Drastic Hydragogues
Qian Niu Zi (Pharbitis Seed)
Naming
Qian Niu Zi (Semen Pharbitidis)——Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous physicians)
The Processing of 牵牛子
Origin
The ripe seed of annual trailing herbaceous plants of Pharbitis nil (L.) Choisy or P. purpurea (L.) Voigt of family Convolvulaceae.
Location
Most areas of China.
Harvest
Collected in late autumn when it's ripe and indehiscent.
The actual smell and taste
Light smell, pungent, bitter, and benumbing taste.
Best quality
Filled seeds without impurities such as peel.
Processing
Unprocessed or stir-baked, ground when use.
The Effect of 牵牛子
Property
Bitter, cold, toxic, large intestine, lung, and kidney meridians entered.
Actions
Expel water by catharsis, induce diuresis, eliminate phlegm and retained fluid, expel ascarid.
Indications
A. Edema, tympanites, cough and asthma due to phlegm and retained fluid
It can both expel water by catharsis and free urination to discharge water from body with urination and defecation. Its action of water expelling, and property of toxic and drastic is similar but less than that of Gan Sui and Jing Da Ji, it's suitable for excessive retained fluid without deficiency of original qi. For edema, tympanites, dysuria and constipation, it is used in fine powder or combined with Gan Sui and Jing Da Ji. It can also eliminate phlegm and expel retained fluid. For cough and asthma due to phlegm and retained fluid, and swollen face, it is combined with lung-purging and dyspnea-relieving herbs such as Ting Li Zi and Sang Bai Pi, etc.
B. Constipation, food stagnancy, helminthic accumulation
It can take effect of relaxing bowels with purgative or removing stagnation and resolving accumulation when being used in small dose. Because of the bitter and cold nature, it is suitable for constipation due to heat accumulation and can be combined with offensive purgatives like Da Huang. For food stagnancy, it can be combined with digestion-promoting and qi-moving herbs, such as Lai Fu Zi and Qing Pi.It can not only expel ascarid but pass parasites with purgative from the body, and it is often combined with antihelminthic, Bing Lang and Shi Jun Zi are the examples.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 3~9 g; or l.5～3 g used in powder or pills. Parching before use can modify its nature and action.
Cautions
It is contraindicated to pregnancy, and incompatible with Ba Dou.
Sources and further reading
We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.
- Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
- Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
- NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.
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