Cirsium subcoriaceum
StarCirsium subcoriaceum
Synonyms: Cnicus subcoriaceus, Cirsium maximum, Carduus heterolepis, Cirsium pinnatisectum, Carduus subcoriaceus, Cirsium heterolepis, Cirsium platycephalum, Cnicus heterolepis, Cnicus pinnatisectus
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Mexican folk medicine the aerial parts of Cirsium subcoriaceum (cardo santo) are used to treat rheumatism and other painful, inflammatory conditions. Pharmacological work has supported this use: a dried aqueous extract of the aerial parts and its principal flavonoid glycoside, pectolinarin, produced significant, dose-dependent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in mouse and rat models (Perez-Gutierrez et al., reported in Planta Medica / related studies). Excessive doses may cause gastric irritation (Surviving Mexico / regional ethnobotanical sources).
Botanical Description
Cirsium subcoriaceum is a robust thistle of the daisy family (Asteraceae), native to the mountains of Mexico and Central America, where it is known by names such as cardo santo. It is a stout biennial or perennial herb forming a basal rosette and a tall, often unbranched stem clothed with alternate, deeply pinnatifid, spiny-margined leaves that are somewhat leathery (as the epithet subcoriaceum indicates). The large flower heads are discoid, packed with tubular florets that are typically purple to reddish or sometimes whitish, and enclosed in an involucre of overlapping, spine-tipped bracts. The fruit is a smooth achene crowned by a pappus of feathery (plumose) bristles for wind dispersal. It grows in montane meadows, pastures, forest clearings and along streams at mid to high elevations.
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.
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