Carduus Benedictus, Blessed Thistle

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New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

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Kurtzes Handtbuchlein, Ryff, 1599

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Koehler’s Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

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Botanical name:

Carduus benedictus

Parts used:

Herb; Seed

Temperature & Taste:

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

Classification:

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

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison, Promotes Sweat:

-Antidote; Preserves from and treats Epidemic and Infectious diseases
-Cold, Flu, acute Cough, Asthma, Allergies
-Fever, Eruptive Fever, old Fevers and Quartan Fevers; Plague, Syphilis

2. Clears Wind-Heat, Calms the Liver, stops Wind:

-Headache, Migraine, Epilepsy, Dizziness
-‘a singular remedy against Deafness’.

3. Clears Damp-Heat:

-Jaundice, Cholecystitis
-hot and painful urine

4. Clears Phlegm-Heat, Stops Cough and Wheezing:

-Cough, Wheezing, Asthma
-opens the Lungs and frees the Breath

5. Promotes Digestion:

-promotes appetite and strengthens Digestion (as a bitter)

6. Warms the Yang:

-strengthens the principle Organs (Brain, Heart, Liver, Stomach, Lungs and Kidney)
-often used to strengthen the Brain and Memory.

7. Promotes Milk

-promotes and enriches Breast Milk

8. Kills Worms

-wine of Blessed Thistle is effective

9. Externally:

-poultice to sores and swellings
-externally to stop Gangrene (as a poultice)
-stubborn, indolent and gangrenous Ulcers
-foul and putrid Ulcers, especially of the Breast, sprinkle the powder on (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)

Dose:

Powder: 1–3 grams
Infusion or Brief Decoction: 2–6 grams
Tincture (1:10 in 45% alcohol): 3–10 mls.

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Main Combinations:

1. A good way to use is to decoct Blessed Thistle with   … available in PRO version
2. Fever:
i. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
ii. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
3. Antidote against Wind-Cold infection: Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
4. Asthma:
i. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
ii. Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
5. Cholagogue: Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
6. Inflammations, Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version
7. Diarrhea, Blessed Thistle with  … available in PRO version

Major Formula

Bitter Decoction
Decoction to Promote Appetite
Syrup of Balm (Fernelius)
Tincture Against Asthma
Tincture for Suppressed Menstruation
Powder Against Toxicity and Venom (Wecker)

Cautions:

Some have said it shouldn’t be used in Pregnancy

Main Preparations used:

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


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This Website is intended for the study of Traditional Medicine. Some of the information is Intended for Historical reference only and may be illegal or dangerous if used by unskilled hands. MedicineTraditions cannot be held responsible for the use or misuse of the information contained herein, nor can it be held responsible for injury, sickness or death due to use or misuse of the information contained herein.

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