Burdock root (Arctium lappa), the part used for tea.

Burdock Root Tea

Q: What is burdock root tea?

A tea made from the dried root of Arctium lappa, a daisy-family plant. The same root is eaten in Japan as gobo.

Q: Does burdock root tea have health benefits?

Not proven. Two small trials exist: one found better blood markers in knee osteoarthritis and one found fewer repeat diverticulitis attacks. Both are weak. The EU committee found no controlled clinical studies of root preparations.

Q: Does it help knee osteoarthritis?

One six-week trial of 36 people found lower inflammation and oxidative stress markers than water. The abstract does not report pain or movement, and everyone also took pain medicine. One small trial is not enough.

Q: Does burdock tea stop diverticulitis coming back?

One open-label Japanese trial found fewer repeat attacks (10.6% versus 31.8%) but no benefit for repeat bleeding. People knew their group and the abstract's counts do not fully match. Talk to your doctor about diverticulitis.

Q: Is it a good detox or blood purifier?

There is no human study showing this. The 'blood purifier' label comes from folk-medicine handbooks. One case report links liver injury to a six-herb detox tea containing burdock, though burdock could not be singled out.

Q: Is burdock tea caffeine-free?

None of the sources we read gives a caffeine figure for burdock root, and none states that it is caffeine-free. Burdock is not a Camellia tea plant. Check the label, especially on blends.

Q: Can burdock tea be contaminated?

Yes, in the past. Atropine-type poisonings followed burdock root tea in 1953 and the late 1970s and 1980s. The EU report says one tea was contaminated with a source of nightshade alkaloids, possibly belladonna root. Burdock itself has no atropine. Choose products that name the species and test for contamination.

Q: Can I be allergic to it?

Yes. Burdock is a daisy-family plant like ragweed and chamomile. The EU lists allergy to burdock or the daisy family as a contraindication, and describes one anaphylaxis after boiled burdock root. Stop and get help if you have swelling, hives or trouble breathing.

Q: Is it safe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding?

The EU monograph says it is not recommended, because there are not enough data. A handbook mentions a possible effect on the uterus but the EU committee found no studies supporting it. Ask a midwife or doctor.

Q: What medicines does it interact with?

No interaction is documented. The EU advises against using it with synthetic water pills. Cell and animal work on blood sugar is mixed, and one case report links a burdock and yellow dock tea to very low platelets. Ask a pharmacist.

Arctium lappa · also called Burdock tea, greater burdock root tea, gobo tea, niubang tea

Burdock root tea is a drink made from the root of a daisy-family plant that Japan also eats as the vegetable gobo. Two small trials of the tea exist, one in knee osteoarthritis blood markers and one in repeat diverticulitis, and both are weak. The main cautions are daisy-family allergy and past cases of teas contaminated with belladonna.

General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update October 25, 2026 · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made

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About Burdock Root Tea

Burdock root tea comes from Arctium lappa, a daisy-family plant. Two small trials of the tea exist, both rated very low certainty. The EU herbal committee accepts the root for traditional use only. Allergy, belladonna contamination of teas in the past, and pregnancy are the main cautions.

What it is

Burdock (Arctium lappa) is a tall biennial plant of the daisy family that grows in Europe, northern Asia and North America. Tea is made from the dried root.

A tea is a water infusion of the root. A root powder, a tincture, a fruit extract or a multi-herb blend is a different product, and research on one does not automatically apply to another.

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Traditional use, with care

The EU assessment report says burdock has been widely used in folk medicine, with the root called a 'blood purifier' and used for rheumatism and skin complaints. The EU monograph accepts the root for minor urinary complaints, temporary loss of appetite and seborrhoeic skin conditions on the basis of long use only.

In Japan a cultivated form is eaten as a vegetable called gobo. In Chinese medicine the part traditionally used is the fruit, which has different compounds from the root. Spain has sold root as tea since 1973, according to the EU report.

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What is in it

The dry root is about 45% inulin, a fibre, according to a handbook figure quoted by the EU report. It also holds phenolic acids such as chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, and sesquiterpene lactones, the likely cause of allergy.

The much-studied lignans arctiin and arctigenin are mainly in the fruit. Lab work on them does not show what root tea does. We found no source that states whether the tea contains caffeine.

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What the research shows

Two small trials tested burdock tea. In 36 people with knee osteoarthritis, blood markers of inflammation and oxidative stress improved against plain water over six weeks, and pain was not reported in the abstract. In an open-label Japanese trial, repeat diverticulitis attacks were fewer with tea, but not repeat bleeding.

The EU committee found no controlled clinical studies of root preparations. We cannot say burdock tea treats any condition.

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At a glance

Traditional uses history, not proof

European folk medicine used the root as a 'blood purifier' and for rheumatism and skin complaints. The EU herbal committee accepts the root for minor urinary complaints, temporary loss of appetite and seborrhoeic skin conditions, based only on long use.
In Japan a cultivated form of the root is eaten as a vegetable called gobo. In Chinese medicine the fruit, not the root, is the part traditionally used.

Studied for research

Knee osteoarthritis blood markers, very low certainty (one small trial of the tea)
Return of diverticulitis, very low certainty (one open-label trial)
Urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin, traditional use only (insufficient)
Blood sugar, blood fats, liver and 'detox', insufficient (no human trial of the tea)

Main compounds

Inulin-type fibre, a large part of the dry root
Chlorogenic and caffeic acids, antioxidants in lab tests
Sesquiterpene lactones, the likely cause of allergy
Lignans such as arctiin are mainly in the fruit, not the root

Common forms

Dried cut root tea (infusion), the usual form
Decoction (the root simmered) and roasted root tea
Tea bags and multi-herb 'detox' blends, read the ingredient list
Powders, tinctures and extracts are different products; results for them do not carry over to tea

Research links: Burdock root tea and knee osteoarthritis markers (Maghsoumi-Norouzabad 2016) · Burdock tea and diverticulitis recurrence (Mizuki 2019) · Contamination of herbal teas by tropane alkaloids (Chan 2017) · EU herbal monograph on burdock root (2010) · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library

What it is and its history

Accepted scientific name: Arctium lappa L.
Naming authority: L.; Sp. Pl.: 816 (1753) (GBIF). NCBI lists 'L., 1753'.
Synonyms: Arctium edule Beger; Arctium lappa Willd., 1803; Arctium lappa var. lappa; Lappa bardana var. major Celak.; Lappa vulgare (Hill) Evans; Lappa vulgaris subsp. vulgaris; Lappa vulgaris var. vulgaris
Common names: Greater burdock (English); Great burdock (English); Burdock (English); Bardana (Italian and Portuguese (GBIF)); Grande bardane (French); Bardane commune (French); Grosse Klette (German); Bardana maggiore (Italian); Grote klit (Dutch); Gobo (Japanese (the cultivated root vegetable, per the EU assessment report))
Family or group: Asteraceae (daisy family, also called Compositae); it also holds chamomile, arnica, echinacea, dandelion, ragweed and chicory.
Classification: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Asterales > Asteraceae > Arctium > Arctium lappa
Native range: Native in Europe, Northern Asia and North America according to the EU assessment report (citing Wichtl 1994). Not checked against a primary botanical flora.
Habitat: Not verified from a primary botanical source.
What it looks like: Roots: The medicinal part. The EU report says it is collected in the autumn of the first year or the spring of the second year; the roots have large amounts of inulin.; Stems: A biennial plant that can reach 1.5 metres (EU report).; Leaves: Large heart-shaped leaves; the EU report says leaves are collected from one-year-old plants and dried for leaf uses, but the EU monograph covers the root only.; Flowers: Purple flowers from July to September; round flower head 3 to 4 cm across with rough hairs (EU report).; Fruit: The burr heads stick to clothing and fur because of tiny hooks. The dried ripe fruit (Arctii Fructus) is a different herbal part with different compounds and is used in Chinese medicine (a systematic review of the fruit).
Cultivation: Not verified in detail. The EU report says a cultivated form is eaten as a vegetable, mainly in Japan.
Harvest and processing: Root harvested in autumn of year one or spring of year two (EU report); how tea root is cut, dried or roasted was not found in the sources read.
Look-alikes and adulterants: Name: Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh. (lesser burdock) and Arctium tomentosum Mill. (woolly burdock); Note: Separate accepted species in GBIF (keys 5393103 and 5393080). The German drug standard cited by the EU report allows A. lappa, A. minus, A. tomentosum, related species and hybrids or mixtures.; Name: Atropa belladonna L. (deadly nightshade) root; Note: A nightshade (Solanaceae, GBIF key 3802655) that contains atropine-type alkaloids. Burdock root tea has been contaminated with it; the EU report says older roots or roots that turn blue with iodine may point to belladonna.; Name: Symphytum officinale L. (comfrey) and Rumex obtusifolius L. (broad-leaved dock); Note: Named by the EU report as roots that may be substituted for burdock. Dock is in the knotweed family (Polygonaceae, GBIF key 2889011).; Name: Burdock fruit (Arctii Fructus) versus root; Note: Different parts, different compounds: the fruit is rich in lignans (arctiin, arctigenin), the root in inulin and phenolic acids. Studies on one part do not apply to the other.
Sustainability and conservation: Not verified. Burdock is a widespread weedy plant; no IUCN assessment was retrieved.

Photographs

Close-up of burdock (Arctium lappa) root — Burdock root (Arctium lappa), the part used.

Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof

Tradition or era	Documented use	Source
Folk medicine across Europe and Asia	The EU assessment report says burdock has been widely used in folk medicine. The root is described in handbooks as a 'blood purifier' and used for rheumatism, gout and skin complaints. These are handbook statements, not checked against old texts.	s-ema-ar-burdock-root
Japan (food)	The EU report says a cultivated form of burdock is eaten as a vegetable, mainly in Japan, where it is called gobo. We found no source for how long this has been done.	s-ema-ar-burdock-root
Traditional Chinese medicine (fruit)	The dried ripe fruit (Arctii Fructus) is traditionally used to 'dispel wind-heat', ease sore throat and cough and help eruptions to come out (systematic review of the fruit). This is a different part of the plant from the root used for tea.	p36781057
Spain (market)	The EU report says powdered or cut root has been on the market as tea in Spain since 1973.	s-ema-ar-burdock-root
European Union herbal committee (2010)	Accepted burdock root as a traditional herbal medicine for minor urinary complaints, temporary loss of appetite and seborrhoeic skin conditions, based on long use and not on clinical trials.	s-ema-hmpc-burdock-monograph
Tea blends such as Essiac	The EU report mentions herbal teas that contain burdock with other herbs and are used by some cancer patients; it gives no dose details. This is not evidence of benefit.	s-ema-ar-burdock-root

Traditional use shows how it was used. It does not show that it works or is safe today.

What is inside, and how it may work

What it contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.

Main compounds

Compound	Family	Where it is concentrated	Activity studied	Level of evidence
Inulin (inulin-type fructans)	fibre carbohydrate (fructan)	Root About 45% of the dry root, with total carbohydrates up to 70% (EU report, citing Blaschek 1998).	Prebiotic fibre that feeds gut bacteria in lab tests; reviews note burdock as a source. ^{5 16}	Laboratory research
Chlorogenic acid PubChem 1794427	phenolic acid	Root (and leaf) Fresh root has 1.9 to 3.65% total polyphenols including chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid and caffeic acid (EU report).	Antioxidant in lab tests. ^{5 16 19}	Laboratory research
Caffeic acid PubChem 689043	phenolic acid	Root Present (EU report); amount not given separately.	Antioxidant in lab tests. ^{5 19}	Laboratory research
Quercetin PubChem 5280343	flavonoid	Root (per review) Not given in the abstract.	Antioxidant in lab tests. ^{16 19}	Laboratory research
Dehydrocostus lactone PubChem 73174	sesquiterpene lactone	Root (essential oil) Not given.	Sesquiterpene lactones of this kind are the likely cause of allergic reactions to daisy-family plants (EU report). ^{5 19}	Authoritative guidance
Arctiopicrin PubChem 5281423	sesquiterpene lactone	Not stated Not given.	Named by the EU report as a weak sensitizer. ^{5 19}	Authoritative guidance
Arctiin and arctigenin (fruit lignans) PubChem 64981	lignans	Fruit (main); less in root Not given for root tea.	Most anti-inflammatory lab work is on arctigenin; a review says it is extensively broken down and attached to sugars in the liver, gut and blood, which may limit effects after swallowing. Lab results on these do not apply to root tea. ^{10 12 19}	Laboratory research
Atropine (a contaminant, not a burdock compound) PubChem 174174	tropane alkaloid from nightshade plants	Not in burdock; found in contaminated teas	Blocks acetylcholine receptors; causes dry mouth, fast heartbeat, confusion. ^{20 3 5 19}	Human data

Mechanisms, receptors and pathways

Target or pathway	Gene or receptor	What was found	Level
Inflammatory signalling (NF-kB, iNOS)	NFKB1 / NOS2	Arctigenin lowers inducible nitric oxide synthase and several inflammatory cytokines in cells and animals. Reviews list NF-kB, JAK/STAT and NLRP3 effects in skin models. ^{10 25}	Laboratory research
Insulin signalling and glucose uptake (AMPK, GLUT4)	PRKAA1 / SLC2A4	Reviews describe AMPK activation and more GLUT4 movement in cell and animal studies of burdock extracts and compounds. ^{24 1}	Animal research
Gut bacteria and prebiotic fibre	Gut microbiome	Inulin from burdock root stimulated growth of beneficial bacteria in lab tests (EU report, citing Li 2008); human gut bacteria convert arctiin to arctigenin and enterolactone. ^{5 16}	Laboratory research
Antioxidant systems (SOD, catalase, TAC)	SOD / CAT	Root tea and root powder raised SOD, catalase or total antioxidant capacity in two small human trials, alongside lower MDA. ^{14 23}	Human data

Absorption, metabolism and elimination

Absorption: No human study of burdock root tea was found. In rats, arctiin is split in the gut to arctigenin (EU report).
Distribution: Not established for burdock compounds in people.
Metabolism: Gut bacteria convert arctiin to arctigenin and other products; arctigenin is extensively conjugated in the liver, gut and blood (review).
Elimination: Not established in people.
Bioavailability: Unknown for root tea.

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Isolated compounds versus whole extracts

Most lab research is on arctigenin or arctiin, which are mainly in the fruit. Tea is made from the root, which is rich in inulin-type fibre and phenolic acids. A tea, a root powder, a fruit extract and a multi-herb product are different things, so results for one cannot be assumed for another. Whole-root products also carry the risks of the whole plant, such as allergy and contamination.

Nutritional composition

Burdock root is eaten as a vegetable (gobo) in Japan. The EU report quotes about 45% inulin and up to 70% total carbohydrate in the dry root (from a handbook). A full nutrient table was not checked and does not apply to a tea.

8benefits and uses looked at

26studies and sources checked

Very low certaintybest evidence rating found

4lab markers tracked in trials

4 very low certainty4 not enough evidence

What was looked at

The 8 benefits and uses checked for Burdock Root Tea, each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.

Knee osteoarthritis: inflammation and oxidative stress markersVery low certainty
Return of diverticulitis (inflamed pouches in the colon)Very low certainty
Traditional EU uses: urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skinNot enough evidence
Blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and artery stiffnessNot enough evidence
Blood sugar and type 2 diabetesNot enough evidence
Polycystic ovary syndrome (root powder, not tea)Very low certainty
Helicobacter pylori (a four-ingredient 'burdock complex', not tea)Very low certainty
'Detox', 'blood purifier' and liver claimsNot enough evidence

Lab markers tracked in the studies

C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)Interleukin-6 (IL-6)Malondialdehyde (MDA)Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)

What is Burdock Root Tea good for?

The main studied uses and how strong the human evidence is for each. 'Very low' means one small or weak trial. 'Insufficient' means not enough to judge. Results come from specific products and may not apply to every tea.

Knee osteoarthritis blood markersVery low certaintyOne trial of 36 people drinking burdock root tea for six weeks found lower inflammation and oxidative stress markers than plain water. Pain and movement are not in the abstract, and everyone also took pain medicine. Return of diverticulitisVery low certaintyIn an open-label Japanese trial, burdock tea was linked to fewer repeat attacks (10.6% versus 31.8%). People knew their group and the counts in the abstract do not fully match. Repeat bleeding was not reduced. Urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin (EU traditional use)Not enough evidenceThe EU accepts the root as a traditional medicine for these minor complaints on the basis of long use. It found no controlled clinical studies. Blood fatsNot enough evidenceA 12-week study of 40 older women showed blood fats falling with exercise. It does not show a clear change for burdock alone, and the form of burdock is not stated. Blood sugarNot enough evidenceReviews find only cell and animal work and no human trial. The EU report records opposite results in two animal studies. PCOS markers (root powder, not tea)Very low certaintyA 12-week trial of 60 women found better antioxidant and inflammation markers than placebo with root powder. It was not tea. H. pylori (a four-ingredient complex, not tea)Very low certaintyA small trial of a burdock, angelica, gromwell and sesame oil product improved markers versus placebo. Burdock cannot be credited and it was not tea. 'Detox', 'blood purifier' and liver claimsNot enough evidenceNo human study supports these claims. One case report links liver injury to a six-herb detox tea that contained burdock.

Benefits, one by one

Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.

Knee osteoarthritis: inflammation and oxidative stress markers

Very low certainty

One small Iranian trial gave people with knee osteoarthritis burdock root tea every day for six weeks. Their blood markers of inflammation went down and antioxidant markers went up, compared with people who drank plain hot water. The abstract does not report pain, stiffness or walking, so we do not know if people felt better.

2 studiesRoot tea (infusion) in that trial. This page gives no amounts; ask a …

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Burdock root tea (Arctium lappa) compared with plain boiled water for 42 days in 36 adults aged 50 to 70 with knee osteoarthritis (Maghsoumi-Norouzabad 2016). Everyone in both groups also took acetaminophen and glucosamine. Blood hs-CRP, IL-6 and malondialdehyde fell, and total antioxidant capacity and SOD rose in the tea group. Another antioxidant enzyme, GPX, rose but not significantly. Pain and function are not in the abstract. No other osteoarthritis trial of burdock was found.

Results

Lower blood inflammation and oxidative stress markers in one small trial; no result on pain or movement was found in the abstract.

Effect sizes as reported

IL-6 P = 0.002; hs-CRP P = 0.003; MDA P < 0.001; TAC P < 0.001; SOD P = 0.009. Group means and confidence intervals are not in the abstract.

Why this rating

Our own reading: a single 36-person trial of six weeks, blood markers only, background medicines for everyone, blinding not described in the abstract, and no second trial to confirm it.

Form and dose studied

Root tea (infusion) in that trial. This page gives no amounts; ask a doctor or pharmacist.

Who was studied

Adults 50 to 70 with knee osteoarthritis in Tabriz, Iran (10 men, 26 women).

Limits

Very small; short; markers rather than symptoms; one centre; added to existing medicines; no confirming trial.

Why researchers looked

Burdock root is a traditional 'blood purifier' and has been used in folk medicine for rheumatism, as the EU herbal committee records.

Traditional use

The EU assessment report lists root preparations used for rheumatism and gout in folk medicine (handbook statements, not checked against old texts). This is tradition, not proof.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

In cells and animals, a compound mostly found in the fruit, arctigenin, lowers inflammatory signals. The root contains little of it, and it is not known whether anything like this happens at useful levels in people who drink the tea.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No side effects are reported in the abstract. See the Safety tab for allergy and contamination warnings.

