Niu Bang Zi – Burdock Fruit – Fructus Arctii

Niu Bang Zi

English Name: arctium, burdock fruit

Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Arctii

Medica Category: Wind-Heat Releasing Herbs

Properties: Niu Bang Zi enters the Lung and Stomach channels; it is acrid and bitter in nature and cold in temperature.

What is Niu Bang Zi?:

The Chinese Herb Niu Bang Zi is unprocessed (or dry-fried) burdock fruit which is ground into powder for use as medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapeutic Actions of Niu Bang Zhi:

Niu Bang Zi dispels wind and vents heat and is used in the early stages of a wind-heat invasion to treat symptoms such as headache, fever, and especially sore throat (as in the formula Yin Qiao).

Niu Bang Zi clears heats and relieves toxicity to address skin disorders that present with swellings and redness (not suitable for use with open sores or carbuncles).

Niu Bang Zi promotes the eruption of rashes (e.g. measles) in the early stages in cases of incomplete expression.

–safety/clinical notes:

Niu Bang Zi moistens the intestines and is therefore contraindicated in cases of diarrhea.

Contraindicated in cases of qi deficiency.