NIU BANG ZI Arctium lappa L. (Fam. Asteraceae)

Arctium lappa L. (Fam. Asteraceae)

• Branch with fruit; Flower; Fruit
• Semen Arecae
• areca seeds
• dried ripe seed

Semen Arecae is produced chiefly in the provinces of Hainan, Fujian, and Yunnan. Collected in spring and winter, it is peeled, dried, and sliced after maceration.

• Pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in property, acts on the Stomach and Large Intestine channels.
• Kills parasites, relieves food retention, promotes the
• flow of Qi, and is a diuretic.

For various kinds of worms in the intestinal tract, such as ascariasis, taeniasis, and ancylostomiasis. For taeniasis, it is used with Semen Cucurbitae (Nan Gua Zi).

For food retention or stagnation of Qi with dis- tention and a sensation of fullness in the epigas- trium, and for constipation and diarrhea with tenes- mus, it is used with Radix Aucklandiae (Mu Xiang), Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae Viride (Qing Pi), and Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (Da Huang).

For edema, it is used with Radix Phytolaccae (Shang Lu), Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling), and Rhizoma Alismatis (Ze Xie) in “The Decoction for Diuresis” (Shu Zao Yin Zi) or with Fructus Chaenomelis (Mu Gua), Fructus Evodiae (Wu Zhu Yu), Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (Chen Pi), and Caulis Perillae (Zi Su Geng) in “The Cock Crowing Powder” ( Ji Ming San).

Contraindicated in patients with diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency.