and Mediterranean region; naturalized in
the United States; cultivated in Europe
(BAILEY1&2;GRIEVE). Part used is the herb
(flowering tops).
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Chloroform and light petrol extracts of the
herb yielded sitosterol-3b-D-glucoside, olea-
nolic acid, multiflorenol, multiflorenol ace-
tate,a-amyrine, anda-amyrenone.^1 Leaves
contain lignans, 2-acetylnortracheloside, arc-
tigenin, nortracheloside, salonitenolide, tra-
chelogenin;^2 arctiin in fruit; sesquiterpene
lactone cnicin (bitter index¼1 : 1800);^3
lithospermic acid; minute amounts of volatile
oil, small amounts of polyacetylenes, approx-
imately 8% tannins, and high amounts of
potassium, calcium, and manganese (BRADLY;
WREN).
PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES
Essential oil bacteriostatic againstStaphylo-
coccus aureus; inactive inBacillus coli.^4 The
extremely bitter sesquiterpene lactone cnicin
has shownin vitroantibacterial andin vivo
antitumor activities; also, antifeedant activity
against certain insects (HARBOURNE AND
BAXTER). Following oral ingestion, the lignans
arctiin and tracheloside are metabolized in the
intestinal tract to their genins, arctigenin, and
trachelogenin, which have inhibitory effects
on cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase and on
histamine release in rat mast cells. They also
show Ca^2 þand platelet-activating factor an-
tagonist activities (see also burdock and
safflower).^5
TOXICOLOGY
An ether extract of blessed thistle showed a
strong sensitizing effect in guinea pigs, sug-
gesting that individuals who experience aller-
gic contact dermatitis from exposure to the
Compositae family should avoid the plant.^6
Use of the herb is contraindicated in pregnan-
cy (BRADLY).
The approximate acute oral LD 50 in mice of
cnicin is 1.6–3.2mM/kg.^7
USES
Food. Extractan ingredientin alcoholic bev-
erages (Benedictine); also in bitters.
Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Leaf
capsules, tablets; tea, extract, tincture, primar-
ily as bitter digestive (BLUMENTHAL1), anti-
flatulent and in gallbladder disease.
Traditional Medicine. Used as an emmena-
gogue, galactogogue, emetic, appetite stimu-
lant, diaphoretic, and in the treatment of in-
testinal worms, fevers, headaches, migraines,
body aches, memory, hearing loss, and sores
(GRIEVE;WREN).
COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS
Crude leaves, leaf extract.
Regulatory Status. Regulated in the United
States as a dietary supplement; approved for
use as a natural flavoring in alcoholic bev-
erages only (§172.510); subject of German
therapeutic monograph; allowed as a bitter
digestive to treat loss of appetite and dyspeptic
discomfort (BLUMENTHAL1;WICHTL).
REFERENCES
See the General References forAHPA;BISSET;BLUMENTHAL1;BRUNETON;DUKE2;GLEASON AND CRONQUIST;
HARBOURNE AND BAXTER;MCGUFFIN1&2;NIKITAKIS;STEINMETZ;TUTIN4;TYLER1;UPHOF;WREN.
- A. Ulubelen and T. Berkan,Planta Med.,
31 , 375 (1977).
2. M. Vanhaelen and R. Vanhaelen-Fastre,
Phytochemistry, 14 , 2709 (1975).
Blessed thistle 101
