Burdock Root: Benefits, Tea, Nutrition & Side Effects

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Burdock root is the long, slender root of Arctium lappa, a plant in the daisy family, and people use it three ways: as a cooked vegetable, as a tea and as an herbal medicine. What is burdock root good for? The clearest human results so far are calmer inflammation markers and fewer repeat bouts of diverticulitis, with a long traditional record for skin and for urinary flushing beside them.135

European regulators recognize burdock root as a traditional herbal medicine to increase urine and flush the urinary tract in minor urinary complaints, for temporary loss of appetite and for seborrheic skin conditions, the oily, flaky kind.5 The European assessment also records its older European uses and notes that Japan cultivates the root as a vegetable.6

Burdock is one of the liver-supportive bitter herbs I recommend for opening and reinforcing the body's detox pathways, alongside milk thistle, dandelion root and artichoke.78

Did you know?

• Spain has marketed burdock root tea since 1973.6

• Burdock root contains 0.06% to 0.18% essential oil.6

• Burdock root also carries triterpenes and plant sterols alongside its polyphenols.6

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What is burdock? The plant, the root and gobo

The burdock plant grows tall with broad leaves and round burrs, and the root runs long and brown with white flesh inside. In the kitchen, the fresh root is scrubbed, sliced and cooked, most often in Japan, where it goes by the name gobo.6 Dried and sometimes roasted, the same root becomes tea, powder and capsules.

A root that serves as both herb and food fits the psalmist's praise: "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth" (Psalm 104:14).10

A short history of burdock root

European traditional medicine used burdock root to increase urine and to support urinary and digestive elimination, and older European writers described it as a blood purifier and used it for rheumatism and gout.6 France has marketed a dry extract of the root for seborrheic skin since 1994,6 and the European monograph carries that skin use today.5 In Chinese medicine, burdock root is used to promote circulation to the skin surface and treat skin diseases like eczema.11

Burdock root nutrition facts

Values from USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169974 (burdock root, raw). Per-cup amounts use the USDA measure of 1 cup at 118 g; % Daily Value uses FDA label reference values.4

A cup at a meal gives you steady fiber with modest amounts of B vitamins and minerals for 85 calories.4 The fiber story runs deeper than the USDA fiber line: carbohydrates make up as much as 70% of the dried root, mainly inulin at about 45%, and one lab analysis measured roughly 5 grams of inulin per 100 grams of fresh root.612 Fructooligosaccharides, the shorter chains in that same family, count among the root's main bioactive carbohydrates.13 Those fibers feed gut bacteria, which is why burdock belongs in a conversation about prebiotic foods and gut health. Scrub the root well and keep the peel on where you can, since the peel carried more phenolics and antioxidant capacity than peeled root in one analysis.14

Burdock root benefits: what the research shows

Calmer inflammation markers

The knee trial gives the clearest direction. Thirty-six adults with knee osteoarthritis drank 3 cups of burdock root tea a day, each cup made with 2 g of root in 150 mL of boiled water, half an hour after meals for 42 days, against 3 cups of boiled water, and everyone also received acetaminophen and glucosamine.1 On the tea, IL-6 fell, hs-CRP fell and MDA fell, while total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity rose. Glutathione peroxidase rose without reaching significance. The same 36-person trial reported less pain, better knee-function questionnaire scores and faster timed stand-up-and-walk test times on the tea.16 Our guide to C-reactive protein explains what hs-CRP measures.

The PCOS trial supplies the averages. Sixty women with polycystic ovary syndrome, all continuing metformin and a birth control pill, took one 460 mg capsule of dried burdock root powder with lunch or an identical starch capsule for 12 weeks, and neither the women nor the researchers knew who got what.2 CRP fell from 0.457 to 0.310 mg/dL on burdock, against 0.463 to 0.447 mg/dL on placebo. MDA fell from 4.57 to 2.45 µM on burdock, against 4.42 to 5.67 µM on placebo, and SOD rose from 339 to 400 U/mL. Ovary volume fell more than on placebo as well, on the right from 14.65 to 11.68 cc (placebo 15.02 to 13.50 cc) and on the left from 13.47 to 11.55 cc (placebo 14.18 to 13.38 cc).2 Hirsutism scores and menstrual frequency did not differ from placebo, all 60 women finished, and no side effects were reported.2

