Niu Bang Zi - 牛旁子 - Fructus Arctii
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Fructus Arctii |
| Common English: | Arctium Cocklebur Great Burdock Fruit |
Category
Herbs that Release the Exterior; Cool, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior (Wind-Heat Diaphoretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid Bitter (Slightly Sweet) | Cold (Cool) | Lung Stomach | 3-12g Tincture: 2-4ml Grind before use. 6-12g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Disperses Wind-Heat and benefits the throat | Wind-Heat with fever, cough and sore throat |
Relieves toxicity and vents rashes | Acute febrile maculo-papular rashes, Carbuncles, Early-stage measles, Erythema, Mumps, Red swellings Incomplete expression of rashes Pruritic rashes due to Wind-Heat |
Moistens the Intestines | Wind-Heat toxins where there is also Internal Heat causing constipation Constipation associated with other forms of toxicity such as acne |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Major Combinations
| Rx. Glycyrrhizae | Rx. Platycodi | Rx. Platycodi |
Strongly clears the throat and Lungs to treat Wind-Heat Attacks the Lungs or Fire toxin flaring upwards. | Throat inflammation and productive cough due to Wind-Heat. | To increase the Wind-Heat dispersing properties of the previous combination. |
| Rx. Platycodi | Rz. Belamcandae | Rx. Dioscoreae |
Wind-Heat coughs with difficult to expectorate sputum. | Severe sore throat. | Cough and Yin Deficiency. |
| Periostracum Cicadae | Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae | Rx. et Rz. Rhei Or Rx. Scutellariae |
Incomplete expression of rashes. Pruritic rashes due to Wind-Heat. | Pain and swelling of carbuncles and boils that have not yet ulcerated. | Severe sore throat due to Fire toxin. |
Rz. Dioscoreae | Fr. Forsythiae | Rz. Cimicifugae |
Cough and dyspnea due to Yin Deficiency affecting the Lungs. | Unblocks and drains Heat toxin, disperses clumps and swellings for sore, swollen throat, swellings like mumps, boils and other Heat toxin lesions and ulcerations and abscesses of the tongue and mouth. | Incomplete expression of measles rash. |
Hb. Violae | Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis | Rx. Scrophulariae |
Toxic Heat swellings, carbuncles and mumps. | Sores due to Wind-Heat, dry throat, cough with yellow sputum and incomplete expression of measles or pruritic rash. | Pain and swelling of the throat. |
Fol. Isatidis | Rx. Isatidis | Flos Lonicerae |
Dermatological disorders due to accumulation of Heat and toxins with redness and/or pain. | Mumps. | Sore throat caused by a febrile disorder or Wind-Heat. |
Lasiosphere/Calvatia | Flos Lonicerae |
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Clears Heat and eliminates toxins for sore throat. | Sores, carbuncles or fixed swellings with redness and pain. |
Notes
- According to some sources, this herb clears Heat, normalizes Lung function and works as a diuretic.
- It suits skin ailments marked by severe swelling and Phlegm.
- Externally, it is applied for skin inflammations.
- In Europe and the Americas it has a long history of use as an antibacterial folk remedy.
- During the Middle Ages it was used for gall stones and kidney stones.
- Able either to raise or to descend Qi, this herb treats Wind-Phlegm in the upper body, swelling of the face and eyes, difficulty swallowing and all accumulations of toxic Heat.
- Research has shown that this herb inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
- For throat swelling caused by Heat, decoct 15g Niu Bang Zi in 200 ml of water, reduce it to 40 ml, and take it three times a day.
- Rx. Arctii, Burdock Root, Niu Bang Gen is pounded and the juice used for pharyngeal swelling in children.
- To treat chronic malignant boils, ulcerous masses and stubborn anal fistula, pound Niu Bang Gen, blend it with lard and use it to seal the lesion daily.
- For amenorrhea with an abdominal mass and severe distention, steam 1000g of Niu Bang Gen three times, place it in a silk bag and soak it in 1000ml of wine for five days. Drink a small cup of the wine before every meal each day.
- Niu Bang Zi and Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis Bo He both spread and disperse Wind-Heat and are often combined for that purpose. Niu Bang Zi is bitter, draining and slippery; it vents Wind-Heat without causing sweating and benefits the throat. It also cools, relieves toxicity, disseminates Lung Qi to stop cough and transform Phlegm, vents skin rashes and eases bowel movements. Bo He is acrid and cool and induces sweating. Its aroma makes it good for dispersing Heat in the face and eyes, treating sores and skin rashes, regulating Qi, relieving constraint and breaking up turbid filth.
- Dry-fried Arctium Chao Niu Bang Zi is less cold and slippery and does not harm the Middle Jiao Yang Qi, which makes it especially suited to elderly or deficient patients.
- Processed Arctium Zhi Niu Bang Zi or Cooked Arctium Shu Niu Bang Zi has an ascending quality that lets it travel through all twelve channels, expel Wind from the skin and clear toxic rashes.