Thistle, Blessed

Source Naturally occurs in cranberries, ligonberries (1,360 ppm), peppermint leaves (20-200 ppb), tea leaves, cassia bark, carob, blessed thistle, purple foxglove, jasmine, hyacinth, apples, tobacco leaves, daffodils, autumn crocus, prunes, anise seeds, ripe cloves, and wild black cherry tree bark (Duke, 1992 quoted, Verschueren, 1983). 

Blessed thistle amara Cnicus benedictus Aerial portion + seeds... 

BLESSED THISTLE, Cardui benedicti herba, is the dried, aerial part of Cnicus benedictus L., family Asteraceae. It is an annual thistle-like herb with sharp thorns on the leaves. The bitterness value is about 1,500, due to the presence of 0.2% cnicin and benedictin. It also contains mucilages, which makes the drug suitable for treatment of catarrh in the upper respiratory tract and the whole gastrointestinal tract. 

Blessed Thistle Centaurea benedictus Holy ghost herb, holy thistle... 

Bitter Essence. IV ormwood, 4 ports gentian root, bitter orange peel, and blessed thistle, of each 1 part alcohol, 4o parts digest for a week. Dose, drachm to 2 drachms, eoinbincd with mixtures. Tonic and stomachic. 

Blessed Thistle Tea. The loaves of the blessed thistle prepared and adiniuistcred in the same way (ta boneset (see last receipt), but n< t sufficient to produce nausea, will have a similar effect. 

Hufeland s Anticatarrb. Elixir. Take 60 pairts extract of blessed-thistle, 20 parts extract of bitter-sweet, dissolve them in 480 parts fennel water and 60 parts bitter-almond water. Dose, 60 ops 4 times a dav. (Rafjer.)... 

Ciinicifbga Kucemosa). 4575.4592 Fomoutotion, Stimulating Fluid Extract of Blessed-Thistle Fomentation, Strengthening... 

Cardui benedicti herba Cnici herba Blessed thistle Cnicus beiiedictus L. Asteraceae DAC 86. GAB 90, MD Sesquiterpene lactons (-0.25%), (germacran type) cnicin, salonitenolid and artemisiifoliii lit of the drug, 800-1800 Essential oil (0.03%-0.1%) citral, cilronellal cinnamic acid, acetylene derivatives Pig. 8... 

Persons with allergies to other members of the Asteraceae family (such as feverfew or Echinacea species) should exercise caution with blessed thistle, as allergic cross-reactivity is common to Asteraceae plants (Upton 2007 Zeller et al. 1985). 

Limited information on the safety of blessed thistle in pregnancy or lactation was identified in the scientific or traditional literature. Although this review did not identify any concerns for use while pregnant or nursing, safety has not been conclusively established. 

Sensitization testing in guinea pigs indicated that blessed thistle is a relatively strong sensitizer. In this testing, crossreactivity to "a considerable number" of other plants in the Asteraceae family was observed (Zeller et al. 1985). Blessed thistle contains the compound cnicin, a sesquiterpene lactone. Such compounds are responsible for allergic contact dermatitis associated with a number of species of the Asteraceae family (Gordon 1999). 

Blessed thistle is reported to contain lithospermic acid, a compound with antigonadotropic activity (Graham and Noble 1955). 

Blessed thistle extract did not stimulate contractions in isolated guinea pig uterine tissue (Pilcher et al. 1916). 

No information on the safety of blessed thistle during lactation was identified. 

An ethanolic extract of blessed thistle was not mutagenic in the Ames assay with Salmonella typhimurium with or without S9 mix (Schimmer et al. 1994). 

An ether extract of blessed thistle showed a strong sensitizing effect in guinea pigs, suggesting that individuals who experience allergic contact dermatitis from exposure to the Compositae family should avoid the plant. Use of the herb is contraindicated in pregnancy (bradly). 

Common/vernacular names Mary thistle, St. Mary thistle, Marian thistle, lady s thistle, holy thistle (not to be confused with blessed thistle Cnicus benedictus). 

---