Fewer repeat bouts of diverticulitis

In a two-year trial in Japan, diverticulitis came back in about 1 in 10 people who drank burdock tea three times a day, against about 1 in 3 who did not.3 The trial randomized 91 adults after a successfully treated bout of uncomplicated diverticulitis to roasted burdock tea at 1.5 g three times a day or to no treatment, and people knew which group they were in.3 More people in the tea group had been through diverticulitis before (38% against 18%), a known risk factor for recurrence, and the tea group still had fewer recurrences.3 Recurrence was 5 of 47 (10.6%) on the tea and 14 of 44 (31.8%) without it, and the estimated average time without a recurrence ran 59.3 months against 45.1 months. A separate group with diverticular bleeding saw no difference in repeat bleeding, at 20.0% against 22.9%. The researchers called long-term burdock tea feasible and safe in this setting.3

The gut bacteria findings point in a supporting direction. In lab cultures of stool from 5 people, ethanol-washed roasted burdock tea powder more than doubled Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium within 24 hours, raised lactate and acetate and lowered ammonia and indole.18 Mice fed burdock inulin for 14 days carried more lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the cecum.19 For regular bowel habits, the only human test is a pilot in 10 women with chronic constipation, 7 of whom finished and each tried both roasted burdock powder in miso soup and plain miso soup.17 The difference between the two soups was too small in so few people to reach significance, and on the burdock powder 5 of the 7 had more frequent bowel movements and 4 of the 7 had softer stools, with no adverse events.17

Skin, liver and blood sugar in full

For rosacea I list burdock at 300 mg three times a day.20 I group burdock root with goji, fo-ti and calendula as herbs for skin and lymph.8 European tradition uses the root for seborrheic skin,5 and root peptides inhibited acne bacteria in the lab without harming skin cells at the amounts tested.21 Our guides to eczema and rosacea treatment cover fuller natural plans.

For the liver, the animal work is consistent. Root extract protected rat livers from lead damage, bringing liver enzymes and tissue appearance back toward normal and lowering lipid peroxidation and inflammatory markers.25 In mice, the root held down liver enzyme rises from carbon tetrachloride and acetaminophen and restored glutathione.26 In rats given alcohol with carbon tetrachloride, 300 mg/kg three times daily restored glutathione and improved liver enzymes and tissue appearance.27 Our guide to liver function explains what liver enzymes show.

For blood sugar, mice with a drug-induced type 2 diabetes model took root extract for 28 days, and glucose, triglycerides, VLDL and alkaline phosphatase fell, with insulin higher at 200 mg/kg and HDL higher at 300 mg/kg.28 The PCOS trial's triglyceride-glucose index, a marker of insulin resistance, fell from 9.135 to 8.768 on burdock against 9.182 to 8.999 on placebo, a difference that held once starting values were taken into account; all the women were already on metformin.2

How does burdock root work?

Researchers propose that burdock root calms inflammation through its polyphenols and lignans, and the human trials then show the markers moving. Here is that chain, step by step:

Burdock root tea: benefits and how to make it

Burdock tea and burdock root tea name the same drink, brewed from the dried root, plain or roasted. Roasting deepens the flavor and raised the tea's phenolics and antioxidant capacity in lab testing.30 The European monograph range runs 2 to 6 g of dried root per infusion, 3 times a day.5 Our guide to herbal tea covers other teas worth brewing.

1. Measure the root. Use 2 g of dried burdock root per cup, the amount in the knee osteoarthritis trial.1

2. Add boiled water. Pour 150 mL (about 2/3 cup) of boiled water over the root.1

3. Steep, then strain. Cover the cup, let it steep, strain out the root and drink it warm.

4. Repeat through the day. The trials used 3 cups a day, with the knee trial serving each cup half an hour after meals, and the diverticulitis trial used 1.5 g three times a day.13

To sweeten a cup, stir in a teaspoon of raw local honey or Manuka honey.

How much burdock root a day?

These are the amounts the trials and the European monograph used. If you take medicine, read the interaction check in the safety section first.

How to eat burdock root (gobo)

Fresh gobo cooks like other root vegetables: scrub it, slice it thin and simmer, stir-fry or roast it. Scrub rather than peel it where you can, since the peel carried more phenolics than peeled root.14 Thin shavings soften fastest and suit the Japanese stir-fry style called kinpira, where burdock cooks with carrot and a savory glaze.

Buy fresh cultivated gobo and choose firm roots without soft spots. For dried root, tea or capsules, choose a label that names Arctium lappa root, from a seller that tests for identity and purity. Store fresh roots wrapped in the refrigerator and dried root sealed away from moisture. See the safety section for the contamination history behind that advice.

