Xanthium seeds, a traditional Chinese medicine. These are the dried, mature fruits with their involucres intact from Xanthium sibiricum Patr., a plant in the genus Xanthium of the Asteraceae family. They are effective in dispelling wind-cold, unblocking the nasal passages, and eliminating wind-dampness. They are primarily used to treat wind-cold headaches, nasal congestion and runny nose, nasal discharge, chronic sinusitis, itching caused by hives, and stiffness and spasms due to dampness-bi syndrome.
Xanthium Seeds
Xanthium seeds, a traditional Chinese medicine. These are the dried, mature fruits with their involucres intact from Xanthium sibiricum Patr., a plant in the genus Xanthium of the Asteraceae family. They are effective in dispelling wind-cold, unblocking the nasal passages, and eliminating wind-dampness. They are primarily used to treat wind-cold headaches, nasal congestion and runny nose, nasal discharge, chronic sinusitis, itching caused by hives, and stiffness and spasms due to dampness-bi syndrome.
Chinese Name : 苍耳子
Latin Name : Xanthii Fructus
Aliases : Xie’er Shi, Yangfulai, Zhici, Daorentou, Cang’er Shi, Niushizi, Huzhenzi, Mian Tanglang, Cangzi, Hucangzi
Authentic Producing Area : Shandong, Jiangsu, Hubei
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Pungent and bitter in taste; warm in nature; enters the Lung Meridian
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Dispels wind-cold, unblocks the nasal passages, and eliminates wind-dampness.
Indications
Headaches due to wind-cold, nasal congestion with runny nose, nasal discharge, chronic nasal discharge, itching from hives, and stiffness and spasms due to dampness-bi.
Usage and Dosage
1. Internal use: Decoct 3–10 g; or incorporate into pills or powders. 2. External use: Apply an appropriate amount, pounded into a paste; or decoct in water for washing.
Precautions
1. This herb is toxic; excessive intake may lead to poisoning. 2. Use with caution during pregnancy. 3. As this herb is pungent, bitter, warm, and drying, it is not suitable for individuals with blood-deficiency headaches.
Chemical Constituents
It primarily contains fatty acids such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, as well as atractyloside, hydroxyatraktyloside, and cetyl alcohol.
Pharmacological Actions
This product primarily exhibits anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunosuppressive, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic effects.
Relevant Discussions
1. *Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica*: “It treats wind-induced headaches and cold pain, rheumatic arthralgia, stiffness and pain in the limbs, and necrotic tissue.”
2. *Essentials of Materia Medica*: “It is effective at inducing sweating, dispelling wind-dampness, ascending to the brain and crown, descending to the feet and knees, and reaching the skin. It treats headaches, blurred vision, toothaches, nasal discharge, and removes splinters.”
Applications
Clinical Applications
1. To treat external invasion by wind-cold, characterized by chills, fever, pain in the head and body, nasal congestion, and a runny nose, it may be used in combination with other wind-dispersing herbs such as Fangfeng, Bai Zhi, and Qianghuo.
2.For treating nasal discharge accompanied by headache, loss of sense of smell, and intermittent discharge of turbid nasal secretions, this herb offers multiple benefits—addressing both the root cause and the symptoms. It can be taken internally or applied externally and is an excellent remedy for nasal discharge and nasal congestion. It is particularly suitable for cases of nasal discharge caused by external invasion of wind-cold. It is often combined with herbs such as Xinyi and Bai Zhi, which disperse wind-cold and unblock the nasal passages, as in the Cang’erzi Powder (from *Jisheng Fang*). If the chronic sinusitis is caused by an external invasion of wind-heat or internal accumulation of damp-heat, this herb is often combined with herbs such as Bo He and Huang Qin, which disperse wind-heat and clear heat.
3. For treating rheumatic arthralgia, joint pain, and stiffness in the limbs, it can be used alone or in combination with herbs such as Qiang Huo, Wei Ling Xian, and Mu Gua.
