Carthamus flower is used orally in formulas to treat a wide variety of painful conditions, including dysmenorrhoea, post partum abdominal pain, rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic injury, angina pectoris, thrombangiitis obliterans, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and carbuncle. It has been shown to have the following actions: cardiac stimulant, dilates the coronary arteries, anti-platelet, antilipemic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, analgesic, diuretic, immune stimulant, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, emmenagogue, diaphoretic, induces interferon.