Burdock root side effects and who should skip it

Animal safety work agrees with that gentle record. Mice given burdock root extract at up to 250 mg/kg a day for 8 weeks showed no organ changes, which the researchers called within the safe range,37 and rats fed a diet of 33% burdock root for 120 days developed no tumors.6 The European periodic review covering 2011 to 2019 found no new safety concerns for the traditional uses.15

Skip burdock root with a daisy-family (Asteraceae) allergy, the family that includes ragweed, since European regulators contraindicate the root for anyone hypersensitive to that family and cross-reaction with its plants can be assumed.56 Our guide to ragweed allergy covers that family member. In one documented case, a 53-year-old man in Japan had an anaphylactic reaction after eating boiled burdock root and recovered with epinephrine, and the European review counts it as the only known case of serious allergy to the root.356 Three documented cases describe contact dermatitis from burdock root plasters pressed on the skin.36

Two older contamination cases shape the buying advice. In 1978, a 26-year-old woman developed blurred vision, trouble urinating, dry mouth and confusion after a packaged burdock root tea, recovered with treatment, and testing found atropine-like alkaloid in the product, while burdock root itself contains none.32 A second lab-confirmed case followed in 1984: a 59-year-old woman needed emergency care, and the commercial burdock root tea she provided contained 0.76 mg of atropine per gram.3334 European reviewers describe those products as contaminated with a nightshade-family alkaloid source, possibly belladonna root.6 Buy from reputable sellers or buy fresh cultivated gobo. If a burdock tea brings on dry mouth, blurred vision, trouble urinating or confusion, get emergency care.3233

Skip burdock root tea, powder, tinctures and extracts while pregnant or nursing, since safety there lacks data and European regulators do not recommend them.5 Cooked burdock as an ordinary vegetable at meals counts as a food amount. The European monograph does not establish medicinal use under age 18.5

