Blessed Thistle

Blessed Thistle is an annual plant with leathery, hairy leaves and yellow spiky flowers, reaching 60 cm in height. Today it is cultivated throughout Europe as a medicinal plant.
It blooms in June, when the leaves and tops should be collected, as the plant has the highest degree of its medicinal power. Their smell is faint and rather disagreeable, and their taste is extremely bitter. All parts of the plant are useful and it is particularly known for its anti-inflammatory and antibiotic action.
In herbal medicine Blessed Thistle is used as a lactagogue to increase the flow of breast milk and as a digestive stimulant. Its action as a lactagogue is due to the substance knisin it contains and is widely used for this purpose in Canada.
Because of its bitter taste, Blessed Thistle is considered to stimulate the liver, increase gastric secretions and bile secretion, helping to stimulate the digestive system.
It is taken as a tincture as an appetite stimulant. It is also used in homeopathy to fight jaundice, hepatitis and arthritis.
The dosage recommended by the therapists for Blessed Thistle is 6g. daily. Use 2g. (one teaspoon) in 250ml of water three times a day.
It contains knisine, alkaloids, vegetable gum, tannin, lactones, volatile oil, flavonoids, phytosterols and a small amount of essential oil.

Herbs are and should be treated as medicines. We recommend that you always consult your doctor before taking them.