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Return of diverticulitis (inflamed pouches in the colon)

Very low certainty

In a Japanese trial, people who had just had a first attack of diverticulitis and drank burdock tea had fewer repeat attacks than people given nothing. The trial was not blinded and its numbers do not fully add up, so it is a hint, not proof. Burdock tea did not reduce repeat bleeding from the colon pouches.

1 studiesBurdock tea; the part of the plant is not stated in the abstract. No …

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Open-label randomized trial in Japan (Mizuki 2019): people with a first diagnosis of colonic diverticular bleeding (91) or acute diverticulitis (70) were randomly given burdock tea or no treatment. Follow-up was a median of about 22 months (bleeding group) and 30 months (diverticulitis group). Diverticulitis came back in 5 of 47 (10.6%) on tea versus 14 of 44 (31.8%) with no treatment, and the time free of recurrence was longer (log-rank P = 0.012). Bleeding recurrence was not significantly different.

Results

Fewer repeat diverticulitis attacks with burdock tea; no benefit for repeat bleeding.

Effect sizes as reported

Recurrence 10.6% versus 31.8%; recurrence-free time 59.3 months (95% CI 54.0 to 64.7) versus 45.1 months (37.1 to 53.0).

Why this rating

Our own reading: one open-label trial (no placebo, so people knew their group), the group sizes in the abstract (47 and 44, adding to 91) do not match the 70 diverticulitis patients stated, the plant part is not named, and there is no second trial.

Form and dose studied

Burdock tea; the part of the plant is not stated in the abstract. No amounts are given here.

Who was studied

Japanese adults, newly diagnosed.

Limits

Open label; count mismatch in the abstract; one country; the abstract names no tea maker or plant part.

Why researchers looked

Diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding often come back, and doctors look for ways to prevent that.

Traditional use

Not a traditional use recorded by the EU committee, which lists urine flow, appetite and skin uses only.

Proposed mechanism Theory

Not established. The authors' abstract does not claim a mechanism. Burdock root contains inulin-type fibre and phenolic compounds, which reviews describe in lab tests only.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

People with diverticulitis symptoms (fever, belly pain) need a doctor, not a tea. No harms are described in the abstract.

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Traditional EU uses: urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin

Not enough evidence

The European herbal committee accepts burdock root, as a herbal tea among other forms, as a traditional medicine for a few minor complaints. It says plainly that this rests on long use, and that no controlled clinical studies of root preparations were found.

2 studiesThe EU lists comminuted root as a herbal tea and also powders, extrac…

Studies, doses and limits

Results

Accepted as traditional use only. Not shown to work in trials.

Why this rating

No controlled human studies exist for these uses (EU assessment, 2011).

Form and dose studied

The EU lists comminuted root as a herbal tea and also powders, extracts and tinctures; this page gives no amounts.

Who was studied

Adults only. Not established under 18.

Limits

The documents are from 2010-2011; newer research may exist.

Why researchers looked

Long folk use in Europe and Asia.

Traditional use

The final EU monograph (adopted 16 September 2010) lists three traditional uses: to increase urine flow as an adjuvant in minor urinary tract complaints, for temporary loss of appetite, and for seborrhoeic skin conditions. Spain has sold powdered or cut root as tea since 1973 (EU report).

Proposed mechanism Traditional use

None established. Handbooks cited by the EU report call the root a diuretic and 'blood purifier'.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

The EU monograph advises against using it with synthetic diuretics. See the Safety tab.

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Blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and artery stiffness

Not enough evidence

A Korean study of 40 older women tested water exercise and 'burdock intake' for 12 weeks. Blood fats fell in the exercise groups, and the abstract does not show a clear change for burdock alone. We cannot tell whether the burdock was tea.

2 studies'Burdock extract' per the abstract's wording; not necessarily tea.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Randomized trial of 40 women aged 70 to 80 (Ha 2018): control (8), water exercise (11), exercise plus burdock (11), burdock only (10), for 12 weeks. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL fell within the exercise group and the exercise-plus-burdock group. Artery stiffness (pulse wave velocity) did not change in any group. The abstract does not report a significant change for burdock alone, and does not say what form of burdock was used.

Results

No clear effect of burdock alone shown; exercise could explain the changes.

Effect sizes as reported

p < 0.05 to p < 0.001 within the two exercise groups; no significant change in pulse wave velocity.

Why this rating

Our own reading: tiny groups, product and form not stated, and no burdock-only effect reported.

Form and dose studied

'Burdock extract' per the abstract's wording; not necessarily tea.

Who was studied

Korean women aged 70 to 80.

Limits

Very small groups; exercise is a confounder; the authors' wording is stronger than the data in the abstract.

Why researchers looked

Reviews describe lower blood fats in animal studies of burdock root.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

Not established. Reviews describe fat-lowering effects in animals and lab tests.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

None specific to this use.

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Blood sugar and type 2 diabetes

Not enough evidence

Cell and animal work suggests burdock compounds may affect blood sugar. Two reviews say no human diabetes trial exists. The EU report even records a mouse study in which a leaf decoction made high blood sugar worse. So there is no sound basis to use burdock tea for diabetes.

3 studiesMost animal work used extracts or isolated compounds, not tea.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

Nothing shown in people.

Why this rating

No human studies; animal findings are mixed (EU report).

Form and dose studied

Most animal work used extracts or isolated compounds, not tea.

Limits

Lab and animal results often do not carry over to people.

Why researchers looked

Traditional reputation and lab results on glucose uptake.

Traditional use

The EU report notes that the root caused low blood sugar in rats while a mouse study with a leaf preparation found the opposite.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

Reviews describe activation of AMPK and more GLUT4 movement in cells and animals.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Do not replace diabetes medicine with burdock tea. People on diabetes medicines should ask a pharmacist.

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Polycystic ovary syndrome (root powder, not tea)

Very low certainty

A small Iranian trial gave women with PCOS burdock root powder for 12 weeks. Blood antioxidant and inflammation markers improved and ovary size was smaller than with placebo. This was a powder, not a tea, so it does not show that tea does the same.

1 studiesRoot powder, not tea. No amounts given here.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 60 women with PCOS for 12 weeks (Taheri 2026): SOD and catalase rose, MDA and CRP fell, and both ovaries were smaller than with placebo. Hirsutism score and menstrual frequency results are not given in the abstract.

Results

Marker and ultrasound changes in one small trial of a different form (powder).

Effect sizes as reported

SOD, catalase, MDA, CRP all P < 0.001; right ovary volume P = 0.02, left P = 0.01.

Why this rating

Our own reading: 60 women, one centre, markers rather than symptoms or pregnancy, and a form other than tea.

Form and dose studied

Root powder, not tea. No amounts given here.

Who was studied

Women with PCOS in Arak, Iran.

Limits

Small; short; one centre; powder.

Why researchers looked

PCOS involves chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress.

Proposed mechanism Theory

Not established.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No harms reported in the abstract.

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Helicobacter pylori (a four-ingredient 'burdock complex', not tea)

Very low certainty

A small Taiwanese trial tested a product that combines burdock with angelica, gromwell and sesame oil. Breath-test values and inflammation markers improved against placebo. The product is a mix, so burdock cannot be credited, and it is not tea.

1 studiesA manufactured 'complex', not burdock tea.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 36 people with H. pylori and no symptoms (19 on the complex, 17 on placebo) for 8 weeks (Yen 2018). The urea breath test value and inflammation markers fell versus placebo; the abstract also says the ulcer wound healed.

Results

Improved markers in a very small trial of a multi-herb product.

Effect sizes as reported

P < 0.05 for the breath test and markers; means not in the abstract.

Why this rating

Our own reading: 36 people, a four-ingredient product, and no confirmation.

Form and dose studied

A manufactured 'complex', not burdock tea.

Who was studied

Adults with H. pylori and no symptoms.

Limits

Very small; the effect cannot be assigned to burdock.

Why researchers looked

The combination is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional use

Traditional Chinese medicine, per the paper's abstract.

Proposed mechanism Cell study

The paper reports reduced H. pylori sticking to stomach cells in a dish.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

H. pylori needs medical treatment; do not use a tea instead.

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'Detox', 'blood purifier' and liver claims

Not enough evidence

Burdock is widely marketed for 'detox'. We found no human study showing this. A published case report goes the other way: liver injury after a multi-herb 'detox' tea that contained burdock root, though burdock could not be singled out.

2 studiesMulti-herb detox teas; the body already clears waste through the live…

Studies, doses and limits

Results

No benefit shown; one possible harm in a blend.

Why this rating

No human trials for detox or liver protection.

Form and dose studied

Multi-herb detox teas; the body already clears waste through the liver and kidneys.

Limits

A case report cannot say which ingredient caused the injury or how often it happens.

Why researchers looked

Popular marketing, and animal studies of liver protection.

Traditional use

The EU assessment report records the root as a 'blood purifier' in handbooks (De Smet 1993); the monograph does not list this as a use.

Proposed mechanism Traditional use

None shown in people.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

See the Safety tab for liver warning signs.

^{18 5}

Connections to the rest of health

How Burdock Root Tea connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.

Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes

Kind of connection Connected to Search

A. Wellness goals

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Joint Support	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Knee osteoarthritis: inflammation and oxidative stress markers: One small Iranian trial gave people with knee osteoarthritis burdock root tea every day for six weeks. Their blood markers of inflammation went down and antioxidant markers went up, compared with people who drank plain hot water. The abstract does not report pain, stiffness or walking, so we do not know if people felt better.	^{14 5}
Inflammation Balance	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Knee osteoarthritis: inflammation and oxidative stress markers: One small Iranian trial gave people with knee osteoarthritis burdock root tea every day for six weeks. Their blood markers of inflammation went down and antioxidant markers went up, compared with people who drank plain hot water. The abstract does not report pain, stiffness or walking, so we do not know if people felt better.	^{14 5}
Gut Health	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Return of diverticulitis (inflamed pouches in the colon): In a Japanese trial, people who had just had a first attack of diverticulitis and drank burdock tea had fewer repeat attacks than people given nothing. The trial was not blinded and its numbers do not fully add up, so it is a hint, not proof. Burdock tea did not reduce repeat bleeding from the colon pouches. Helicobacter pylori (a four-ingredient 'burdock complex', not tea): A small Taiwanese trial tested a product that combines burdock with angelica, gromwell and sesame oil. Breath-test values and inflammation markers improved against placebo. The product is a mix, so burdock cannot be credited, and it is not tea.	^{15 26}
Digestive Support	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Return of diverticulitis (inflamed pouches in the colon): In a Japanese trial, people who had just had a first attack of diverticulitis and drank burdock tea had fewer repeat attacks than people given nothing. The trial was not blinded and its numbers do not fully add up, so it is a hint, not proof. Burdock tea did not reduce repeat bleeding from the colon pouches. Helicobacter pylori (a four-ingredient 'burdock complex', not tea): A small Taiwanese trial tested a product that combines burdock with angelica, gromwell and sesame oil. Breath-test values and inflammation markers improved against placebo. The product is a mix, so burdock cannot be credited, and it is not tea.	^{15 26}
Detoxification Support	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	Traditional EU uses: urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin: The European herbal committee accepts burdock root, as a herbal tea among other forms, as a traditional medicine for a few minor complaints. It says plainly that this rests on long use, and that no controlled clinical studies of root preparations were found. 'Detox', 'blood purifier' and liver claims: Burdock is widely marketed for 'detox'. We found no human study showing this. A published case report goes the other way: liver injury after a multi-herb 'detox' tea that contained burdock root, though burdock could not be singled out.	^{4 5 18}
Cholesterol Balance	Potential benefit	Not enough evidence	Blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and artery stiffness: A Korean study of 40 older women tested water exercise and 'burdock intake' for 12 weeks. Blood fats fell in the exercise groups, and the abstract does not show a clear change for burdock alone. We cannot tell whether the burdock was tea.	^{11 16}
Blood Sugar Balance		Not enough evidence	Blood sugar and type 2 diabetes: Cell and animal work suggests burdock compounds may affect blood sugar. Two reviews say no human diabetes trial exists. The EU report even records a mouse study in which a leaf decoction made high blood sugar worse. So there is no sound basis to use burdock tea for diabetes.	^{1 24 5}
Womens Wellness	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Polycystic ovary syndrome (root powder, not tea): A small Iranian trial gave women with PCOS burdock root powder for 12 weeks. Blood antioxidant and inflammation markers improved and ovary size was smaller than with placebo. This was a powder, not a tea, so it does not show that tea does the same.	²³
Hormone Balance	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Polycystic ovary syndrome (root powder, not tea): A small Iranian trial gave women with PCOS burdock root powder for 12 weeks. Blood antioxidant and inflammation markers improved and ovary size was smaller than with placebo. This was a powder, not a tea, so it does not show that tea does the same.	²³
Liver Support	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	'Detox', 'blood purifier' and liver claims: Burdock is widely marketed for 'detox'. We found no human study showing this. A published case report goes the other way: liver injury after a multi-herb 'detox' tea that contained burdock root, though burdock could not be singled out.	^{18 5}

B. Body systems

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Nervous system	Adverse effect or risk	Very low certainty	Anticholinergic poisoning reports from contaminated tea; atropine is not a burdock compound. Preparation or compound: Burdock root tea contaminated with nightshade alkaloids	^{20 3 5}
Immune system	Adverse effect or risk	Very low certainty	One reported anaphylaxis after boiled burdock root; daisy-family cross-reaction assumed; one report of very low platelets after a burdock and yellow dock tea. Preparation or compound: Burdock root eaten as food or tea	^{22 13 5}
Musculoskeletal System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Knee osteoarthritis: inflammation and oxidative stress markers	^{14 5}
Immune System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Knee osteoarthritis: inflammation and oxidative stress markers	^{14 5}
Digestive System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Return of diverticulitis (inflamed pouches in the colon) Studied for: Traditional EU uses: urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin	^{15 4 5 26}
Urinary System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Traditional EU uses: urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin	^{4 5}
Integumentary System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Traditional EU uses: urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin	^{4 5}
Cardiovascular System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and artery stiffness	^{11 16}
Endocrine System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Blood sugar and type 2 diabetes	^{1 24 5}
Reproductive System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Polycystic ovary syndrome (root powder, not tea)	²³
Hepatic System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: 'Detox', 'blood purifier' and liver claims	^{18 5}

C. Body parts and organs

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Liver	Adverse effect or risk	Very low certainty	One cholestatic liver injury case in a six-herb tea; burdock cannot be singled out. Preparation or compound: Multi-herb detox tea including burdock root	¹⁸

E. Health conditions

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Pregnancy and breastfeeding	Contraindication	Not enough evidence	Not recommended due to lack of safety data (EU). Preparation or compound: Burdock root	^{4 5}
Pregnancy	Contraindication	Not enough evidence	Not recommended for lack of safety data (EU). Preparation or compound: Burdock root tea	⁴
Knee osteoarthritis	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	One small trial improved blood markers; pain not reported in the abstract. Preparation or compound: Burdock root tea	¹⁴

I. Biomarkers

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁴
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁴
Malondialdehyde (MDA)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁴
Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁴

L. Active compounds

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Inulin (inulin-type fructans)	Biological association	In vitro	Prebiotic fibre that feeds gut bacteria in lab tests; reviews note burdock as a source. Preparation or compound: Root	^{5 16}
Chlorogenic acid	Biological association	In vitro	Antioxidant in lab tests. Preparation or compound: Root (and leaf)	^{5 16 19}
Caffeic acid	Biological association	In vitro	Antioxidant in lab tests. Preparation or compound: Root	^{5 19}
Quercetin	Biological association	In vitro	Antioxidant in lab tests. Preparation or compound: Root (per review)	^{16 19}
Dehydrocostus lactone	Biological association	Authoritative guidance	Sesquiterpene lactones of this kind are the likely cause of allergic reactions to daisy-family plants (EU report). Preparation or compound: Root (essential oil)	^{5 19}
Arctiopicrin	Biological association	Authoritative guidance	Named by the EU report as a weak sensitizer.	^{5 19}
Arctiin and arctigenin (fruit lignans)	Biological association	In vitro	Most anti-inflammatory lab work is on arctigenin; a review says it is extensively broken down and attached to sugars in the liver, gut and blood, which may limit effects after swallowing. Lab results on these do not apply to root tea. Preparation or compound: Fruit (main); less in root	^{10 12 19}
Atropine (a contaminant, not a burdock compound)	Biological association	Human	Blocks acetylcholine receptors; causes dry mouth, fast heartbeat, confusion. Preparation or compound: Not in burdock; found in contaminated teas	^{20 3 5 19}

Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 25, 2026).

Evidence at a glance: what changed in 4 lab markers

Tap a number to show only those markers. Counts are markers, not people.

Inflammatory2 Other11

The evidence

The research centre for Burdock Root Tea. Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.

Evidence by outcome

Knee osteoarthritis: inflammation and oxidative stress markers 2 studies · 36 people in trials Very low certainty Return of diverticulitis (inflamed pouches in the colon) 1 study · 161 people in trials Very low certainty Traditional EU uses: urine flow, appetite and seborrhoeic skin 2 studies Not enough evidence Blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and artery stiffness 2 studies · 40 people in trials Not enough evidence Blood sugar and type 2 diabetes 3 studies Not enough evidence Polycystic ovary syndrome (root powder, not tea) 1 study · 60 people in trials Very low certainty Helicobacter pylori (a four-ingredient 'burdock complex', not tea) 1 study · 36 people in trials Very low certainty 'Detox', 'blood purifier' and liver claims 2 studies Not enough evidence

Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).

How we rate evidence

High certainty

Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.

Moderate certainty

Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.

Low certainty

Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.

Very low certainty

Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.

Mixed findings

Trials or reviews disagree with each other.

Not enough evidence

Not enough human research to say either way.

Evidence against

Good research found no benefit, or found harm.

We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We searched PubMed for burdock tea and Arctium lappa, checked every cited record by its summary and read the abstracts, and read the final EU monograph and the EU assessment report in full. Case reports without abstracts were checked by title only and their details come from the EU assessment. Not opened: NCCIH, LiverTox, LactMed, Commission E, WHO. Ratings are the compiler's own reading, not formal grades.

Study library: every study we checked 26

Design Research type Year from Search

Study	Design	People	Product, dose, length	Result
Annunziata 2019 Arctium lappa contributes to the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus by regulating glucose homeostasis and improving oxidative stress: A critical review of in vitro and in vivo animal-based studies Phytother Res · PMID 31232489 · DOI	Narrative review mixed	Critical review of in vitro and animal studies of Arctium lappa in type 2 diabetes	Arctium lappa and its compounds various	Found only lab and animal studies. Its authors state that no clinical studies in people with type 2 diabetes had been conducted. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Blood sugar, insulin resistance, oxidative stress Limitations: Review is from 2019; later human trials were not covered. Read: abstract
Bryson 1978 Burdock root tea poisoning. Case report involving a commercial preparation JAMA · PMID 642161	Case report	Burdock root tea poisoning, 'case report involving a commercial preparation'	Commercial burdock root tea root Not read Not read	Title only was verified; the report's details were not read. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Poisoning after commercial burdock root tea Limitations: Title and journal verified in PubMed; no abstract exists, text not read. The PubMed record has no abstract, so only the title and the EU assessment's summary of the case were read. Read: title-only
Chan 2017 Worldwide Occurrence and Investigations of Contamination of Herbal Medicines by Tropane Alkaloids Toxins (Basel) · PMID 28914776 · DOI	Narrative review	Worldwide reports 1978-2014 of anticholinergic poisoning from herbal teas and herbs contaminated with tropane alkaloids	Herbal teas and herbs contaminated with Solanaceae plants various	Almost all reports in 1978-2014 involve herbal teas or one of the prescribed herbs in a mixed formula. Contamination most likely happens during harvest or processing. The alkaloids are fairly heat-stable and can be present in large amounts. WHO good agricultural and collection practices and DNA barcoding are advised. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Occurrence and investigation of tropane alkaloid contamination Limitations: Burdock is not named in the abstract; which burdock cases the review counts was not read. Read: abstract
EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) 2010 Community herbal monograph on Arctium lappa L., radix (final, adopted 16 September 2010) EMA/HMPC/246763/2009 · Source	Authoritative guidance	Adults; traditional use only	Burdock root (Arctii radix) root	Final text read on 2026-10-25. Traditional use only: to increase urine flow as an adjuvant in minor urinary tract complaints, for temporary loss of appetite, and for seborrhoeic skin conditions, based only on long-standing use. Comminuted root as a herbal tea is one listed form (amounts not repeated here). Contraindication: hypersensitivity to burdock or to plants of the daisy family (Asteraceae). Not established for under 18. Concomitant synthetic diuretics not recommended. Interactions: none reported. Pregnancy and lactation: not recommended for lack of data. Undesirable effect: anaphylactic shock, frequency not known. No case of overdose reported. Tests on reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity have not been performed. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Traditional uses, contraindications, warnings, interactions, pregnancy and lactation, undesirable effects, overdose Limitations: Traditional-use document; it does not show that burdock works. Read: full-text
EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) 2011 Assessment report on Arctium lappa L., radix (burdock root) EMA/HMPC/246764/2009 (26 pages, read in full) · Source	Authoritative guidance	Adults; traditional use only	Burdock root (Arctii radix) root	Read again in full on 2026-10-25. Concludes burdock root preparations can only be considered for traditional use because no controlled clinical studies of root preparations were found. Safe under the monograph's conditions, but no list entry because reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity tests have not been done on the root. Main risks: allergy (probably sesquiterpene lactones; cross-reaction with other daisy-family plants assumed), one reported anaphylaxis after boiled burdock root (53-year-old man, also allergic to carrot), three contact dermatitis cases from plasters, and a tea contaminated with an herbal source of nightshade alkaloids, possibly belladonna root. Substitution with comfrey or broad-leaved dock is also mentioned. No documented drug interactions; nothing known about an added effect with diuretic drugs. Pregnancy and breastfeeding use not recommended for insufficient data. No overdose reported. The report records that the root is used as a vegetable, mainly in Japan, and that powdered or cut root has been sold as tea in Spain since 1973. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Traditional uses, contraindications, warnings, interactions, pregnancy and lactation, undesirable effects, overdose Limitations: Traditional-use document; it does not prove burdock works. Safety statements rely on handbooks (De Smet 1993, Barnes 2007) and a few case reports. Read: full-text
Fletcher 1978 Burdock root tea poisoning JAMA · PMID 691140 · DOI	Case report	Burdock root tea poisoning (letter)	Burdock root tea root Not read Not read	Title only was verified; the letter's details were not read. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Poisoning after burdock root tea Limitations: Title and journal verified in PubMed; no abstract exists, text not read. The PubMed record has no abstract, so only the title and the EU assessment's summary of the case were read. Read: title-only
GANDOLFO 1953 [Atropine poisoning by ingestion of decoction of burdock roots] Rend Ist Sup Sanit · PMID 13167508	Case report	Atropine poisoning from a decoction of burdock roots (Italian paper, 1953)	Decoction of burdock roots root Not read Not read	Title only was verified; the paper's details were not read. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Atropine poisoning Limitations: Title and journal verified in PubMed; no abstract exists, text not read. The PubMed record has no abstract, so only the title and the EU assessment's summary of the case were read. Read: title-only
GBIF 2026 GBIF Backbone Taxonomy matches for Arctium minus (5393103), Arctium tomentosum (5393080), Atropa belladonna (3802655, family Solanaceae) and Rumex obtusifolius (2889011, family Polygonaceae) GBIF API, read 2026-10-25 · Source	Database record	Plant name records		Arctium minus and Arctium tomentosum are separate accepted species; deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) is in the nightshade family Solanaceae, not Asteraceae; broad-leaved dock is Rumex obtusifolius, family Polygonaceae. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Accepted names and families of look-alikes and contaminants Limitations: Name database. Read: full-text
GBIF 2026 GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Arctium lappa L. (usageKey 7353729) GBIF API, read 2026-10-25 · Source	Database record	Plant name record		Accepted species Arctium lappa L., Sp. Pl.: 816 (1753), family Asteraceae, order Asterales; synonyms returned include Arctium edule Beger, Arctium lappa Willd. 1803, Lappa vulgaris and Lappa bardana var. major. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Accepted name, authority, family, synonyms Limitations: Name database, not a clinical source. Read: full-text
Gao 2018 Overview of the anti-inflammatory effects, pharmacokinetic properties and clinical efficacies of arctigenin and arctiin from Arctium lappa L Acta Pharmacol Sin · PMID 29698388 · DOI	Narrative review mixed	Overview of arctigenin and arctiin: anti-inflammatory effects, pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy	Arctigenin and arctiin from Arctium lappa fruit/various	Arctigenin is more potent than arctiin in most studies. It is extensively glucuronidated and hydrolysed in liver, gut and plasma, which may limit its effect after swallowing. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Anti-inflammatory activity and what the body does with the compounds Limitations: Narrative review. Read: abstract
Ha 2018 Effects of aquarobic exercise and burdock intake on serum blood lipids and vascular elasticity in Korean elderly women Exp Gerontol · PMID 29154814 · DOI	Controlled trial	40 Women aged 70-80, Korea (control 8, exercise 11, exercise plus burdock 11, burdock only 10)	Burdock intake ('burdock extract'; exact product and plant part not stated in the abstract) unspecified 12 weeks · vs Control group; a water-exercise group	Blood lipids fell in the water-exercise group and the exercise-plus-burdock group. The abstract does not report a significant change for burdock alone, and pulse wave velocity did not change significantly in any group. p<0.05 to p<0.001 within the exercise and the exercise-plus-burdock groups; no significant pulse-wave-velocity change in any group. Values not in the abstract. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Blood total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, and pulse wave velocity (artery stiffness) Limitations: Very small groups (8 to 11), exercise could explain the lipid change, burdock-alone result not reported as significant, product and dose unknown, authors' wording about burdock is stronger than the abstract's data. Read: abstract
Jin 2023 A systematic review on botany, ethnopharmacology, quality control, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of Arctium lappa L. fruit J Ethnopharmacol · PMID 36781057 · DOI	Systematic review mixed	Systematic review of Arctium lappa fruit (Arctii Fructus): botany, ethnopharmacology, chemistry, pharmacology and toxicity	Arctii Fructus (fruit) and its lignans fruit	More than 200 compounds were identified; the fruit extract had no toxicity in the studies reviewed, but arctigenin itself was toxic at a certain dose. The authors say clinical studies show effects on chronic inflammation and ageing, but the abstract gives no details. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity Limitations: Abstract only; clinical claims not checked. Read: abstract
Latif 2022 Herbal Teas and Thrombocytopenia: A Curious Case of Yellow Dock and Burdock-Induced Thrombocytopenia Eur J Case Rep Intern Med · PMID 35402325 · DOI	Case report	1 A 38-year-old woman with a platelet count of 5 K/microlitre one week after drinking a herbal tea	Herbal tea containing yellow dock (Rumex crispus) and burdock (Arctium lappa) unspecified About one week before presentation	Symptomatic thrombocytopenia developed one week after the tea. The authors suggest a link but say the association between these herbs and immune thrombocytopenia needs research. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Immune thrombocytopenia (very low platelets) Limitations: One case, two herbs in the tea, so the cause cannot be pinned on burdock; no frequency can be drawn from a single report. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Maghsoumi-Norouzabad 2016 Effects of Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) root tea on inflammatory status and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis Int J Rheum Dis · PMID 25350500 · DOI	Controlled trial	36 Adults aged 50-70 with knee osteoarthritis (10 men, 26 women), Tabriz, Iran	Burdock root tea (infusion) root Daily cups of tea (amounts not repeated here) 42 days · vs Plain boiled water; everyone in both groups also took acetaminophen and glucosamine	Burdock tea lowered IL-6, hs-CRP and malondialdehyde and raised total antioxidant capacity and SOD activity versus control. GPX rose but not significantly. Pain, stiffness and function were not reported in the abstract. IL-6 P = 0.002; hs-CRP P = 0.003; MDA P < 0.001; TAC P < 0.001; SOD P = 0.009. Mean values and confidence intervals are not in the abstract. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Blood hs-CRP and IL-6 (inflammation), and oxidative stress markers (TAC, SOD, GPX, MDA) Limitations: Very small trial (36), 6 weeks, blood markers only and no pain or function result in the abstract, background drugs given to everyone, blinding not stated in the abstract, one centre. Read: abstract
Mizuki 2019 Effects of Burdock tea on recurrence of colonic diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding: An open-labelled randomized clinical trial Sci Rep · PMID 31043657 · DOI	Controlled trial	161 Adults newly diagnosed with colonic diverticular bleeding (n = 91) or acute colonic diverticulitis (n = 70), Japan	Burdock tea unspecified (the abstract does not say which part) Tea taken daily (amounts not repeated here) Median follow-up about 22 months (bleeding group) and 30 months (diverticulitis group) · vs No treatment	Diverticulitis came back less often with burdock tea (10.6% versus 31.8%) and the time free of recurrence was longer. Diverticular bleeding recurrence was not significantly different. Diverticulitis recurrence 5/47 (10.6%) versus 14/44 (31.8%); Kaplan-Meier recurrence-free time 59.3 months (95% CI 54.0-64.7) versus 45.1 months (37.1-53.0), log-rank P = 0.012. No significant effect on bleeding recurrence. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Recurrence of diverticular bleeding and of acute diverticulitis Limitations: Open-label (no placebo, patients knew their group), so expectations and other habits may differ. The abstract's diverticulitis group sizes (47 and 44, which add to 91) do not match the stated 70 diverticulitis patients, so the exact counts should be checked in the full paper. Japanese patients only. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Moro 2021 Burdock (Arctium lappa L) roots as a source of inulin-type fructans and other bioactive compounds: Current knowledge and future perspectives for food and non-food applications Food Res Int · PMID 33641945 · DOI	Narrative review mixed	Review of burdock root as a source of inulin-type fructans and other compounds	Burdock root root	Burdock root is a source of prebiotic fibre, chlorogenic acids, lignans and quercetin; assays show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering properties (lab). Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemistry and food uses Limitations: Narrative review; mostly lab work. Read: abstract
NCBI 2026 NCBI Taxonomy: Arctium lappa (taxid 4217), great burdock NCBI Taxonomy, read 2026-10-25 · Source	Database record	Plant name record		Arctium lappa, authority L., 1753, rank species, GenBank common name 'great burdock'. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Accepted name, common name, rank Limitations: Name database, not a clinical source. Read: full-text
Niazi 2022 Drug-Induced Liver Injury from Herbal Liver Detoxification Tea Case Rep Gastroenterol · PMID 36636365 · DOI	Case report	1 A 36-year-old woman with acute liver injury (cholestatic pattern)	Over-the-counter herbal 'liver detox' tea: burdock root, stinging nettle leaf, cleavers herb, dandelion root, lemon peel and lemon myrtle leaf root+leaf+herb (mixed)	The authors describe liver injury linked to the six-herb tea and call it the first reported liver harm from any of its ingredients. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Drug-induced liver injury Limitations: One case, six ingredients, so the cause cannot be pinned on burdock; no causality score is in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
PubChem (NCBI) 2026 PubChem compound records for arctigenin (CID 64981), arctiin (100528), chlorogenic acid (1794427), caffeic acid (689043), 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (122685), quercetin (5280343), luteolin (5280445), (-)-matairesinol (119205), (-)-trachelogenin (452855), dehydrocostus lactone (73174), arctiopicrin (5281423) and atropine (174174) PubChem PUG REST, read 2026-10-25 · Source	Database record	Compound records		CIDs and molecular formulas confirmed by name lookup. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Compound identities and formulas Limitations: Database record, not a clinical source. Inulin returned no single compound record (it is a mixture of chains). Read: full-text
Rhoads 1984 Anticholinergic poisonings associated with commercial burdock root tea J Toxicol Clin Toxicol · PMID 6535850 · DOI	Case report	People who drank a commercial burdock root tea (Arizona); a second laboratory-confirmed case had been described before	Commercial burdock root tea root Not repeated here Single exposures	The tea contained atropine and caused mild anticholinergic symptoms. The authors could not tell whether the atropine came from burdock root itself or from another plant mixed into the product. The authors estimated an atropine-type exposure; the figure is not repeated here. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Anticholinergic poisoning (atropine-type) Limitations: Case report. The PubMed record has no abstract; the summary was read in a university research repository by an earlier check, so this entry is marked summary-only. Read: summary-only
Rodriguez 1995 Allergic contact dermatitis due to burdock (Arctium lappa) Contact Dermatitis · PMID 8549139 · DOI	Case report	Allergic contact dermatitis due to burdock (Spain)	Burdock (Arctium lappa) by skin contact; plant part not read unspecified Not read Not read	Title only was verified; details were not read. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Allergic contact dermatitis Limitations: Title and journal verified in PubMed; no abstract exists, text not read. The PubMed record has no abstract, so only the title and the EU assessment's summary of the case were read. Read: title-only
Sasaki 2003 Anaphylaxis due to burdock Int J Dermatol · PMID 12786879 · DOI	Case report	1 Anaphylaxis due to burdock (letter, Tohoku University, Japan)	Burdock (food; part not read) unspecified Not read Not read	Title only was verified; the letter's details were not read. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Anaphylaxis Limitations: Title and journal verified in PubMed; no abstract exists, text not read. The PubMed record has no abstract, so only the title and the EU assessment's summary of the case were read. Read: title-only
Taheri 2026 Effects of Arctium lappa L. Root Powder on Some Markers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial Study JBRA Assist Reprod · PMID 41757842 · DOI	Controlled trial	60 Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Arak, Iran, 2023-2024	Burdock root powder (capsule form, not tea) root A daily powder amount (not repeated here) 12 weeks · vs Placebo	Superoxide dismutase and catalase rose, malondialdehyde and C-reactive protein fell, and both ovaries were smaller versus placebo. The abstract does not report results for hirsutism score or menstrual frequency. SOD and catalase up, MDA and CRP down (all P < 0.001); right ovary volume P = 0.02, left P = 0.01. Group means are not in the abstract. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Oxidative stress and inflammation markers, ovary volume, hirsutism score, menstrual frequency Limitations: Small (30 per group), 12 weeks, one centre, convenience sample, blood markers and ultrasound volume rather than symptoms or pregnancy. Hirsutism and menstrual results not given in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
Uzbekova 2026 Unveiling the Antihyperglycemic Potential of Arctium lappa L. (Asteraceae): Traditional Application, Phytochemistry, and Molecular Insights Foods · PMID 41750986 · DOI	Narrative review mixed	Narrative review (2000-2025) of Arctium lappa and blood sugar	Arctium lappa and its compounds (arctigenin, arctiin, inulin) various	Antidiabetic effects seen in cells and animals; limited human data are in people without diabetes and look at inflammation. The authors call for randomized trials of blood sugar control in people with diabetes. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Blood sugar mechanisms and safety Limitations: Narrative review. Read: abstract
Yang 2025 Immunopharmacological potential of Arctium lappa L. in immune-mediated skin diseases: A critical review of experimental and clinical evidence Front Pharmacol · PMID 41111517 · DOI	Systematic review mixed	Experimental and clinical work on Arctium lappa, arctiin and arctigenin in immune-mediated skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, lupus, alopecia, systemic sclerosis, vasculitis); searched to July 2025	Arctium lappa extracts, arctiin, arctigenin various	Mostly cell and mouse data on mixed preparations with limited clinical validation. The authors call the evidence preliminary and note there are no robust randomized trials. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Immune and skin effects Limitations: Narrative synthesis of heterogeneous studies; no human-trial result is drawn from it. Read: abstract
Yen 2018 Beneficial effect of Burdock complex on asymptomatic Helicobacter pylori-infected subjects: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial Helicobacter · PMID 29520881 · DOI	Controlled trial	36 People with H. pylori and no symptoms (urea breath test above 10%), Taiwan; 19 took the complex and 17 took placebo	'Burdock complex': burdock (Arctium lappa) with angelica (Angelica sinensis), gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon) and sesame oil. A multi-ingredient product, not tea. mixed Not repeated here 8 weeks (tests at weeks 4, 8 and 10) · vs Placebo	Versus placebo, the breath-test value and inflammation markers fell, antioxidant capacity rose and the ulcer wound was described as healing. The same paper also had cell-dish tests. P < 0.05 for the breath test and markers; group means are not in the abstract. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Urea breath test, inflammation markers, antioxidant capacity, endoscopy Limitations: Very small (36). The product is a four-ingredient traditional Chinese combination, so burdock cannot be credited. Endoscopy findings are described, not counted, in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract

What we do not know yet

What the evidence supports: two small trials of the tea, each very low certainty, plus traditional EU use.
What is uncertain: whether the tea relieves pain in osteoarthritis, the plant part used in the diverticulitis trial, and whether the tea contains caffeine.
Not found or not opened: any blinded trial of burdock tea; NCCIH, LiverTox, LactMed, Commission E, WHO; testing of heavy metals or pesticides in burdock tea products; the details of the 1953 and 1978 poisoning papers (title only).

How new research is added

New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and placed in a review queue. A person checks each one before it is added.

Lab markers

What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".

Inflammatory 2

▼

C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)

Lowered in trials

A blood protein that rises with inflammation.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A common marker of body-wide inflammation.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Statistically significant in one small trial; a lower CRP does not by itself mean less pain.

Safety implication

None identified from this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁴	hs-CRP was significantly lower with burdock root tea than with water (P = 0.003); values are not in the abstract.	36 adults aged 50 to 70 with knee osteoarthritis	Burdock root tea, daily cups, 42 days

¹⁴

▼

Interleukin-6 (IL-6)

Lowered in trials

A signalling protein of the immune system that rises in inflammation.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A marker of inflammation.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

One small trial; a blood marker, not a symptom.

Safety implication

None identified from this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁴	Serum IL-6 was significantly lower with tea than with water (P = 0.002).	36 adults aged 50 to 70 with knee osteoarthritis	Burdock root tea, daily cups, 42 days

¹⁴

Other 2

▼

Malondialdehyde (MDA)

Lowered in trials

A chemical left behind when fats are damaged by oxidation.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A marker of oxidative stress.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

One small trial; lab markers of oxidative stress are an indirect measure.

Safety implication

None identified from this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁴	MDA was significantly lower with tea (P < 0.001).	36 adults aged 50 to 70 with knee osteoarthritis	Burdock root tea, daily cups, 42 days

¹⁴

▲

Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)

Raised in trials

Measures of the body's antioxidant defences.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Markers of antioxidant status.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

One small trial; higher antioxidant markers have not been shown to mean better health.

Safety implication

None identified from this measure.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁴	TAC (P < 0.001) and SOD activity (P = 0.009) rose with tea; GPX activity rose but not significantly.	36 adults aged 50 to 70 with knee osteoarthritis	Burdock root tea, daily cups, 42 days

¹⁴

Safety

What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.

