Cardoon, Porto (Cynara cardunculus L.)

Family: Compositae

Medicinal uses: Internally, for the treatment of chronic liver and gall bladder diseases, jaundice, hepatitis, arteriosclerosis and the early stages of late-onset diabetes. A bitter-tasting cynarin compound in the leaves has been discovered to improve liver and gall blad

Part used medicinally: Leaf

Native origin: S. Europe