Globe artichoke

Globe artichoke is a common name for the plant Cynara cardunculus L. subsp.cardunculus (synonym: Cynara scolymus L.; Asteraceae), an herbaceous perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region.Globe artichoke has a long history of use as both food and medicine.The leaves have been used as a traditional herbal medicine for their reputed therapeutic benefits, including hepatoprotective, choleretic, diuretic, and lipid-lowering properties. 1 Today, globe artichoke is cultivated extensively worldwide for its large immature inflorescences, known as capitula or flowerheads.This part of the plant has edible fleshy leaves (bracts) and a receptacle, and serves as an important component of the Mediterranean diet. Common namesArtichoke, artischocke, alcaucoe, artichaut, carcioffa, cardoon, folium cynarae, harshafe-barri and many others. PreparationsIn food use, globe artichokes are cooked, fried, or baked, and also canned or preserved in olive oil after cooking.Traditional medicine preparations of artichoke include comminuted (fragmented) dried leaf used with boiling water to make a tea, and other water extracts of dried or fresh leaves.Contemporary preparations of globe artichoke in the global market include leaf extracts presented as oral dose forms (tablets, capsules, liquid) formulated as single-or multi-ingredient products with other herbal and/or non-herbal ingredients.Some marketed products are labelled as being standardised for caffeoylquinic acid content (eg 5-18% for different products).In New Zealand, natural health products containing globe artichoke are available as tablets, capsules, liquid extracts, and teas. Summary messageEvidence from preclinical studies on globe artichoke products and/or specific isolated constituents supports some of the reputed activities, including antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anticholesterolemic, anti-cancer, prebiotic, hypoglycaemic, anti-insulin resistance, renoprotective, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and anti-obesity effects, among others.Clinical research on preparations containing globe artichoke has focused on effects on liver enzyme and lipid concentrations, blood pressure, anthropometric indices and glycaemic control.While numerous clinical trials have been published, many of these studies have methodological limitations.Consequently, there is no high-certainty evidence to support the efficacy of preparations of globe artichoke leaf in treating specific health conditions.Large, well-designed, long-term studies using well-characterised extracts of globe artichoke that meet accepted pharmaceutical quality standards are needed.At present, globe artichoke has not been associated with serious adverse effects when used at usual doses for limited periods.Reported adverse effects include allergic reactions, including cross-sensitivity to other plants from the Asteraceae (Compositae) family.Comprehensive investigation of the clinical safety profile of globe artichoke, its constituents, and contemporary products, including when used in a pharmaceutical/medicinal context, is required.