Artichoke Extract
Summary
Artichoke leaf extract modestly lowered cholesterol in pooled trials (about 15 mg/dL LDL across 9 RCTs, 702 people), though a 2013 Cochrane review, later withdrawn as a low editorial priority, judged it unconvincing (grade C). One 247-person trial found better indigestion symptoms (C). Side effects are mild; people with bile-duct problems or daisy-family allergy should avoid it.
Key facts
- A leaf extract of the globe artichoke, a daisy-family (Asteraceae) plant[1]
- Cholesterol: modest drop (C); functional dyspepsia symptoms: improved in one large RCT (C); liver enzymes in fatty liver: improved in small trials (C)[3][6][9]
- EU: traditional herbal medicine for indigestion with fullness, bloating and flatulence, for adults and adolescents over 12[1]
- None set; artichoke extract is a botanical, not a nutrient[1]
- Mild diarrhea with cramping, nausea and heartburn; allergic reactions possible[1]
- 7 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 10, 2026
How it works
ProposedArtichoke leaf contains caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids, and is traditionally described as stimulating bile flow. The cholesterol effect is proposed to involve reduced cholesterol production in the liver, but the mechanism in people is not established.[1][3]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol | Grade C | Improved | Meta-analysis of 9 trials · n = 702 · 2018 | 3 rows |
| Liver | Grade C | Improved | Meta-analysis of 5 trials · n = 333 · 2022 | 1 row |
| Indigestion | Grade C | Improved | RCT · n = 247 · 2003 | 1 row |
| IBS | Grade D | Improved | Open-label · n = 208 · 2004 | 1 row |
| Blood sugar | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 55 · 2014 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 702 · 2018 Adults in 9 RCTs Form: Artichoke extracts · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied across trials Total cholesterol fell 17.6 mg/dL, LDL 14.9 mg/dL and triglycerides 9.2 mg/dL versus control; HDL did not change. LDL fell more in people with higher starting LDL. | 28609140 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Liver enzymes and lipids in fatty liver disease | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 333 · 2022 Adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in 5 RCTs Form: Artichoke leaf extract · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied across trials ALT and AST fell versus control (standardized mean differences about 1.0–1.1), with lower total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. | 35763310 (opens PubMed)Source [9] |
| Cholesterol in people with high cholesterol | Mixed | Grade C | Systematic review · n = 262 · 2013 Adults with hypercholesterolaemia in 3 RCTs Form: Artichoke leaf extract (single-ingredient products) · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: 6 to 12 weeks Two trials found significant total-cholesterol reductions (4.2% and 18.5% versus 1.9% rise and 8.6% fall on placebo); the reviewers judged the evidence promising but not convincing. Adverse events were mild, transient and infrequent. | 23543518 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Functional dyspepsia symptoms and quality of life | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 247 · 2003 Adults with functional dyspepsia (multicentre trial) Form: Commercial artichoke leaf extract · Dose: 640 mg three times daily (1,920 mg/day) · Duration: 6 weeks Overall symptom improvement was greater than placebo (score 8.3 vs 6.7, p<0.01), as was disease-specific quality of life (−41.1 vs −24.8, p<0.01). | 14653829 (opens PubMed)Source [6] |
| Plasma lipids in mild to moderate high cholesterol | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 75 · 2008 Otherwise healthy adults with total cholesterol 6.0–8.0 mmol/L Form: Standardized artichoke leaf extract · Dose: 1,280 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks Total cholesterol fell 4.2% versus a 1.9% rise on placebo (p=0.025); LDL, HDL and triglycerides did not differ between groups. | 18424099 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Irritable bowel symptoms in people with dyspepsia | Improved | Grade D | Open-label trial · n = 208 · 2004 Adults with dyspepsia identified post hoc as having IBS (open postal study) Form: Artichoke leaf extract · Dose: Dose-ranging (open study) · Duration: 2 months IBS incidence fell 26.4% and dyspepsia symptom score 41% from baseline, with bowel habits shifting toward normal. | 15353023 (opens PubMed)Source [11] |
| Fasting glucose and insulin resistance in impaired fasting glucose | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 55 · 2014 Overweight adults with untreated impaired fasting glucose Form: Highly standardized Cynara scolymus extract · Dose: 600 mg/day · Duration: 8 weeks Fasting glucose fell 9.6% and HOMA 11.7% within the extract group, and both differed significantly from placebo, as did the lipid pattern. | 23440660 (opens PubMed)Source [8] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry artichoke leaf extract (capsules or tablets) | Varies[1][2] | No human absorption data in our sources.[1] | Mild diarrhea with cramping, nausea and heartburn reported; frequency unknown.[1][2] | Cholesterol (1,280 mg/day), dyspepsia (1,920 mg/day), fatty-liver and glucose trials (600 mg/day) |
| Artichoke leaf tea or liquid extract | Varies[1] | No human absorption data in our sources.[1] | Same EU warnings as other leaf preparations.[1] | Covered by the EU traditional-use monograph; not the forms in the trials above |
| Artichoke juice | Varies[4] | No human absorption data in our sources.[4] | No specific data in our sources.[4] | Two effect sizes pooled in a 2021 meta-analysis of lipids |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 600 to 1,920 mg/day of artichoke leaf extract for 6 to 12 weeks. Extracts differ in strength, so milligrams are not equivalent across products.[5][6][7][8]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Medicines
- Cholesterol-lowering drugsReviewNo interaction studies exist; because both lower blood lipids, effects could add up (theoretical). Tell your prescriber if you combine them.[3]
- Diabetes drugsRCTOne small trial found lower fasting glucose with the extract; additive effects with glucose-lowering drugs are untested.[8]
Who should be careful
- Bile-duct or gallbladder problems
- The EU monograph says artichoke leaf must not be used with certain liver and bile-duct disorders.[1]
- Allergy to daisy-family plants
- Contraindicated in people allergic to Asteraceae plants; occupational contact dermatitis from artichokes is documented.[1][10]
- Children under 12
- EU use is limited to adults and adolescents over 12.[1]
- Symptoms lasting over 2 weeks
- The EU guidance says to see a doctor if indigestion persists beyond 2 weeks of use.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Safety
Short-term use is generally well tolerated; the main cautions are bile-duct disease and plant allergy.