4. For treating itching associated with wind-rash, it can be used in combination with herbs such as *Difu Zi*, *Bai Xian Pi*, and *Bai Ji Li*.
Related Compatibility
1. Xanthium seeds combined with Ephedra: Both herbs disperse wind-cold and clear the nasal passages. When combined, they enhance the effects of dispersing wind-cold and clearing the nasal passages. This combination is commonly used to treat wind-cold colds, nasal congestion, and runny nose, as well as conditions such as nasal polyps, sinusitis-related headaches, and nasal congestion with a runny nose.
2. Xanthium seeds combined with Clematis root: Xanthium seeds can dispel wind-dampness and relieve pain; Clematis root excels at dispelling wind-dampness, unblocking meridians, and relieving arthralgic pain. When combined, they possess a potent effect in dispelling wind-dampness, unblocking meridians, and relieving arthralgic pain, and are commonly used to treat generalized rheumatic pain.
3. Xanthium Seed Combined with Fangfeng: Both herbs dispel wind and relieve itching; when combined, their therapeutic effects are enhanced. This combination is commonly used to treat urticaria and itching caused by wind-pathogen invasion.
Medicinal Identification
Xanthium seeds, roasted Xanthium seeds: Xanthium seeds have a bitter, pungent, and warm nature; they are toxic and enter the Lung Meridian. They dispel wind and remove dampness, and clear the nasal passages. They are indicated for wind-cold headaches, nasal congestion and runny nose, chronic sinusitis, itching due to wind-rash, and stiffness and spasms caused by dampness-bi.Roasted Xanthium seeds reduce toxicity and are particularly effective at unblocking the nasal passages, dispelling wind-dampness, and relieving pain; they are commonly used for headaches associated with chronic sinusitis and rheumatic arthralgia.
Related Medicines
Bitong Pills, Ditong Rhinitis Drops, and Lini Tablets.
Related Prescriptions
Xanthium Seed Powder (from *Jisheng Fang*).
Notes
Patients requiring treatment with Chinese herbal medicine should first consult a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital to receive a prescription following a professional TCM differential diagnosis.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
The fruits ripen from September to October, turning from green to yellow. When most of the leaves have withered and fallen off, select a sunny day to cut down the entire plant, thresh the seeds, winnow them clean, and sun-dry them.
Processing Methods
1. Xanthium Seeds: Take the raw herbal material and remove impurities.
2. Roasted Xanthium Seeds: Place the cleaned Xanthium seeds in a pan and roast over medium heat until the surface turns yellowish-brown and a fragrant aroma is released. Remove, allow to cool, remove the spines, and sift to clean.
3. Bran-Roasted Xanthium Seeds: Sprinkle bran into a hot wok and heat over medium heat. When smoke begins to rise, add the cleaned Xanthium seeds and stir-fry until the surface turns deep yellow. Remove from heat, sift out the bran, and allow to cool. Grind off the spines. Sift out any ash or debris. Use 45 kg of bran for every 100 kg of Xanthium seeds.
Storage Methods
Store in a dry container. Keep roasted Xanthium seeds and bran-roasted Xanthium seeds tightly sealed in a cool, dry place.
Crude Drug Identification
Identification
1. The powder of this product is pale yellowish-brown to pale yellowish-green. The fibers of the involucre occur in bundles and are often arranged in a crisscross pattern. The epidermal cells of the pericarp are brown, roughly rectangular, and often connected to the underlying fibers. The pericarp fibers occur in bundles or are scattered individually; they are slender and spindle-shaped, with pits and pit channels that may or may not be distinct. The seed coat cells are pale yellow; the outer layer cells are roughly polygonal with slightly thickened walls;inner-layer cells bear papillate projections. The xylem parenchyma cells are oblong and possess pits. Cotyledon cells contain starch granules and oil droplets.
