Blessed thistle is prepared as a tea and used for loss of appetite and indigestion; and to treat colds, cough, fever, bacterial infections, and diarrhea. It is also used as a diuretic for increasing urine output, and for promoting the flow of breast milk in new mothers. Even the famous poet Shakespeare mentioned blessed thistle in his play Much Ado About Nothing. Spiritually, it is associated with purification and therefore used in purification baths. It is also believed that wearing a bit of it would protect one from evil.