What are the medicinal properties of Xanthium sibiricum?

Many people may not know what Xanthium sibiricum is, but many of us know about it or have even seen it with our own eyes. We can often see it on the roadside, but no one pays attention to it. You may not have thought that it is actually a kind of medicine, and it generally grows in Heilongjiang and other places in my country. It has a very good effect and can treat many diseases. So, what are the medicinal properties of Xanthium sibiricum?

Xanthium sibiricum, the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. Other names: Xanthium sibiricum, Xanthium sibiricum, also called magnetic head mang (chi head mang) in Cantonese. The fruit with involucre of Xanthium sibiricum, an annual herb of the Asteraceae family, belongs to the genus Xanthium. Xanthium sibiricum is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine with the effects of dispersing wind, removing dampness and opening the orifices.

Xanthium sibiricum is an annual herb. Its fruit is spindle-shaped or oval, 1 to 37.5px long and 0.4 to 17.5px in diameter. The surface is yellow-brown or yellow-green, with hooked thorns all over the body, two thicker thorns on the top, separated or connected, and a fruit stalk mark at the base. It is hard and tough, with a longitudinal septum in the center of the cross section, and two chambers, each containing one achene. The achene is slightly fusiform, with one side relatively flat and a protruding stylopodium at the top. The pericarp is thin, gray-black, and has longitudinal stripes. It often grows in plains, hills, low mountains, wilderness roadsides and field edges.

1. Antibacterial effect

In vitro experiments have shown that the decoction of Xanthium sibiricum has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococcus, and Group B Streptococcus, with the strongest inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus. Its acetone or ethanol extract also has an inhibitory effect on Trichophyton rubrum in vitro.

2. Effects on respiration, blood pressure and heart

Intravenous injection of Xanthium sibiricum injection can lower the blood pressure of anesthetized rabbits and dogs, and significantly increase the respiratory amplitude and frequency. It also has a stimulating respiratory and antihypertensive effect on conscious rabbits. It has a transient inhibitory effect on the isolated guinea pig heart.

3. Antitussive effect

Gavage of Xanthium sibiricum decoction to mice has an antitussive effect on cough caused by sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia.

4. Effects on blood sugar

The glycoside AA2 in Xanthium sibiricum can reduce blood sugar in normal animals, but cannot reduce hyperglycemia in rats caused by alloxan. The glycoside rhamnose contained in Xanthium sibiricum not only cannot increase the formation of animal liver glycogen, but promotes the reduction of glycogen. If rhamnose is injected first and then adrenaline, the latter's blood sugar increase reaction will weaken or disappear. This may be because rhamnose has reduced liver glycogen.

The efficacy of Xanthium sibiricum

1. Lowering blood sugar: 1 mg/kg of white crystalline glycoside (C31H-48O24S2) can lower the blood sugar level of normal rabbits.

2. Effect on the respiratory system: 0.3 ml/kg of 100% decoction of Xanthium sibiricum has an antitussive effect on mice; 15 ml/kg has no expectorant effect on rabbits. Tincture injection has a respiratory stimulant effect on frogs, while large doses have an inhibitory effect.

3. Effects on cardiovascular system: Intravenous injection of Xanthium sibiricum has a temporary antihypertensive effect on rabbits and dogs.

4. Anti-inflammatory effect: The diterpene hydroxy acid atractylodesin contained in this product has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in the rat carrageenan edema test. The LD50 for intraperitoneal injection, subcutaneous injection and oral administration are 2.9, 5.3 and 350 mg/kg, respectively.

5. The decoction of Xanthium sibiricum has certain antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus in vitro, and its acetone or ethanol extract also has antibacterial effects against Trichophyton rubrum in vitro.

6. Toxicity: Analysis showed that Xanthium sibiricum oil (once heated to 120°C) and the protein it contained (insoluble in water and denatured during the extraction process) had no obvious toxicity, while the water extract prepared from the defatted part was highly toxic.

Everyone should pay attention that Xanthium sibiricum also has a bad side. When taking it, everyone should pay attention to the dosage, because eating too much will be bad for the body and produce toxins. If you are poisoned by eating Xanthium sibiricum, you can immediately have your stomach washed to expel all the toxic substances in your body. You can then take milk or soy milk.