Burdock is considered by most herbalists to be nature's best  blood purifier.  Internally, it helps to detoxify and rid the body of excess water.  It is also used to ease pain caused by arthritis, rheumatism, lumbago and back ache.
Externally, it is used for a variety of skin irritations including psoriasis, canker soars, acne and eczema.  Chinese natural healers mix burdock with other herbs to treat colds, flu, measles, sore throat and tonsillitis.  Some herbologists use burdock to treat some cancers but it has not been scientifically tested to verify it's effectiveness for cancer treatment.  It is, however, an ingredient in two well known herbal cancer treatments: Essiac and Hoxsey's Cancer treatment.  Bur oil, which is made from burdock root, is popular in Europe as a scalp treatment, hair conditioner, and to fight dandruff.  Some Native American tribes used it to treat venereal disease.
In Japan, burdock is eaten as a vegetable and is high in vitamins.
    Burdock grows wild in much of Europe and North America.

    An interesting fact about Burdock is that it served as the model for velcro.  Swiss inventor George de Mestral was curious how the seeds clung to his clothes so he looked at one under a microscope.  The hook and loop system they use was used to create velcro.