Cnicus or
blessed thistle is from the Asteraceae plant family. These plants are found in Mediterranean regions like Portugal, France, eastern Iran, etc. The herb is also popular as cursed thistle. This annual plant grows up to 60 cm in height and is endowed with leather-like leaves with spines near the margin. The flowers are yellow colored and appears in bunches.
The bitter properties of the
herb plant aids in various health conditions of human body. Some of them are as follows:
o Blessed thistle improves the flow of gastric acids and relives symptoms of indigestion, dyspepsia and headaches.
o The bitters of
blessed thistle stimulate the flow of bile juices and help to cleanse the liver.
o European people use the plant as a vegetable drug for stimulating appetite and the digestive tract.
o The plant also increases the saliva secretion in the mouth by stimulating the mucous membranes.
o Even countries like UK, US, Germany, China, Africa and India recognize the medical qualities of
blessed thistle and use it for strengthening the human body.
o Blesses thistle has anti-bacterial properties such as cnicin, oils, polyacetylenes. Medical research suggests that cnicin helps in stimulation of cellular regeneration and cleansing the digestive tract.
Blessed thistle may be taken as a herb tea by people up to 3 to 4 times in a day. Usually boiled water is poured over the chopped herb for tea preparation. People who tend to be allergic to daisy plant family may also show allergic reaction to
blessed thistle.
