Salad Burnet

Sanguisorba minor

Other Names : Sanguisorba minor, Poterium dictyocarpum, Poterium sanguisorba, Garden Burnet, small burnet, Kleine pimpernel, Pimprenelle, Kleiner Wiesenknopf, Pimpinelle
Garden burnet belongs to the Rosaceae family and is indigenous to the western, central and southern regions of Europe, southwest Western Asia as well as the northwest regions of Africa. Currently, this herb has been naturalized almost throughout North America.
See also :

• Greater Burnet
• Lesser Burnet

Health Benefits and Uses of Salad Burnet

• Both the leaves, roots, rhizomes and flowers of the herb’s salad and greater burnet contain unique organic compounds, sometimes touted as an herbal supplement for women's health.
• Contains glycosides know as sanguisorbins, also tannins, ellagitannins, (antiviral) sanguinarines and saponins, in its roots, leaf and stem. Saponins, found in many plants, are glycosides thought to have numerous health benefits such as cholesterol lowering, bone health, immune system stimulation and anticancer.
• The stem and leaves are a source of rutin, quercetin, kaempferol. These flavonoids are plant sterols that are known to have antioxidant properties, as they help neutralize chronic disease causing free radicals; they are anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer.
• The roots, leaf and stem of this herb contain both tannic and gallic acid. Research suggests that gallic acid has protective/ antioxidant effects.
• Another constituent of salad burnet is beta-sitosterol; thought to reduce LDL cholesterol and inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.
• Tonic: Used as a general tonic because of its high vitamin C content.
• Digestion: Salad burnet can help digestion and also help relieve hemorrhoids and diarrhea.
• Urinary System: It is also helpful with problems related to the urinary system and is a mild diuretic.
• Astringent: Used as an infusion for the skin, it can help with skin problems and sunburn.
• Impotency: Salad burnet can also be helpful treating symptoms of impotency and erectile dysfunction.
• Anti-inflammatory: These properties can help relieve gout, rheumatism and other health issues related to inflammation.
• Gums: Making a mouthwash out of the powder / paste can help with swollen or bleeding gums.
• Burns: The powder of the roots can be mixed with sesame oil, which helps with cuts and burns.
• HIV : A research undertaken by a team of scientists in Spain have discovered that the extracts of garden burnet showed anti-HIV actions in vitro.
• Diabetes : Studies undertaken in Germany have exhibited that extracts of garden burnet have helped to reduce the blood sugar levels considerably of laboratory mice that were treated with the extracts in comparison to control mice.
• Another study undertaken in Turkey has shown that the extracts of the herb provided a noteworthy safeguard against ulcers in laboratory mice.
• antifungal : A research conducted in Iran showed that garden burnet extracts obtained from Iran and Canada possessed fungicidal properties.