Xanthium can be said to be very unpleasant. It likes to grow in very common places like the roadside and grasslands. Whether it is people or small animals, if they pass through the areas where it grows, they may be stuck to our clothes or the fur of small animals by its thorny fruit, thus helping it to spread and propagate.

Although the fruit of Xanthium sibiricum, Xanthium sibiricum, likes to ‘stick to people’ very much, in fact, this fruit is a very good traditional Chinese medicine, especially for treating various inflammations of the nose, which can be said to be a special therapy drug. So let’s take a look at what diseases the Chinese herbal medicine Xanthium sibiricum can treat.

1. Unblocking the nose, used for Bi syndrome

Bi syndrome is a term in traditional Chinese medicine, the key clinical symptoms are runny nose without stop, accompanied by nasal congestion, headache, and reduced sense of smell, equivalent to the acute and chronic sinusitis we often talk about today. Xanthium sibiricum, acrid and warm, has the function of unblocking and dispersing, and has a strong effect of unblocking the nose. It can treat Bi syndrome. There is a prescription called Xanthium sibiricum powder, which is in addition to Xanthium sibiricum, also includes Zhizi, Baishao, and Xianghuang, which is now said to be a special prescription for treating Bi syndrome in clinical medicine.

In fact, in addition to sinusitis, which is caused by inflammation, other nasal inflammations such as general rhinitis and allergic rhinitis, which appear with runny nose and nasal congestion, can also be treated with Xanthium sibiricum, and the effect is very significant.

2. Dispersing cold, used for wind-cold common cold

Xanthium sibiricum, acrid and warm, enters the大肠经 (Large Intestine Channel), and actually also has a certain effect of dispelling cold, so it can also be taken for common cold caused by wind-cold. Especially when the symptoms of common cold, such as nasal congestion and runny nose, are very prominent, Xanthium sibiricum can both dispel cold and unblock the nose, achieving twice the result with one effort.

3. Relieving rheumatic pain, used for rheumatic arthritis

Xanthium sibiricum is acrid in taste and can dispel wind, bitter in taste and can transform dampness, so it can also dispel dampness and wind, and is used to treat dampness and wind syndrome, especially for physical weakness caused by wind-cold-dampness syndrome, joint pain. It is often used together with drugs such as羌活 (Shanghuo), 独活 (Duhuo), and 藁本 (Gao Ben) with strong dampness and wind dispersing properties.

In addition to this, the external application of Xanthium sibiricum can alleviate wind and itching, and is used to treat skin itching caused by eczema. However, everyone should be aware that Xanthium sibiricum has certain toxic and side effects, which are mainly manifested as liver toxicity. Therefore, it is best not to exceed 10 grams when using this medicine, and following the safe dosage range can reduce or minimize the occurrence of side effects.