Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. (Spear Thistle): Plant characteristics, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties

Since prehistoric times, man and his quest for drugs in the natural world have been linked. All societies have used plants for medicinal purposes. Plants are used as medicines, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food supplements - Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. (Bull thistle or spear thistle) is a traditionally significant plant used to treat various diseases. In addition to medicinal qualities, Cirsium vulgare can be utilized as survival food if necessary. It possesses several medicinal properties, including antibacterial, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-hemorrhoidal, and hepatoprotective effects. It is abundant with phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, esters, tannins, glycosides, and apigenin. The current article aims to emphasize the taxonomy, morphology, phytoconstituents, geographic distribution, and pharmacological effects of Cirsium vulgare that have been previously documented.