
Leaf infusion / poultice
Parts: Leaves
Fresh or dried leaves are infused or applied externally as a poultice in traditional European herbalism for minor skin complaints. The sesquiterpene lactones in the leaf (e.g. onopordopicrin) can cause allergic contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Historical Texts
John Gerard, The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes
1597, Elizabethan EnglandNicholas Culpeper, The English Physician / Complete Herbal
1653, 17th-century EnglandReferences
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Wood burdock.
No notes yet.