Niu Bang Zi Burdock Fruit: Clearing Heat and Soothing the Throat in Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Health Lab
- Jun 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 14
Niu Bang Zi, also known as Arctium Fruit or Burdock Seed, is the dried mature fruit of the burdock plant (Arctium lappa) from the Asteraceae family. Valued in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for its ability to disperse wind-heat, promote lung function, soothe the throat, and detoxify, it holds a significant place in herbal therapy.
Its use was first recorded in the Ming Yi Bie Lu (Supplementary Records of Famous Physicians), classified as a lower-grade herb, noted for “improving eyesight, tonifying the middle, and dispelling wind damage.”
Over time, TCM scholars like Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty’s Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica) detailed its properties, harvesting, and applications, emphasizing its ability to “disperse wind-heat, benefit the throat, and resolve toxins.” Later texts, such as Bencao Beiyao and Bencao Zhengyi, further expanded its clinical uses, making it a versatile remedy.
Properties of Niu Bang Zi
Nature and Meridian Affinity
Taste: Pungent, bitter
Nature: Cold
Meridians: Lung, Stomach
Key Components
Niu Bang Zi contains arctiin, fatty oils, vitamins, and other bioactive compounds, contributing to its pharmacological effects.
Main Functions
Disperses wind-heat.
Promotes lung function and rash eruption.
Detoxifies and soothes the throat.
Offers antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antipyretic, and immune-regulating effects.
Clinical Applications
Niu Bang Zi is widely used in TCM for:
Dispersing Wind-Heat: Treats wind-heat common cold symptoms like fever, headache, cough, and sore throat.
Promoting Lung Function and Rash Eruption: Aids in measles with incomplete rash eruption by supporting lung qi.
Detoxifying and Soothing the Throat: Relieves sore throat and hoarseness caused by heat-toxins.
Improving Constipation: Its high dietary fiber content promotes intestinal motility, relieving constipation.
Niu Bang Zi in Classic TCM Formulas
Niu Bang Zi is often combined with other herbs in TCM formulas to enhance its effects:
Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder): Contains Honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), Forsythia (Lian Qiao), Bitter Orange (Ku Jie Geng), Mint (Bo He), Bamboo Leaf (Zhu Ye), Licorice (Gan Cao), Fermented Soybean (Dan Dou Chi), and Niu Bang Zi. It disperses wind-heat and detoxifies, treating wind-heat colds with fever, headache, and sore throat.
Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin (Universal Benefit Decoction to Eliminate Toxins): Includes Scutellaria (Huang Qin), Coptis (Huang Lian), Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi), Licorice (Gan Cao), and others with Niu Bang Zi. It clears heat and toxins, treating epidemic diseases with head swelling and sore throat.
Tou Zhen Tang (Rash Eruption Decoction): Combines Niu Bang Zi, Cimicifuga (Sheng Ma), Pueraria Root (Ge Gen), Cicada Slough (Chan Tui), and others to promote rash eruption in early measles.
Comparison with Similar Herbs
Niu Bang Zi shares functions with other TCM herbs but has unique traits:
Mint (Bo He): Stronger at dispersing wind-heat and clearing head symptoms, used early in colds, unlike Niu Bang Zi’s throat-soothing focus.
Honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua): Potent in clearing heat-toxins and cooling blood, more suited for sores than Niu Bang Zi.
Forsythia (Lian Qiao): Similar in clearing heat and wind-heat but milder, complementing Niu Bang Zi’s actions.
Modern Applications and Research
Modern studies validate Niu Bang Zi’s traditional uses:
Antibacterial: Inhibits various bacteria and fungi.
Anti-inflammatory: Reduces inflammation by suppressing mediators.
Antiviral: Shows activity against certain viruses.
Antipyretic: Lowers body temperature in feverish conditions.
Immune Regulation: Enhances immune function and resilience.
Clinically, Niu Bang Zi is used for respiratory conditions, skin issues like acne and eczema, and as an adjunct in diabetes management.
Precautions for Use
Dosage: Typically 6–12 grams, adjusted based on condition and practitioner guidance.
Contraindications: Use cautiously in cases of spleen deficiency with loose stools.
Compatibility: No specific herb incompatibilities noted.
Preparation: Often roasted to moderate its cold nature.
Conclusion
Niu Bang Zi is a versatile TCM herb, prized for dispersing wind-heat, soothing the throat, and promoting lung and bowel health. Its long history, from Ming Yi Bie Lu to modern applications, highlights its value in treating colds, sore throats, and skin conditions. Proper use under professional guidance ensures safety and efficacy, with ongoing research expanding its potential in modern medicine.
Chinese Name | 牛蒡子 |
Chinese Pinyin | Niubangzi |
English Name | Great Burdock Fruit |
Latin Pharmaceutical Name | Arctii Fructus |
Category | Fruits and seeds |
Origin | The dried mature fruit of Arctium lappa L.(Asteraceae) |
Production Regions | Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Hebei, Jilin, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Heilongjiang. |
Macroscopic Features | Inverse oval shape, slightly flat, and curved, 5~7mm long, 2~3mm wide. Externally grayish-brown, with purple black spots, with numerous longitudinal ridges, often has 1~2 obvious ridges in the middle. Apex is blunt round, slightly wide, with round ring, center has spotted remnants of style; base is slightly narrow on the relatively pale side. Fruit skin is relatively hard, 2 cotyledons, pale yellowish-white, oily. faint odor, bitter and then slightly acrid and numbing to the tongue. |
Quality Requirements | Superior medicinal material is large, full, grayish-brown. |
Properties | Acrid, bitter, cold |
Functions | Dispels wind heat, diffuses lung and outthrusts rashes, resolves toxin and benefits throat. Apply to wind-heat type common cold, cough with phlegm, measles and rashes, throat swelling and pain, mumps erysipelas, abscess and sore swelling and toxin. |
Comments