- Side effects
- Mild diarrhea with abdominal cramping, nausea and heartburn; allergic reactions may occur.[1]
- Trial data
- A Cochrane review found only mild, transient and infrequent adverse events with short-term use.[2]
- Contact allergy
- French occupational data describe allergic and protein contact dermatitis from handling artichokes.[10]
How to read the label
- Label dose vs clinical doseTrials used 600 mg/day for blood sugar and fatty liver, 1,280 mg/day for cholesterol and 1,920 mg/day for indigestion.[5][6][7][8]
- Leaf extract, not the vegetableThe trials used concentrated leaf extracts; eating artichoke hearts is not the same exposure.[1][3]
- Combination productsMany liver or cholesterol blends add bergamot, milk thistle or other herbs; the EU summary covers single-herb artichoke leaf products only.[1]
Cost per studied dose, without the sales pitch
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Cost per studied dose
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Frequently asked questions
Does artichoke extract lower cholesterol?
Modestly: pooled trials found about 18 mg/dL lower total and 15 mg/dL lower LDL cholesterol, but a 2013 Cochrane review (withdrawn in 2016 as a low editorial priority) called the evidence not yet convincing.[3][2]
Does artichoke extract help indigestion?
One 247-person trial found greater symptom relief than placebo over 6 weeks, and the EU accepts it as a traditional remedy for indigestion.[6][1]
Is artichoke extract good for the liver?
In small fatty-liver trials it lowered liver enzymes; one 100-person trial also reported better ultrasound measures. No trial measured hard liver outcomes.[9][7]
How much artichoke extract is used in studies?
600 to 1,920 mg/day of leaf extract, depending on the outcome studied.[5][6][7][8]
Who should avoid artichoke extract?
People with bile-duct or gallbladder problems, those allergic to daisy-family plants, and children under 12.[1]
Sources
- [1]Artichoke leaf (Cynarae folium): summary of the HMPC conclusions and EU herbal monograph (adopted March 27, 2018). European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products, 2018. guideline
- [2]Artichoke leaf extract for treating hypercholesterolaemia.. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2013. systematic-review
- [3]Lipid-lowering activity of artichoke extracts: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2018. meta-analysis
- [4]Effects of artichoke leaf extract supplementation or artichoke juice consumption on lipid profile: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. Phytother Res, 2021. meta-analysis
- [5]Artichoke leaf extract (Cynara scolymus) reduces plasma cholesterol in otherwise healthy hypercholesterolemic adults: a randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial.. Phytomedicine, 2008. RCT
- [6]Efficacy of artichoke leaf extract in the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia: a six-week placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicentre trial.. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2003. RCT
- [7]Efficacy of artichoke leaf extract in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial.. Phytother Res, 2018. RCT
- [8]Metabolic management in overweight subjects with naive impaired fasting glycaemia by means of a highly standardized extract from Cynara scolymus: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.. Phytother Res, 2014. RCT
- [9]Therapeutic Potential of Artichoke in the Treatment of Fatty Liver: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. J Med Food, 2022. meta-analysis
- [10]Occupational Contact Dermatitis Caused by Artichokes.. Dermatitis, 2023. observational
- [11]Artichoke leaf extract reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and improves quality of life in otherwise healthy volunteers suffering from concomitant dyspepsia: a subset analysis.. J Altern Complement Med, 2004. open-label
What changed
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year taken from the record) and abstracts read for the cited rows.
- Adversarial review pass: every evidence row re-read against its PubMed abstract; the 2004 IBS data are labelled as an uncontrolled post hoc subset. Regulatory status, side effects and contraindications taken from the EMA HMPC summary page (opened 2026-10-10; monograph adopted March 27, 2018). No NIH ODS or NCCIH page exists for artichoke. Funding for the main trials is not stated in their PubMed records and none are in PMC, so no industry tie could be confirmed. Independent reviewer found the 2013 Cochrane review was withdrawn in 2016 (PMID 27195440, editorial priority); disclosed on its row, summary and FAQ. The 2021 lipid meta-analysis has no pooled n in its abstract, so it appears in insights only. Retraction, expression-of-concern, erratum and update/withdrawal check run on all 10 PMIDs: only the Cochrane withdrawal above. Page set indexable.