Main points to know 6

Contaminated burdock root tea has caused atropine-type poisoning. Burdock root does not contain atropine. But since 1953 doctors have reported people poisoned with atropine-type (anticholinergic) symptoms after drinking burdock root tea, including a commercial tea in the United States in the late 1970s and 1980s. The EU assessment says analysis of one tea showed contamination with a source of nightshade alkaloids, possibly belladonna root. One case report's authors could not tell whether the atropine came from the burdock or from another plant mixed in. This is a quality problem, not a normal effect of burdock, but you cannot see it by looking at a tea bag. A 2017 review says such contamination most likely happens during harvest or processing and that the alkaloids are fairly heat-stable. Case report ^{20 2 6 7 3 5}
Allergy: burdock is in the daisy family. Burdock belongs to the daisy family (Asteraceae), as do ragweed, chamomile, chicory and dandelion. The EU monograph lists hypersensitivity to burdock or to daisy-family plants as a contraindication. The EU assessment reports one case of anaphylaxis after eating boiled burdock root (a 53-year-old man, who also tested allergic to carrot) and three cases of contact dermatitis from burdock plasters. It names sesquiterpene lactones as the likely cause and assumes cross-reaction with other daisy-family plants. No frequency is known. Authoritative guidance ^{4 5 22 21}
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: not recommended, because there are no safety data. The final EU monograph says use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended for lack of data, and that use under 18 has not been established. The assessment report cites a handbook that mentions a possible uterine-stimulating action, but the committee found no case reports or studies that support it. So the advice rests on missing evidence, not on proven harm. Authoritative guidance ^{4 5}
Water pills, diabetes medicines and blood thinners: mostly theory. Burdock has a reputation as a diuretic, and the EU monograph advises against using it with synthetic diuretics, while the assessment report says nothing is known about an added effect. For diabetes medicines, lab and animal work suggests burdock might change blood sugar, but animal findings are mixed and no human interaction has been documented. For blood thinners we found no study. One case report describes very low platelets one week after a tea of burdock and yellow dock, so people with a bleeding problem or low platelets should ask a doctor first. Pharmacological theory ^{4 5 1 24 13}
Multi-herb teas make the cause of rare reports hard to pin down. A liver injury happened after a six-herb 'detox' tea and very low platelets after a burdock and yellow dock tea. Burdock may or may not have caused either. Single case reports cannot tell how often such things happen. Case report ^{18 13}
Caffeine: none reported in the sources we read. Burdock is not a tea-plant (Camellia) and none of the sources we read gives a caffeine figure for burdock root tea. We could not find a source that states it is caffeine-free, so check the label, especially for blends that also contain black or green tea. Other ⁵

Side effects 5

Effect	How often	Severity and recovery	Evidence
Atropine-type poisoning from contaminated burdock root tea Typical signs of this kind of poisoning are dry mouth, fast heartbeat, flushed skin and confusion; that list is general medical knowledge, not taken from these papers (most have no abstract). The 1984 report found mild symptoms. The cause was contamination or mix-up, not burdock itself.	Not established	serious Not described in the sources read	Case report ^{20 2 6 7 3 5}
Anaphylaxis after eating boiled burdock root One 53-year-old man in Japan, who also tested allergic to carrot. The EU monograph lists anaphylactic shock as an undesirable effect of unknown frequency.	Not established	serious Recovered after emergency treatment, per the EU summary	Case report ^{22 5}
Allergic contact dermatitis from burdock plasters or plant contact Three cases summarised in the EU report; a skin reaction, not from drinking tea.	Not established	moderate Not described in the sources read	Case report ^{21 5}
Immune thrombocytopenia (very low platelets) one week after a burdock and yellow dock tea A single 38-year-old woman; two herbs in the tea, so the cause is uncertain.	Not established	serious Treated like immune thrombocytopenia, per the authors	Case report ¹³
Acute liver injury (cholestatic pattern) after a herbal liver detox tea Six ingredients including burdock root; burdock cannot be singled out.	Not established	serious Not described in the abstract	Case report ¹⁸

Liver

We did not read a LiverTox entry for burdock. In people, one case report describes acute cholestatic liver injury after a six-herb detox tea that contained burdock root; the authors say it was the first liver report for any of those ingredients, and the cause could not be assigned to burdock. No trial of burdock tea in liver disease was found. ¹⁸

How often. No frequency is known. Not finding reports is not proof that none exist.

Monitoring. No agency monitoring advice was read. Anyone with liver disease, or on medicines that affect the liver, should ask a doctor first.

. ¹⁸

This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that Burdock Root Tea supports liver health.

Medicines and supplements 5

With	Why it matters	Importance	Evidence	What to do
Water pills (synthetic diuretics) prescription	Burdock has a traditional reputation as a diuretic, so a combined water-losing effect is theoretically possible.	The EU monograph does not recommend using burdock with synthetic diuretics; the assessment report says nothing is known about an added effect.	Authoritative guidance Low certainty ^{4 5}	If you take water pills, ask your doctor or pharmacist before using burdock tea.
Diabetes medicines (insulin, metformin, sulfonylureas and others) prescription	Cell and animal studies suggest burdock may alter blood sugar; results in animals are mixed.	No human interaction has been documented; no human trial of burdock on blood sugar was found.	Pharmacological theory Very low certainty ^{1 24 5}	Do not use burdock tea instead of diabetes medicine. If you use both, tell your care team.
Blood thinners and platelet medicines (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel and others) prescription	No tested mechanism. One case report links a burdock and yellow dock tea to very low platelets.	No interaction study exists; one case cannot show that burdock caused the low platelets.	Case report Very low certainty ¹³	If you take blood thinners, have a bleeding problem or face surgery, ask a doctor first.
Medicines with anticholinergic effects (some antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, bladder medicines) - only if a tea is contaminated with nightshade alkaloids prescription	A contaminated tea would add to the same effect as these medicines.	Applies to contaminated products, not pure burdock. No interaction case was found.	Pharmacological theory Very low certainty ^{20 3 5}	Buy only from makers who test for contamination, and get help if you develop dry mouth, racing heart, flushing or confusion.
Other medicines in general prescription	The EU monograph reports no interactions; the assessment report finds no concerns about interactions with conventional medicines.	No documented interactions (EU).	Authoritative guidance Low certainty ^{4 5}	Tell your pharmacist about every herb you take.

Who should check first 5

Situation	Advice	Evidence
Allergy to burdock or to daisy-family plants (ragweed, chamomile, chicory, dandelion, arnica, marigold)	Avoid. The EU monograph lists hypersensitivity to the plant or to Asteraceae as a contraindication.	Authoritative guidance ^{4 5}
Pregnancy and breastfeeding	Not recommended; there are no safety data (EU monograph). We did not read a LactMed entry.	Authoritative guidance ^{4 5}
Children and teenagers under 18	Use has not been established for lack of data (EU monograph).	Authoritative guidance ⁴
Bleeding disorders, low platelets or planned surgery	Ask a doctor first. This is precaution from one case report and missing data, not a proven risk.	Case report ¹³
Taking water pills	Ask a doctor first; the EU monograph does not recommend combining with synthetic diuretics.	Authoritative guidance ⁴

Overdose, product quality and regulators

Summary. The EU committee calls root preparations safe under the monograph's conditions but says tests on reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity have not been done on the root. The documented problems are contamination, substitution and allergy.

Animal. The EU report mentions a very old rat study with root in the diet and no tumours reported, which it says does not meet current standards.

Human doses studied. Not repeated here. Trials of tea lasted six weeks and about two years of follow-up; harms were not the focus of either abstract.

High dose or long term signals. No case of overdose has been reported (EU). No long-term safety study of root tea was found beyond the roughly two-year follow-up in one trial.

Toxic or hazardous parts. The root is the standard part. The burr-covered fruit heads have barbed hooks that can injure eyes and skin; this is not relevant to root tea.

The best-documented danger with burdock tea is not the plant but what can be mixed in with it.

Belladonna (atropine) contamination of root tea. Atropine-type poisoning after burdock root tea was reported in 1953 and in the late 1970s and 1980s. The EU assessment says analysis showed one tea was contaminated with an herbal source of nightshade alkaloids, possibly belladonna root, and that atropine is not a constituent of burdock. A 2017 review says herbal-tea poisonings of this kind most likely come from contamination during harvest or processing, and that these alkaloids are fairly heat-stable. ^{20 2 6 7 3 5}

Substitution with other roots. The EU assessment, citing a German handbook, says burdock root may be substituted with comfrey (Symphytum officinale) or broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius). ^{5 8}

No European Pharmacopoeia standard. The EU assessment notes there is no European Pharmacopoeia monograph for burdock root and says contamination or adulteration with serious health risks is possible and must be excluded by quality control. ⁵

Heavy metals, pesticides and pyrrolizidine alkaloids. We did not find a study that measured these in burdock root tea products. That is a gap, not proof of safety. ⁵

Body	Action	Date
European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) (European Union)	Final community herbal monograph on burdock root (Arctii radix), adopted 16 September 2010: traditional use only (minor urinary complaints, temporary loss of appetite, seborrhoeic skin conditions). Contraindication: hypersensitivity, including to daisy-family plants. Not established under 18; not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding; not recommended with synthetic diuretics. Anaphylactic shock reported, frequency unknown. source	2010-09-16
European Medicines Agency, HMPC assessment report (European Union)	Concludes root preparations can only be considered for traditional use; 'safe but no list entry'. Main concerns are belladonna contamination, substitution and allergy. source	2011-04-13

When to get medical help

Trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, widespread hives, dizziness or fainting soon after eating or drinking burdock: call emergency services now (possible anaphylaxis).
Very dry mouth, flushed hot skin, racing heartbeat, wide pupils, confusion, hallucinations or being unable to pass urine after a burdock tea: stop the tea, keep the package and get emergency care (possible atropine-type poisoning from contamination).
Easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, tiny red or purple skin spots or black stools: see a doctor promptly (low platelets).
Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools or severe itching: see a doctor promptly (liver injury).

Stop using the product and contact a clinician or emergency service. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.

