Field Eryngo

Field Eryngo, botanically Eryngium campestre, is a perennial, spiny plant from the carrot family (Apiaceae). It is widespread throughout Europe, parts of North Africa, and Western Asia and prefers dry, sunny locations such as nutrient-poor grasslands, fallow land, or sandy soils. Characteristic are its thorny-toothed, blue-green leaves and the spherical flower heads, which give it a thistle-like appearance. Because of its striking appearance, it is also called “Acker-Mannstreu” or, in common parlance, “Felddistel” in German.

Field Eryngo was already known in antiquity and was used both in folk medicine and as a food. Its strong taproot can reach several meters deep and makes the plant particularly resistant to drought. In addition to its ecological role as a nectar plant for insects, it also has a long tradition in healing practice, which is increasingly being complemented by scientific investigations.

What health benefits does Field Eryngo offer?

The benefits attributed to Field Eryngo in natural medicine are diverse. Research is increasingly examining these benefits and likewise attributes a certain medicinal potential to the plant. In general, however, more research is necessary, and the results to date are not readily transferable. Here are some of the findings so far:

  • Anti-inflammatory effect: Extracts have shown anti-inflammatory properties in both in vitro and in vivo studies and may possibly reduce inflammation associated with conditions such as periodontitis (1,2).
  • Antioxidant effect: Studies have shown that extracts of E. campestre have an antioxidant effect and could help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals (1,3).
  • Improvement of the lipid profile: Initial investigations have shown that E. campestre can positively influence the lipid profile by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (4).
  • Antimicrobial effect: Certain extracts of E. campestre have shown antimicrobial and antifungal effects, which points to a potential for fighting certain bacteria (1,5).

How does Field Eryngo work in the body?

The plant's health-promoting effect is presumably based on the interplay of various secondary plant compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, fatty acids, and cinnamic acid esters, which act synergistically (6).

Are there any risks or side effects?

  • Moderation in consumption: Like many wild plants, Field Eryngo also contains bitter compounds and other secondary constituents that can lead to gastrointestinal complaints if consumed excessively.
  • Rare use in the present day: Since the plant is hardly used as a food or medicinal plant anymore today, there is little modern experience regarding side effects.
  • Lack of evidence: More studies are necessary before a final statement can be made about the plant's effects. Until then, intake should take place under medical supervision.

Conclusion

Field Eryngo is a resilient, ecologically valuable, and traditionally used plant with potentially interesting healing effects. Even though initial research findings point to medicinal potential, further scientific work is required in order to soundly assess the plant and its effects.

Sources:

  1. Bouzidi, S. (2018). Eryngium campestre L.: Polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds; applications to health and disease. In R. R. Watson, V. R. Preedy, & S. Zibadi (Eds.), Polyphenols: Mechanisms of action in human health and disease (2nd ed., pp. 69–79). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813006-3.00007-6
  2. Safari, H. R., Esmaeili, S., Naghizadeh, M. S., Falahpour, M., Malekaneh, M., & Anani Sarab, G. R. (2019). The Effects of Aqueous Extract of Eryngium Campestre on Ethylene Glycol-Induced Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stone in Rats. Urology journal, 16(6), 519–524. https://doi.org/10.22037/uj.v0i0.4287
  3. Noshad, M., & Alizadeh Behbahani, B. (2021). Eryngium campestre essential oil: Total phenol and flavonoid contents, antioxidant power, antimicrobial activity and its interaction with nalidixic acid antibiotic in vitro. Food Science and Technology, 18(118), 263–271.
  4. Ghadery, B., Ghazalian, F., Hosseini, S., Natanzy, H., & Shamsoddini, A. (2020). Effect of high-intensity interval training with Eryngium campestre on lipid profile and glycemic indices in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. Hormozgan Medical Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.5812/hmj.98982
  5. Al-Askar, A., Bashir, S., Mohamed, A., Sharaf, O., Nabil, R., Su, Y., Abdelkhalek, A., & Behiry, S. (2023). Antimicrobial efficacy and HPLC analysis of polyphenolic compounds in a whole-plant extract of Eryngium campestre. Separations, 10(6), 362. https://doi.org/10.3390/separations10060362
  6. Zaki, S. H., Shawky, E., Helmi, S., & Selim, D. A. (2025). Comparative metabolomic profiling and antibacterial activity of Eryngium campestre L. root and aerial fractions using UPLC-MS/MS and chemometric analysis. Microchemical Journal, 216, 114693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2025.114693