Cichorium intybus
Chicory
Cichorium intybus, commonly known as chicory, is a versatile medicinal herb valued for its bitter properties. Renowned for supporting digestive health, it acts as a powerful prebiotic and liver tonic. Often used to stimulate bile production and manage blood sugar, this resilient plant offers significant therapeutic benefits in herbal medicine.
- Scientific name: Cichorium intybus
- Family: Asteraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the family Asteraceae and is situated within the genus Cichorium.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cichorium | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Cichorium intybus, is referred to by various common names across different languages and regions. In Hungarian, it is called mezei katáng, while in Arabic, it is known as هندباء برية. In Azerbaijan, the name Adi kasnı is used, and in Bashkir, it is called Быуын үләне. Additionally, in Catalan, this medicinal herb is identified as xicoira.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| hu | mezei katáng | Wikidata |
| ar | هندباء برية | Wikidata |
| az | Adi kasnı | Wikidata |
| ba | Быуын үләне | Wikidata |
| ca | xicoira | Wikidata |
| cs | čekanka obecná | Wikidata |
| csb | Cychória | Wikidata |
| da | Almindelig Cikorie | Wikidata |
| de | Gemeine Wegwarte | Wikidata |
| de-ch | Gemeine Wegwarte | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad presence across various regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing naturally within the borders of Denmark. Furthermore, its distribution extends to the northern reaches of Finland and Norway. The species is also well-established throughout the landscapes of Great Britain. Finally, it maintains a consistent presence across the island of Ireland.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Cichorium intybus, is highly valued in traditional medicine for its various therapeutic components. The roots are perhaps the most significant part used, often processed as a substitute for coffee or used to support digestive health. Beyond the primary root, the leaves can be consumed fresh in salads or used in decoctions to provide bitter tonic properties. The seeds are also utilized in certain preparations for their specific medicinal qualities. Ultimately, depending on the intended application, sometimes the whole plant is harvested to capture the full spectrum of its bioactive compounds.- Total parts
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 15
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| whole plant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hairy roots | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hairy root cells | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| callus cultures | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Cichorium intybus has 80 reported phytochemicals identified across 100 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include inulin, chlorogenic acid, flavonoids, cichoric acid, beta-sitosterol.
- Total chemicals
- 80
- Scientific sources
- 100
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| inulin | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| chlorogenic acid | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| cichoric acid | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| beta-sitosterol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caffeic acid | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caftaric acid | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| luteolin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sesquiterpenes | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stigmasterol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Cichorium intybus has 15 reported activities identified across 27 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Hypoglycemic, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial.
- Total activities
- 15
- Scientific sources
- 27
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hypoglycemic | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypolipidemic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antianxiety | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidepressant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cichorium intybus has 54 reported medicinal uses identified across 67 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include obesity, antidiabetic, diabetes mellitus, diarrhea, hypertension.
- Total uses
- 54
- Scientific sources
- 67
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| obesity | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| antidiabetic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diarrhea | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hypertension | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hypoglycemic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| jaundice | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| liver diseases | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |