Artichoke

Common Noun: Artichoke
Scientific noun: Cynara scolymus L.
Family:. Daisy family - compositae-
Habitat: Plant cultivated in many places around the world and very common in the Mediterranean climate, seldom naturalized.

Characteristics :Perennial plant of the Daisy family - compositae - up to 2 m. Pinnate-lobulate leaves, till more than 60 cm long.. with lobes without prickles and tomentose below. Noticeable head flowers, very big, till 15 cm, purple with ovate bracts. Edible floral receptacle. Plant cultivated in many places around the world and very common in the Mediterranean climate, seldom naturalized.

Components:

* Acids: Caffeoylquinic and dicaffeoylquinic, caffeic, linoleic, oleic, panthotenic...(Flower) ferulic (plant.)
* Vitamins: B (Niacin, Riboflavin,Thiamin, B6)
* Pigments : Flavonoids.
* Mucilage
* Inuline
* Minerals: iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium

Medicinal properties:

Internal use

Liver and bile : It protects the liver and it is and aid to its recovery in case of hepatic disease. It favors the biliary function . - The acids caffeic, linoleic and oleic take part in their power hepato-protector and the cafeolquinic acid is the one that contributes to its coleretic value, it is to say of stimulation of bilis.(Infusion of two spoonfuls of dry leaves by liter of water. Take three times a day before the meals.) (A preparation of juice of the mixed green leaves with wine can be used for the same purpose)

Cholesterol, hypertension, arteriosclerosis : Its main virtue is in the capacity that their acids provide to reduce the cholesterol level in blood, to diminish the pressure artery , and also to prevent the a arteriosclerosis , with which it prevents the risk of vascular disease or aids to the recovery after some accident of this type, like infarction , angina pectoris ... etc. (Anyone of the previous preparations can serve to obtain these effects)

Diabetes: It reduces the level of sugar in the blood and prevents or aids to fight diabetes (Juice of the leaves mixed with wine) (Decoction of leaves until reducing the liquid to half. Take a glass every day)

Diuretic: It favors the elimination of liquid in the body, reason why it is interesting not only in case of obesity , also in that assembly of ailments that improve with the water elimination and the consequent toxin elimination and specially the uric acid : circulatory, hepatic diseases, drop , arthritis , etc. (Decoction of 60 gr. of dry roots by liter of water, until reducing the liquid to half. Drink 2 glasses a day)

Anti-cancerigenic: Recent studies have demonstrated the influence that have acids caffeic , panthoteic flavonoids have in the prevention or improvement of the cancerous processes.

Other uses

Edible:

* Artichokes are a very advisable food by all the properties previously mentioned . They should be eaten crude, in salad t take take advantage of all their properties. If they are boiled, it is interesting to drink the resulting broth to profit all their values. The artichokes either in the oven or in the live coal in olive oil, are highly delicious and medicinal by the high content that oil and artichokes have in oleic acid.

Toxicity: Although in no case it is toxic, it is not advised its use in the suckling mothers, because its use entails the diminution of the production of milk.

Picking -up and storing: The artichokes must be harvested r in spring, when they are tender. The leaves can be collected during all their production. They will have to be dried and to keep in fabric bags in a fresh and protected place from the dust