Botanical Name: Xanthium sibiricum Patr.
Plant Type: Annual herb from the Asteraceae family.
Medicinal Part: The dried, mature fruit with involucre.
Main Production Areas: Wildly distributed across China.
Harvesting & Processing: Collected in autumn, dried, roasted to remove hard spines, and used raw.
[Properties]
Taste & Nature: Pungent, bitter, warm; slightly toxic.
Meridian Entered: Lung meridian.
[Functions]
- Dispels wind and releases the exterior.
- Opens nasal passages.
- Eliminates dampness and relieves pain.
[Clinical Applications]
- Used for wind-cold exterior syndromes and nasal congestion due to sinusitis (bi yuan).
- Used for wind-damp arthralgia (pain due to wind-dampness).
[Dosage & Administration]
- Decoction: 3-10g.
- Also used in pills and powder form.
[Precautions]
- Not suitable for headaches caused by blood deficiency.
- Overdose may cause toxicity.