Perennial plant with an unbranched stem tuberous root slender violet-purple flowers with a very large receptacle and stalked lower leaves growing as high as 2 m; the fruit is an achene; the flower buds are edible.

Stimulates liver cell regeneration and the flow of bile, prevents gall stones, purifies the body, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, antiinflammatory and helps eliminate side effects due to antibiotics and sulfonamides. Anticholesterolemic, antirheumatic, cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, hypoglycaemic and lithontripic (leaves)

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Cynarine, cynaropicrine, flavonoids, cynaroside and its aglycone luteolin, chlorogenic and caffeic acids and tannins.

Diseases of the gallbladder and liver, in diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, anemia, diarrhea (and elimination in general), fevers, ulcers, and gout.

Reported to lower blood cholesterol in human and animal studies and, as such, may potentiate the effects of cholesterol-lowering and statin drugs.

Adzet T. Camarasa J. Laguna JC. Hepatoprotective activity of polyphenolic compounds from ynara scolymus against CCl4 toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes. J Nat Prod 1987 Jul-Aug;50(4):612-7.