Cynara scolymus L., Asteraceae, whose flower head is primarily used as food and whose leaf extract (ALE) used commonly as herbal medicine for treating dyspepsia, flatulence, and hepatitis. This review article aims to summarize the botanical characteristics, especially the genetic diversity, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, clinical trials, analytical methods and some factors notably influencing the content of polyphenols. C. scolymus contains large amounts of bioactive phenolic compounds including caffeoylquinic acids, flavonoids… Besides, inulin a fructan polysaccharide found in C. scolymus is often used for tests of renal function and food ingredient. The sesquiterpenes lactones and triterpenes, non-polar compounds, are also found in C. scolymus. C. scolymus has important nutritional value and therapeutic properties such as antioxidant, hepatoprotective, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, blood lipid-lowering activity... The phenolic acids were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to photodiode array detector (PDA) and mass spectrometry detector.