The Burnet Saxifrage is a plant, Pimpinella saxifraga of the family Umbelliferae a native of the British Isles and temperate Europe and Western Asia. It is neither a Burnet, which its leaves resemble, nor a Saxifrage although it has a similar herbal effect as a diuretic.
The leaves are diaphoretic, diuretic, resolvent and stomachic. The plant is harvested as it comes into flower and dried for later use. The root is anti-inflammatory, mildly astringent and expectorant. The fresh root is very hot and acrid, but this pungency is greatly reduced when the root is dried.An effective diuretic, the root is used in treating disorders arising from obstructions of the viscera. The root is also used for soothing coughs or the effects of laryngitis and bronchitis. The roots can be harvested in the spring or autumn and are dried for later use. The seeds are carminative. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Pimpinella major Greater Burnet Saxifrage for cough/bronchitis.