What is artichoke?
Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var.scolymus) is a variant of the C. cardunculus species within the Asteraceae or thistle family. Cultivation and domestication of the wild cardoon (C. cardunculus) may date back as far as the third century AD according to writings and art of the time.[1] It is native to the Mediterranean (Northern Africa and Southern Europe) and is naturalized to Western Asia, Australasia, North America, South America, and the remaining regions of Europe.[2][1]
The artichoke flower (heart, capitulum, and bracts) is best known as a food. Artichoke leaf refers to the large, spiny, irregularly lobed foliage that grows along the stalk of the plant. Artichoke leaves are not commonly used in cooking, but they do contain medicinally relevant compounds such as cynaropicrin, luteolin, apigenin, and caffeic acid.[3][4][5][6]
What are artichoke’s main benefits?
Traditionally, artichoke has been considered a tonic to aid digestion, but more recently it has been examined for its properties related to improved bile production, liver health, and cholesterol regulation.[7][5][4][8] Properties such as improved metabolic function and antioxidative capacity may explain why much of the evidence available on artichoke is geared toward the treatment of conditions like dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.[3][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]
Additional clinical evidence suggests that artichoke may also be useful for improvements in blood pressure,[21][22] endothelial dysfunction,[16] blood glucose maintenance,[24] and body composition[23] measures. However, more consistent evidence for these indications is still needed.
What are artichoke’s main drawbacks?
Though members of the Asteraceae family (like artichoke) are known for having beneficial properties, they’re also known allergens for some people, too. Sesquiterpene lactones, which are one of the potentially beneficial constituents of artichoke, are also known to cause irritation and inflammation. Caution is advised when taking artichoke leaf for anyone who is allergic to other members of this plant family that also includes ragweed, arnica, yarrow, echinacea, chicory, sunflower, and feverfew.[25]
Though there are few reports regarding the adverse effects of artichoke leaf specifically, one case study would suggest that artichoke could potentially adversely interact with other medications.[26] Other reports suggest that artichoke (but not specifically artichoke leaf) could cause allergic reactions such as contact dermatitis.[27][28] Otherwise, systematic reviews note that adverse events from artichoke consumption tend to be infrequent and, if they do occur at all, are mild and short-lived.[7][29][17]
How does artichoke work?
Artichoke leaf extracts contain sesquiterpene lactones like cynaropicrin, which are responsible for their bitter flavor. The bitterness of these compounds may underlie artichoke leaf’s traditional use as a digestive support through the reduction of dyspepsia symptoms, the stimulation of bile production, and improvements in liver function.[7][4][8]
The flavonoids in artichoke leaf, notably luteolin, are known for their properties as antioxidants and antimicrobials and for cholesterol balancing and metabolic support (anticholestatic and choleretic activity). Caffeic acid and cynaropicrin are also known to have similar properties to luteolin in addition to supporting liver function.[5][4][8]
Artichokes generally have higher concentrations of phenolic compounds than other vegetables, although the environment that the artichoke is harvested in can dictate its relative composition. For artichokes harvested in Greece, antioxidant activity peaks in the heads, seeds, and bracts earlier in the year (April), while the stems and leaves peak in the late summer to fall (August to November). Phenolic compounds in all parts of the artichoke seem to be highest if they are harvested during times of plant stress, such as warmer weather or drier soil conditions.[30]
What are other names for Artichoke Extract?
- Cynarae folium
- Cynara scolymus
- Cynara cardunculus
- Globe artichoke
- French artichoke
- Spiny artichoke
- Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
- Jerusalem artichoke/Sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
Dosage information
Formulation:
Artichoke extract is often derived from the leaves of the artichoke plant, but it may also include or be derived from the head, whole plant, hearts, and bud. Most of the beneficial activity is believed to come from the phenolic compounds (96 mg of gallic acid equivalent per 100 grams of the raw plant) artichoke contains. Formulation approaches include juices, aqueous extractions, and dried extractions. As an extraction, it may be taken as powder, tablets, or capsules. Standardized extracts tend to mention a drug-to-extract ratio, but there is no clear optimal formulation.
Range of dosages studied:
Dosage varies by the indication and formulation used. The range of dosages used in human studies spans from 4.33 to 3,000 mg per day.
Effective Dosages:
Blood Lipids and Cardiovascular Health
Adults: Multiple formulations and dosages have shown some effectiveness in a variety of adult populations that include both people with diagnosed conditions (high cholesterol, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes) and individuals without any known health conditions. Formulations include whole plant and leaf extractions, frozen juice, powders, tablets, and capsules in ranges that span from 50 to 3,000 mg per day over 4–12 weeks in divided and singular administrations.
Liver Health
Adults: Multiple formulations and dosages have shown some effectiveness in adult populations, particularly in individuals with liver disease. Formulations include whole plant and leaf extractions, leaf juice, dry extracts, powders, and tablets in ranges that span from 50 to 2,700 mg per day over 4 to 32 weeks. The most effective dosage for improving enzyme levels indicative of liver damage appears to be less than 500 mg per day, taken over durations of 8 weeks or more.