2. Take 2 g of the powdered sample, add 25 mL of methanol, sonicate for 20 minutes, filter, and concentrate the filtrate to 2 mL to prepare the test solution. Separately, take 2 g of Xanthium fruit reference material and prepare the reference solution using the same method.Perform thin-layer chromatography: pipette 4 μl of each of the two solutions and spot them separately onto the same silica gel G plate. Develop the plate using the upper layer of a n-butanol–glacial acetic acid–water (4:1:5) mixture as the developing solvent. Remove the plate, allow it to air-dry, and expose it to ammonia vapor until the spots become clearly visible.In the chromatogram of the test sample, spots of the same color appear at positions corresponding to those in the chromatogram of the reference herbal material.
Properties of Crude Drugs
This product is spindle-shaped or ovoid, 1–1.5 cm long and 0.4–0.7 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-brown or yellowish-green, covered entirely with hooked spines; the apex bears two relatively thick spines that may be separate or connected, and the base bears a scar from the fruit stalk.The texture is hard and tough; the central part of the cross-section reveals a longitudinal septum dividing it into two chambers, each containing one achene. The achene is slightly spindle-shaped, with one side relatively flat; the apex bears a protruding style base. The pericarp is thin, grayish-black, and longitudinally striated. The seed coat is membranous and light gray; there are two cotyledons, which are oily. It has a faint odor and a slightly bitter taste.
Properties of Processed Slices
1. Xanthium Seed: See the “Characteristics of the Medicinal Material” section.
2. Roasted Xanthium Seed: Resembles Xanthium Seed in appearance; the surface is yellowish-brown and has a slight fragrance.
3. Bran-Roasted Xanthium Seed: Resembles Xanthium Seed in appearance; the surface is scorched yellow and has a slight bran-like aroma.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Xanthium, a plant of the genus Xanthium in the Asteraceae family.
Morphological Characteristics
An annual herb, 20–90 cm tall. The root is spindle-shaped, branched or unbranched. The stem is erect, unbranched or sparsely branched; cylindrical at the base and longitudinally grooved at the top, covered with grayish-white, rough, appressed hairs.Leaves are alternate; long-petiolate, 3–11 cm long; leaf blades are triangular-ovate or cordate, 4–9 cm long, 5–10 cm wide, nearly entire or with 3–5 inconspicuous shallow lobes, with an acute or obtuse apex, three basal veins, green above, pale grayish-white below, and covered with coarse or short white appressed hairs.Capitula are nearly sessile, clustered, and unisexual on the same plant; male inflorescences are globose. Bracts are small, arranged in a single row, and densely pubescent; the receptacle is columnar, with oblanceolate receptacle segments; florets are tubular, 5-lobed at the apex; stamens number 5, with oblong-linear anthers;female inflorescences are ovate; the involucral bracts are arranged in 2–3 rows, with the outer row being small and the inner row large; they coalesce into a saccate-ovate, 2-chambered, rigid structure bearing backward-pointing spines on the exterior and topped by two conical apices; there are two florets, each without a corolla; the ovary is located within the involucre, with one floret per chamber; the style is linear and protrudes beyond the involucre.The mature, achene-bearing involucre becomes hard, ovate or elliptical, 12–15 mm long including the beak and 4–7 mm wide; it is green, pale yellow, or reddish-brown, with sparse, hooked involucral spines on the outside. The involucral spines are slender, 1–1.5 mm long, with unthickened bases, and the beak is 1.5–2.5 mm long;There are two achenes, obovate in shape, each containing a single seed. Flowering occurs from July to August, and fruiting from September to October.
Distribution Area
Distributed throughout China.
Growth Habits
Prefers a warm, slightly humid climate. Cultivation is best suited to loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam.
Propagation Methods
Propagate by seed, using either direct seeding or seedling transplantation.
Cultivation Techniques
1. Direct Seeding: In April, dig holes 6–8 cm deep at a spacing of 45 cm × 45 cm. Sow about 8 seeds per hole, cover with soil, lightly firm the soil, and water.
2. Seedling Transplanting: Start seedlings in March–April. Once the seedlings reach about 10 cm in height, transplant 3–4 seedlings per hole.
Pest and Disease Control
Pests include the cabbage looper, cockchafer, and cutworms.