Herbs and plantsCarline thistle—a mountain flower that was said to have nine powers?
- Henryk Różański — Korzeń dziewięćsiłu – Radix Carlinae w praktycznej fitoterapii
- Henryk Różański — Dziewięćsił bezłodygowy – Carlina acaulis L. w dawnej medycynie
- Commercial Carlinae radix herbal drug: botanical identity, chemical composition and antimicrobial properties. · Pharm Biol 2012
- Fractionation of Carlina acaulis L. Root Methanolic Extract as a Promising Path towards New Formulations against Bacillus cereus and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. · Molecules 2024
- Toxicity of Carlina Oxide-A Natural Polyacetylene from the Carlina acaulis Roots-In Vitro and In Vivo Study. · Toxins (Basel) 2020
Henryk Różański lists carline thistle root for parasites, digestive complaints, and urinary tract problems.
- He also describes its antibacterial and antifungal effects, its diuretic and choleretic effects, and its ability to support wound healing.
- He also lists its use for inflammation of the throat and gums, pain, swelling, and skin diseases.
What the authors write
Fresh root is described as acting against parasites, while its resin with essential oil is said to paralyse roundworms and tapeworms and kill protozoa.
The root is listed for inflammation of the gums and throat, pain, rheumatism, stomach and intestinal complaints, ulcers, wounds that are slow to heal, skin diseases, tumours, and parasites.
It was attributed with antibacterial, choleretic, diuretic, and diaphoretic effects, and with supporting digestion, appetite, and wound healing.
Its use was described for swelling, parasitic diseases, and diseases of the kidneys and stomach.
Its use was listed for urinary tract, kidney, and stomach complaints, congestion in the lungs, swelling, and intestinal parasites; externally, for skin problems.
In the past, it was used for digestive disorders and urinary tract conditions, and to support wound healing.
Research from PubMed · Europe PMC
We selected 3 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.
Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 2.
In a laboratory study, the essential oil and a root decoction inhibited the growth of the microorganisms tested, providing preliminary support for the traditional use of the plant against microbes.
Aim of the study: Carlinae radix is an herbal drug, commonly used by the locals in southeastern Serbia for the treatment of respiratory and urogenital diseases and, externally, for various skin conditions. There still seems to be no detailed studies correlating the chemical composition of this drug and its ethnopharmacological uses. Chemical composition, antimicrobial activity and mode of action of C.
Results: Both the essential oil and the decocts exhibited a very high antimicrobial activity against all tested strains, with S. aureus as the most sensitive one [e.g., for the oil sample the values for minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were 0.02, 0.04 µL/mL, respectively]. Growth curves of S. aureus demonstrated a significant decrease in turbidity (for the MIC concentration this amounted to ca. 70%) showing a concentration-dependent lysis of the cells, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Chemical composition, anatomical and morphological features of the sample pointed to Carlina acanthifolia L. (Asteraceae) instead of Carlina acaulis L. (Asteraceae). The results showed significant antimicrobial effect of the essential oil and the decoctions and support the use of this plant in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various human infections, especially those caused by S. aureus.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
In laboratory studies, root extract fractions acted against some bacteria, including MRSA.
Aim of the study: The root of Carlina acaulis L. has been widely used in traditional medicine for its antimicrobial properties.
Results: Further analyses revealed the presence of bioactive chlorogenic acids in the fractionated extract, especially in the ethyl acetate fraction (C). These findings support the traditional use of the root from C. acaulis and pave the way for the development of new formulations for treating bacterial infections. This was further evaluated in a proof-of-concept experiment where fraction C was used in the ointment formulation, which maintained high antimicrobial activity against MRSA and displayed low toxicity towards cultured fibroblasts.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
The study found that the main constituent of the root, carlina oxide, damaged both normal and cancer cells in laboratory tests, raising questions about safety.
Aim of the study: There are several reports indicating that the roots of the Carlina acaulis L. used to be commonly applied as a treatment measure in skin diseases and as an antiparasitic agent, starting from antiquity to the 19th century; however, nowadays, it has lost its importance.
Results: Carlina oxide exhibited high in vivo toxicity, with LC50 = 10.13 µg/mL upon the 96 h of exposure in the ZFET test. Here, we demonstrate that carlina oxide displays toxic effects to cells in culture and to living organisms. The data indicate that C. acaulis-based extracts considered for therapeutic use should be completely deprived of carlina oxide.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
Pisaczek does not judge who is right. It shows what was written and where to read it. Every sentence above has its source.