Digestive Health
Adults: For adults with functional dyspepsia, a dose of 1,920 mg per day as a dried leaf extract (drug-to-extract ratio of 3.8:1 to 5.5:1) may be effective for symptom relief when taken over 6 weeks.
Other Considerations:
A wide range of dosages suggests that artichoke is bioactive in a variety of conditions, but there is no clear agreement on which is the optimal dosage. It is unclear whether artichoke extract needs to be taken alongside a meal or not.
Frequently asked questions
Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var.scolymus) is a variant of the C. cardunculus species within the Asteraceae or thistle family. Cultivation and domestication of the wild cardoon (C. cardunculus) may date back as far as the third century AD according to writings and art of the time.[1] It is native to the Mediterranean (Northern Africa and Southern Europe) and is naturalized to Western Asia, Australasia, North America, South America, and the remaining regions of Europe.[2][1]
The artichoke flower (heart, capitulum, and bracts) is best known as a food. Artichoke leaf refers to the large, spiny, irregularly lobed foliage that grows along the stalk of the plant. Artichoke leaves are not commonly used in cooking, but they do contain medicinally relevant compounds such as cynaropicrin, luteolin, apigenin, and caffeic acid.[3][4][5][6]
Traditionally, artichoke has been considered a tonic to aid digestion, but more recently it has been examined for its properties related to improved bile production, liver health, and cholesterol regulation.[7][5][4][8] Properties such as improved metabolic function and antioxidative capacity may explain why much of the evidence available on artichoke is geared toward the treatment of conditions like dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.[3][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]
Additional clinical evidence suggests that artichoke may also be useful for improvements in blood pressure,[21][22] endothelial dysfunction,[16] blood glucose maintenance,[24] and body composition[23] measures. However, more consistent evidence for these indications is still needed.
Artichoke extract has shown some benefits for cardiovascular measures, particularly in terms of blood lipid improvements. Reductions in total cholesterol are most frequently reported in clinical studies that used artichoke juice (20 mL per day) and leaf extract (50–2,700 mg per day) over durations of 4–12 weeks.[19][31][18][15][16][20][17] Some of these studies also report reductions in triglycerides and/or LDL cholesterol levels with the use of artichoke leaf extract.[19][31][18][16][20][14][20]
Though artichoke leaf extract (50–2,700 mg per day over 4–12 weeks) hasn’t shown an effect on blood pressure in a general population, it has been reported to reduce systolic blood pressure in adults with high blood pressure.[22][21][31] Furthermore, frozen artichoke juice (20 mL per day for 6 weeks) improved endothelial function in individuals with high cholesterol in one study.[16]
When it comes to metabolic health, particularly liver enzymes, further evidence exists that artichoke leaf extract (50–3,000 mg per day) taken over periods of 4–32 weeks could reduce ALT and AST.[12][10][31][11][13] Several of these studies were also done in participants who were diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and would suggest that greater effects may occur with higher amounts taken over smaller time periods.[12][10][13]
A few studies suggest that artichoke leaf extract (100–3,000 mg per day over 6–12 weeks) could produce small improvements in waist circumference, blood glucose, and symptoms of dyspepsia.[23][7][31]
Though members of the Asteraceae family (like artichoke) are known for having beneficial properties, they’re also known allergens for some people, too. Sesquiterpene lactones, which are one of the potentially beneficial constituents of artichoke, are also known to cause irritation and inflammation. Caution is advised when taking artichoke leaf for anyone who is allergic to other members of this plant family that also includes ragweed, arnica, yarrow, echinacea, chicory, sunflower, and feverfew.[25]
Though there are few reports regarding the adverse effects of artichoke leaf specifically, one case study would suggest that artichoke could potentially adversely interact with other medications.[26] Other reports suggest that artichoke (but not specifically artichoke leaf) could cause allergic reactions such as contact dermatitis.[27][28] Otherwise, systematic reviews note that adverse events from artichoke consumption tend to be infrequent and, if they do occur at all, are mild and short-lived.[7][29][17]
Artichoke leaf extracts contain sesquiterpene lactones like cynaropicrin, which are responsible for their bitter flavor. The bitterness of these compounds may underlie artichoke leaf’s traditional use as a digestive support through the reduction of dyspepsia symptoms, the stimulation of bile production, and improvements in liver function.[7][4][8]
The flavonoids in artichoke leaf, notably luteolin, are known for their properties as antioxidants and antimicrobials and for cholesterol balancing and metabolic support (anticholestatic and choleretic activity). Caffeic acid and cynaropicrin are also known to have similar properties to luteolin in addition to supporting liver function.[5][4][8]
Artichokes generally have higher concentrations of phenolic compounds than other vegetables, although the environment that the artichoke is harvested in can dictate its relative composition. For artichokes harvested in Greece, antioxidant activity peaks in the heads, seeds, and bracts earlier in the year (April), while the stems and leaves peak in the late summer to fall (August to November). Phenolic compounds in all parts of the artichoke seem to be highest if they are harvested during times of plant stress, such as warmer weather or drier soil conditions.[30]
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