Cnici benedicti herba - herbal medicinal product
St. Benedict's thistle (also blessed thistle, holy thistle or spotted thistle)
Herbal productHumanHerbal
Overview
This is a summary of the scientific conclusions reached by the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) on the medicinal uses of Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts. It summarises the Committee’s recommendations on the use of St. Benedict’s thistle above-ground parts.
The HMPC conclusions are taken into account by EU Member States when evaluating applications for the licensing of herbal medicines containing Holy thistle (St. Benedict’s thistle) above-ground parts. When a Member State authorises a medicine containing Holy thistle (St. Benedict’s thistle) above-ground parts, detailed instructions on how to take it will be available in the package leaflet that comes with medicine.
The information in this summary report concerns herbal medicinal products containing Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts which are only authorised when they comply with the strict pharmaceutical quality and other requirements for herbal medicinal products. They are approved by the competent authorities to be placed on the market as medicinal products. Other products, like food, food supplements, cosmetic products or medical devices do not follow the same criteria and regulatory requirements as medicinal products and are excluded from this summary.
Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) is the common name for the above-ground parts of the plant Cnicus benedictus L.
Medicinal products with St. Benedict’s thistle contain the comminuted (reduced into tiny pieces), the powdered and liquid extract or tincture of the dried above-ground part of the plant. Liquid extracts and tinctures are obtained by putting the plant material in a solvent (like ethanol) to dissolve compounds and form a liquid extract or a tincture.
Herbal medicines containing Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground part preparations are usually available as herbal tea to be drunk, and in liquid or solid dosage forms to be taken by mouth.
Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts preparations have traditional use for the temporary loss of appetite and for the symptomatic relief of dyspepsia and mild spasmodic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Traditional medicinal use means that the use in the specified indication is exclusively based upon long-standing medicinal use and not based on results from clinical studies.
You can find detailed instructions on how to take Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts medicines and who can use them in the package leaflet that comes with the medicine.
Do not use Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts:
- for children and adolescents under 18 years of age,
- if you are pregnant or breast feed your child,
- if you are allergic to St. Benedict’s thistle.
Consult a doctor or a pharmacist if your symptoms persist longer than 2 weeks during the use of the medicinal product.
No interactions with other medicines have been described in the literature at the time of assessment when using Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts with other medicines.
You may experience some side effects with Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts medicines.
You may get allergic reactions.
The frequency of these undesirable effects is not known.
The HMPC conclusions on the use of these Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts medicines for the symptomatic relief of dyspepsia and mild spasmodic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and for the temporary loss of appetite are based on their ‘traditional use’.
This means that, although there is insufficient evidence from clinical trials, the effectiveness of these herbal medicines is plausible and there is evidence that they have been used safely in this way for at least 30 years (including at least 15 years within the EU).
Any applications for the licensing of medicines containing Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle) above-ground parts have to be submitted to the national authorities responsible for medicinal products. Before approval, the national authorities assess the quality, safety and efficacy of the herbal medicine. The HMPC conclusions are taken into account when evaluating applications for the licensing of herbal medicines.
Information on approved Holy thistle (St. Benedict’s thistle) above-ground parts medicines in EU Member States may be obtained from the relevant national authorities.
BG (bulgarski): Бенедиктински трън
CS (čeština): benediktová nať
DA (dansk): Benediktinertidsel
DE (Deutsch): Benediktenkraut
EL (elliniká): κνίκου ιεράκανθας (βενέδικτου) πόα
EN (English): Holy thistle (St. Benedict's thistle)
ES (español): cardo santo, sumidad de
FI (suomi): karvaskaunokki, verso
FR (français): Charbon-bénit (partie aérienne de)
HR (hrvatski): zelen blaženog čkalja
HU (magyar): benedekfű virágos leveles hajtás
IT (italiano): Cardo benedetto parti aeree
LT (lietuvių kalba): Karčiųjų šventadagių žolė
LV (latviešu valoda): Laimes dzelkšņa laksts
MT (Malti): xewk
NL (Nederlands): gezegende distel
PL (polski): ziele drapacza
PT (português): cardo-santo
RO (română): iarba de schinel
SK (slovenčina): vňať benediktu lekárskeho
SL (slovenščina): zel benediktinke
SV (svenska): kardbenedikt, ört
NO (norsk): Benediktinertistel
Key facts
- Latin name
- Cnici benedicti herba
- English common name
- St. Benedict's thistle (also blessed thistle, holy thistle or spotted thistle)
- Botanical name
Cnicus benedictus L.
- Therapeutic area
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Status
- F: Assessment finalised
- Date added to the inventory
- Date added to priority list