The bottom line

Burdock root: frequently asked questions

References

1. 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;19(3):255-61. doi:10.1111/1756-185X.12477
2. 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;30(2):272-281. doi:10.5935/1518-0557.20250189
3. 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;9(1):6793. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-43236-0
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: Burdock root, raw. SR Legacy, FDC ID 169974 (NDB 11104). fdc.nal.usda.gov
5. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Community herbal monograph on Arctium lappa L., radix. EMA/HMPC/246763/2009 Corr.1. Adopted 16 September 2010.
6. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Assessment report on Arctium lappa L., radix. EMA/HMPC/246764/2009. 16 September 2010.
7. Axe J. Skin Care Mistakes That Are Aging Your Skin (and Wrecking Your Hormones). The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2025 (at 10:59, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsKuJ9EWueY&t=659s).
8. Axe J, Cole W. Heal Your Cells. Avery; 2026. ISBN 9798217181353 (detox plan Step 3, bitter herbs including burdock, pp. 64–68; herb table, Skin and lymph, p. 159).
9. Axe J. Anti-Inflammatory Reset (protocol, four phases over 30 days). DrAxe.com; 2026.
10. The Holy Bible, King James Version. Psalm 104:14.
11. Chan YS, Cheng LN, Wu JH, et al. A review of the pharmacological effects of Arctium lappa (burdock). Inflammopharmacology. 2011;19(5):245-54. doi:10.1007/s10787-010-0062-4
12. Burabaev A, Aldanyshova M, Toktar A, et al. Evaluation of inulin content in selected plant species for functional applications. Nat Prod Res. Published online July 31, 2026:1-8. doi:10.1080/14786419.2026.2711431
13. Li J, Liu X, Zhou B, et al. Determination of fructooligosaccharides in burdock using HPLC and microwave-assisted extraction. J Agric Food Chem. 2013;61(24):5888-92. doi:10.1021/jf400534n
14. Zhang X, Herrera-Balandrano DD, Huang W, et al. Comparison of Nutritional and Nutraceutical Properties of Burdock Roots Cultivated in Fengxian and Peixian of China. Foods. 2021;10(9):2095. doi:10.3390/foods10092095
15. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Addendum to assessment report on Arctium lappa L., radix (periodic review 2011–2019). EMA/HMPC/509409/2019. 14 January 2020.
16. Alipoor B, Maghsoumi Norouzabad L, Abed R, Eteraf Oskouei MA, Eftekhar Sadat B, Asghari Jafarabadi M. Effect of Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) root tea on clinical signs and symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Curr Top Nutraceutical Res. 2014;12(4):149-154.
17. Shimura S, Furuta K, Inoue J, Yuki T, Tobita H, Miyake T, et al. Effects of Roasted Burdock Powder on Simple Chronic Constipation: A Pilot Study. Shimane J Med Sci. 2012;29(1):31-36.
18. Azuma S, Sato M, Nakamura A, et al. Detection of bacteria affected by roasted burdock tea powder and fructooligosaccharide in human faecal culture. Mol Biol Rep. 2025;53(1):70. doi:10.1007/s11033-025-11237-0
19. Li D, Kim JM, Jin Z, et al. Prebiotic effectiveness of inulin extracted from edible burdock. Anaerobe. 2008;14(1):29-34. doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2007.10.002
20. Axe J. Ancient Remedies: Secrets to Healing with Herbs, Essential Oils, CBD, and the Most Powerful Natural Medicine in History. Little, Brown Spark; 2021 (Eczema, top 5 ancient prescriptions, p. 237; Rosacea, top 5 ancient prescriptions, pp. 276-277).
21. Miazga-Karska M, Michalak K, Ginalska G. Anti-Acne Action of Peptides Isolated from Burdock Root-Preliminary Studies and Pilot Testing. Molecules. 2020;25(9):2027. doi:10.3390/molecules25092027
22. 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;16:1660352. doi:10.3389/fphar.2025.1660352
23. Axe J. Reverse Microplastic Toxicity NATURALLY (Heals Mitochondria, Gut, Brain). The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 (bitter herbs and bile flow at 29:57, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIBpaNxBaMg&t=1797s).
24. Axe J. How to Prevent CANCER: 15 Proven Ways to Lower Your Risk. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 (liver and bile flow at 31:44, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsw5UuDlHDY&t=1904s).
25. Alhusaini A, Fadda L, Hasan IH, et al. Arctium lappa Root Extract Prevents Lead-Induced Liver Injury by Attenuating Oxidative Stress and Inflammation, and Activating Akt/GSK-3β Signaling. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019;8(12):582. doi:10.3390/antiox8120582
26. Lin SC, Chung TC, Lin CC, et al. Hepatoprotective effects of Arctium lappa on carbon tetrachloride- and acetaminophen-induced liver damage. Am J Chin Med. 2000;28(2):163-73. doi:10.1142/S0192415X00000210
27. Lin SC, Lin CH, Lin CC, et al. Hepatoprotective effects of Arctium lappa Linne on liver injuries induced by chronic ethanol consumption and potentiated by carbon tetrachloride. J Biomed Sci. 2002;9(5):401-9. doi:10.1007/BF02256533
28. Ahangarpour A, Heidari H, Oroojan AA, et al. Antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects of Arctium lappa root's hydro-alcoholic extract on nicotinamide-streptozotocin induced type 2 model of diabetes in male mice. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2017;7(2):169-179.
29. 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;33(9):2213-2220. doi:10.1002/ptr.6416
30. Lee D, Kim CY. Influence of Roasting Treatment on the Antioxidant Activities and Color of Burdock Root Tea. Prev Nutr Food Sci. 2017;22(1):21-29. doi:10.3746/pnf.2017.22.1.21
31. 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;39(5):787-801. doi:10.1038/aps.2018.32
32. Bryson PD, Watanabe AS, Rumack BH, et al. Burdock root tea poisoning. Case report involving a commercial preparation. JAMA. 1978;239(20):2157.
33. Rhoads PM, Tong TG, Banner W, et al. Anticholinergic poisonings associated with commercial burdock root tea. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1984;22(6):581-4. doi:10.3109/15563658408992587
34. Chan TYK. Worldwide Occurrence and Investigations of Contamination of Herbal Medicines by Tropane Alkaloids. Toxins (Basel). 2017;9(9):284. doi:10.3390/toxins9090284
35. Sasaki Y, Kimura Y, Tsunoda T, et al. Anaphylaxis due to burdock. Int J Dermatol. 2003;42(6):472-3. doi:10.1046/j.1365-4362.2003.01716_2.x
36. Rodriguez P, Blanco J, Juste S, et al. Allergic contact dermatitis due to burdock (Arctium lappa). Contact Dermatitis. 1995;33(2):134-5. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1995.tb00524.x
37. Bok SH, Cho SS, Bae CS, et al. Safety of 8-weeks oral administration of Arctium lappa L. Lab Anim Res. 2017;33(3):251-255. doi:10.5625/lar.2017.33.3.251
38. Ruan Y, Ding Y, Li X, et al. Saccharides from Arctium lappa L. root reduce platelet activation and thrombus formation in a laser injury thrombosis mouse model. Exp Ther Med. 2022;23(5):344. doi:10.3892/etm.2022.11274
39. Nam GS, Nam KS. Arctigenin attenuates platelet activation and clot retraction by regulation of thromboxane A2 synthesis and cAMP pathway. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020;130:110535. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110535
40. 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;9(3):003247. doi:10.12890/2022_003247
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42. JianFeng C, PengYing Z, ChengWei X, et al. Effect of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. (burdock) roots on the sexual behavior of male rats. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012;12:8. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-8

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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