The Burdock plant has long been used in herbal remedies to treat a variety of ailments. Burdock has traditionally been thought of as a good plant for creating cleansing remedies. The Burdock plant is well known for its hooked burrs, which are notorious for attaching themselves to clothing. This aspect of the Burdock plant is registered in its Latin scientific name, Arctium lappa, which is derived from the Greek lappa, which means to seize. Burdock has also traditionally been used as a blood purifier. In the past it has often been combined with dandelion and burdock wine to create a healing tonic for indigestion. In China, the seeds of the Burdock plant are known as niu bang zi, and it is used to get rid of fevers and evil spirits. It is also used in Chinese medicine to lower blood sugar levels.

Three parts of the Burdock plant are used to create herbal remedies: the root, its seeds, and its leaves. The root of the Burdock plant is often used by the Japanese to treat a variety of ailments.  They think of the Burdock root as a vegetable that they call godo. Western herbalists too also consider the root of the Burdock plant to be the most important.  In the West, herbalists use the Burdock plant root as a cleansing and eliminative remedy.  It is often used in cases where a build up of toxins is suspected. Symptoms of toxin build up include skin problems, digestive ailments, arthritic pains, or overall sluggishness.  Parts of the Burdock root are often used externally to treat infections and skin sores.  The Burdock root is most commonly harvested in the fall.

Another commonly used part of the Burdock plant is the seeds.  The seeds of the Burdock plant are used in several healing remedies of many healing traditions.  For instance, the American Eclectic School of healing has traditionally integrated the Burdock seeds as a diuretic or to create healing skin tonics.  In traditional Chinese medicine, the seeds are often used to treat common colds that are characterized by an unproductive cough and sore throat. The seeds of the Burdock plant are traditionally harvested in late summer.