An erect perennial herb, with a fleshy tap root; the leaves are broadly oblong, oblanceolate or lanceolate, crowded at the base and arranged spirally on the stem; the flowers are blue fading to white, in homogamous heads; the fruits are achenes which are smooth, 5-angled, pale brown to black, crowned with a ring of pappus scales.

Carminative (seed); promotes or stimulates the flow of bile and gastric juices, protects the liver, diuretic, laxative, purifies the blood, coolant, sedative, diaphoretic, antiinflammatory and antispermatogenic. Appetizer, cholagogue, depurative, digestive, diuretic, hypoglycaemic, laxative and tonic (root and leaves)

Cichorium intybus L
Plants for a Future

Acetophenone, betaine, choline, harman, inositol, inulin, unsaturated sterols, triterpenoids, flavonoids, pectin, tannin phlobaphenes and reducing sugars (root); esculetin and its glycosides (leaf and flower); alpha-linolenic acid, arginine, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, caffeic acid, cichoric acid, linoleic acid, methionine, niacin, oleic acid, palmitic acid, phenylalanine, riboflavin, thiamin, tryptophan, vanillic acid (leaf); cichorin, esculetin, esculin, ferulic acid, scopoletin, umbelliferone (flower); kaempferol, mannitol, quercetin, tannin (plant)

Vomiting (related to biliousness), headache, asthma and as a brain tonic (seed); enlarged liver, jaundice, gout and rheumatism (root decoction); kidney stones (plant decoction); in cancer, fever, sclerosis (spleen), skin maladies, abdominal pain, inflamma.

Excessive and prolonged use may lead to dysfunction of the retina. Contact with the latex can produce adverse reactions in skin.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.