General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is burdock root tea?

A tea made from the dried root of Arctium lappa, a daisy-family plant. The same root is eaten in Japan as gobo.

^{5 9}

Does burdock root tea have health benefits?

Not proven. Two small trials exist: one found better blood markers in knee osteoarthritis and one found fewer repeat diverticulitis attacks. Both are weak. The EU committee found no controlled clinical studies of root preparations.

^{14 15 5}

Does it help knee osteoarthritis?

One six-week trial of 36 people found lower inflammation and oxidative stress markers than water. The abstract does not report pain or movement, and everyone also took pain medicine. One small trial is not enough.

¹⁴

Does burdock tea stop diverticulitis coming back?

One open-label Japanese trial found fewer repeat attacks (10.6% versus 31.8%) but no benefit for repeat bleeding. People knew their group and the abstract's counts do not fully match. Talk to your doctor about diverticulitis.

¹⁵

Is it a good detox or blood purifier?

There is no human study showing this. The 'blood purifier' label comes from folk-medicine handbooks. One case report links liver injury to a six-herb detox tea containing burdock, though burdock could not be singled out.

^{5 18}

Is burdock tea caffeine-free?

None of the sources we read gives a caffeine figure for burdock root, and none states that it is caffeine-free. Burdock is not a Camellia tea plant. Check the label, especially on blends.

⁵

Can burdock tea be contaminated?

Yes, in the past. Atropine-type poisonings followed burdock root tea in 1953 and the late 1970s and 1980s. The EU report says one tea was contaminated with a source of nightshade alkaloids, possibly belladonna root. Burdock itself has no atropine. Choose products that name the species and test for contamination.

^{20 7 3 5}

Can I be allergic to it?

Yes. Burdock is a daisy-family plant like ragweed and chamomile. The EU lists allergy to burdock or the daisy family as a contraindication, and describes one anaphylaxis after boiled burdock root. Stop and get help if you have swelling, hives or trouble breathing.

^{4 5 22}

Is it safe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding?

The EU monograph says it is not recommended, because there are not enough data. A handbook mentions a possible effect on the uterus but the EU committee found no studies supporting it. Ask a midwife or doctor.

^{4 5}

What medicines does it interact with?

No interaction is documented. The EU advises against using it with synthetic water pills. Cell and animal work on blood sugar is mixed, and one case report links a burdock and yellow dock tea to very low platelets. Ask a pharmacist.

^{4 1 13}

Is it the same as burdock fruit or an extract?

No. Tea is made from the root. The fruit has different compounds (lignans) and is the part used in Chinese medicine. Lab studies on those compounds do not show what root tea does.

^{12 10}

Is the research strong?

No. We found two small trials of the tea, each rated very low certainty, plus case reports on safety. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about anything health-related.

^{14 15 5}

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Editorial transparency

Written by: AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against the original sources.
Medical review: None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
First published: 2026-10-25
Last substantive update: 2026-10-25
How we research: We searched PubMed for burdock tea and Arctium lappa, checked every cited record by its summary and read the abstracts, and read the final EU monograph and the EU assessment report in full. Case reports without abstracts were checked by title only and their details come from the EU assessment. Not opened: NCCIH, LiverTox, LactMed, Commission E, WHO. Ratings are the compiler's own reading, not formal grades.
How we rate evidence: See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
Independence: No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown. If one is added later it will be labelled and kept apart from the evidence.

Sources 26

Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.

Annunziata G, Barrea L, Ciampaglia R, et al.. Arctium lappa contributes to the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus by regulating glucose homeostasis and improving oxidative stress: A critical review of in vitro and in vivo animal-based studies. Phytother Res. 2019. PMID 31232489. DOI 10.1002/ptr.6416. (abstract)
Bryson PD, Watanabe AS, Rumack BH, et al.. Burdock root tea poisoning. Case report involving a commercial preparation. JAMA. 1978. PMID 642161. (title-only)
Chan TYK. Worldwide Occurrence and Investigations of Contamination of Herbal Medicines by Tropane Alkaloids. Toxins (Basel). 2017. PMID 28914776. DOI 10.3390/toxins9090284. (abstract)
EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Community herbal monograph on Arctium lappa L., radix (final, adopted 16 September 2010). EMA/HMPC/246763/2009. 2010. (full-text)
EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Assessment report on Arctium lappa L., radix (burdock root). EMA/HMPC/246764/2009 (26 pages, read in full). 2011. (full-text)
Fletcher GF, Cantwell JD. Burdock root tea poisoning. JAMA. 1978. PMID 691140. DOI 10.1001/jama.240.15.1586b. (title-only)
GANDOLFO N, ACCASCINA G. [Atropine poisoning by ingestion of decoction of burdock roots]. Rend Ist Sup Sanit. 1953. PMID 13167508. (title-only)
GBIF. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy matches for Arctium minus (5393103), Arctium tomentosum (5393080), Atropa belladonna (3802655, family Solanaceae) and Rumex obtusifolius (2889011, family Polygonaceae). GBIF API, read 2026-10-25. 2026. (full-text)
GBIF. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Arctium lappa L. (usageKey 7353729). GBIF API, read 2026-10-25. 2026. (full-text)
Gao Q, Yang M, Zuo Z. Overview of the anti-inflammatory effects, pharmacokinetic properties and clinical efficacies of arctigenin and arctiin from Arctium lappa L. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2018. PMID 29698388. DOI 10.1038/aps.2018.32. (abstract)
Ha MS, Kim JH, Kim YS, et al.. Effects of aquarobic exercise and burdock intake on serum blood lipids and vascular elasticity in Korean elderly women. Exp Gerontol. 2018. PMID 29154814. DOI 10.1016/j.exger.2017.11.005. (abstract)
Jin X, Liu S, Chen S, et al.. A systematic review on botany, ethnopharmacology, quality control, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of Arctium lappa L. fruit. J Ethnopharmacol. 2023. PMID 36781057. DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116223. (abstract)
Latif A, Fichadiya H, Abid F, et al.. Herbal Teas and Thrombocytopenia: A Curious Case of Yellow Dock and Burdock-Induced Thrombocytopenia. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2022. PMID 35402325. DOI 10.12890/2022_003247. (abstract)
Maghsoumi-Norouzabad L, Alipoor B, Abed R, et al.. Effects of Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) root tea on inflammatory status and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Int J Rheum Dis. 2016. PMID 25350500. DOI 10.1111/1756-185X.12477. (abstract)
Mizuki A, Tatemichi M, Nakazawa A, et al.. Effects of Burdock tea on recurrence of colonic diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding: An open-labelled randomized clinical trial. Sci Rep. 2019. PMID 31043657. DOI 10.1038/s41598-019-43236-0. (abstract)
Moro TMA, T P S Clerici M. Burdock (Arctium lappa L) roots as a source of inulin-type fructans and other bioactive compounds: Current knowledge and future perspectives for food and non-food applications. Food Res Int. 2021. PMID 33641945. DOI 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109889. (abstract)
NCBI. NCBI Taxonomy: Arctium lappa (taxid 4217), great burdock. NCBI Taxonomy, read 2026-10-25. 2026. (full-text)
Niazi B, Ahmed K, Ahmed M, et al.. Drug-Induced Liver Injury from Herbal Liver Detoxification Tea. Case Rep Gastroenterol. 2022. PMID 36636365. DOI 10.1159/000526311. (abstract)
PubChem (NCBI). PubChem compound records for arctigenin (CID 64981), arctiin (100528), chlorogenic acid (1794427), caffeic acid (689043), 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (122685), quercetin (5280343), luteolin (5280445), (-)-matairesinol (119205), (-)-trachelogenin (452855), dehydrocostus lactone (73174), arctiopicrin (5281423) and atropine (174174). PubChem PUG REST, read 2026-10-25. 2026. (full-text)
Rhoads PM, Tong TG, Banner W Jr, et al.. Anticholinergic poisonings associated with commercial burdock root tea. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1984. PMID 6535850. DOI 10.3109/15563658408992587. (summary-only)
Rodriguez P, Blanco J, Juste S, et al.. Allergic contact dermatitis due to burdock (Arctium lappa). Contact Dermatitis. 1995. PMID 8549139. DOI 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1995.tb00524.x. (title-only)
Sasaki Y, Kimura Y, Tsunoda T, et al.. Anaphylaxis due to burdock. Int J Dermatol. 2003. PMID 12786879. DOI 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2003.01716_2.x. (title-only)
Taheri H, Seydi F, Jalali-Mashayekhi F, et al.. Effects of Arctium lappa L. Root Powder on Some Markers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial Study. JBRA Assist Reprod. 2026. PMID 41757842. DOI 10.5935/1518-0557.20250189. (abstract)
Uzbekova AA, Kozhanova KK, Kadyrbayeva G, et al.. Unveiling the Antihyperglycemic Potential of Arctium lappa L. (Asteraceae): Traditional Application, Phytochemistry, and Molecular Insights. Foods. 2026. PMID 41750986. DOI 10.3390/foods15040794. (abstract)
Yang M, Peng G, Abudouwanli A, et al.. Immunopharmacological potential of Arctium lappa L. in immune-mediated skin diseases: A critical review of experimental and clinical evidence. Front Pharmacol. 2025. PMID 41111517. DOI 10.3389/fphar.2025.1660352. (abstract)
Yen CH, Chiu HF, Huang SY, et al.. Beneficial effect of Burdock complex on asymptomatic Helicobacter pylori-infected subjects: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Helicobacter. 2018. PMID 29520881. DOI 10.1111/hel.12469. (abstract)

Where to buy

Check the label first. Whatever you buy, look for these:

The herb is the first or only ingredient
Organic or lab-tested if that matters to you
Loose leaf or tea bags, and how long they have been stored
If you take medicines or are pregnant, ask a pharmacist about the herb first

Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before you start any supplement, especially if you take medicines. See the Safety tab for interactions.

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Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.