Introduction of Canɡ er Zi: Siberian Cocklebur Fruit
✵The article records the herb Siberian Cocklebur Fruit—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, and botanical sources: two plant species—(1) Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder and (2) Xanthium mongolicum Kitag.—with a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two plants; the characteristics of the herb Siberian Cocklebur Fruit; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Fructus Xanthii (Siberian Cocklebur Fruit)
Pinyin Name: Cānɡ ěr Zǐ
English Name: Siberian Cocklebur Fruit
Latin Name: Fructus Xanthii
Properties and Flavors: Warm, pungent, bitter, mildly toxic
Brief Introduction:Fructus Xanthii is the dried, ripe fruit of Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder, used to dispel wind, eliminate dampness, relieve nasal obstruction, and alleviate pain—indicated for wind-cold invasion manifesting as nasal congestion, rhinitis, sinusitis, urticaria with pruritus, and rheumatic arthralgia.
Botanical Source:Fructus Xanthii (Siberian Cocklebur Fruit) is the dried, ripe fruit of Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder—a plant belonging to the genus Xanthium L., family Asteraceae (Compositae, daisy family), order Asterales (Campanulales in past). It is also known as Siberian Cocklebur Fruit, Fruit of Siberian Cocklebur, Fructus Xanthii, or Cānɡ ěr Zǐ.
Herbal classic book define Fructus Xanthii (Siberian Cocklebur Fruit or Cānɡ ěr Zǐ) as the dried, ripe fruit of: (1) Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder and (2) Xanthium mongolicum Kitag.—both members of the genus Xanthium L., family Asteraceae, order Asterales. These two commonly used species are described below:
(1) Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder
Botanical Description: Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder is also known as Xanthium strumarium L. or 'Cānɡ ěr'. It is an annual herb reaching 20–90 cm in height. Roots are fusiform (spindle-shaped), either branched or unbranched. The stem is erect—unbranched or rarely branched—with a cylindrical lower portion and longitudinally grooved upper portion, covered with grayish-white, coarse hairs. Leaves are alternate and have long petioles, petioles are 3–11 cm long; leaf blades are triangular-ovate or cordate, 4–9 cm long and 5–10 cm wide, with subentire or inconspicuously 3–5-lobed margins; the apex is acute or obtuse; the base is tri-veined; the upper surface is green, the lower surface is pale-white and covered with scabrous or short, white pubescence.
Capitula (flower heads) are nearly sessile (subsessile), aggregated, unisexual and homophytic; Male capitula are globose; involucral bracts are small, arranged in a single row, densely puberulent; the receptacle is columnar; stipules of the inflorescence are oblanceolate; florets are tubular with 5-dentate apices; 5 stamens; anthers are oblong-linear. Female capitula are ovate; involucral bracts occur in 2–3 rows—the outer bracts are small, while inner bracts are larger, connate into a saccate, ovate structure forming a 2-locular hardened involucre; the outer surface bears glochidia (hooked bristles); the apex terminates in two conical tips; each capitulum contains two florets lacking corollas; ovaries are enclosed within the involucre, each loculus has 1 flower; styles are linear and exserted beyond the involucre. Upon maturity, the involucral bracts with mature achene become firm and transform into ovoid or elliptic achenes measuring 12–15 mm in total length (including the beak) and 4–7 mm in width; color ranges from green to yellowish (light yellow) or reddish-brown; the outer surface is armed with thin and hooked glochidia 1.0–1.5 mm long—without basal thickening; the rostrum (beak) measures 1.5–2.5 mm; 2 achenes, each achene is obovate and contains a single seed. Flowering occurs from July to August; fruiting occurs from September to October.
Growth Characteristics: The plant prefers a warm, moderately moist climate. Cultivation is best undertaken in loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam soil.
Ecological Environment: It grows on plains, hills, low mountains, wastelands, grasslands, roadsides, ditch banks, field margins, and village peripheries.
Characteristics of the Herb: The crude herb ‘Cānɡ ěr’—commonly referred to as Siberian Cocklebur herb—is presented as fragmented material comprising stems, leaves, flowers, and achenes. Stems are cylindrical, brown, longitudinally grooved, sparsely bearing yellowish-white punctate lenticels and dark purple streaks. Leaves are dark green; both surfaces are covered with coarse, short hairs. The herb possesses a delicate fragrance and tastes slightly salty. Capitula are relatively small; the hooked spines are short and flexible; the achene apex bears an internally enclosed rostrum (beak).
The herb Cānɡ ěr Zǐ is also known as Siberian Cocklebur Fruit or Fructus Xanthii. It is defined as a fruit with an involucre. The characteristics of the herb are as follows: the fruit is enclosed within the involucre, fusiform or ovoid, 1–1.5 cm long and 0.4–0.7 cm in diameter. Its surface is yellowish-brown or yellowish-green, covered entirely with hooked thorns; two thick thorns are present at the anterior end—either separate or fused—and stalk scars are visible at the base. The fruit is hard and tough, with a central dissepiment (septum) in cross-section, bilocular, and containing one achene per locule. Each achene is slightly fusiform, with one end flattened and a protruding stylopodium at the apex; the pericarp is thin, gray-black, and marked with longitudinal ridges. The seed coat (spermoderm) is membranous and light gray, also bearing longitudinal ridges; it contains two cotyledons, which are oily. The herb has a faint odor and a slightly bitter taste.
Pharmacological actions: (1) Hypoglycemic and antitussive effects; (2) Inhibitory activity against certain bacteria and fungi.
Medicinal efficacy: Expels wind, releases the exterior, unblocks nasal passages, dispels dampness, and alleviates pain. It is indicated for wind-cold headache, rhinosinusitis (acute and chronic sinusitis), toothache, wind-cold-damp bi syndrome, limb spastic pain, scabies, and pruritus.
Administration of Fructus Xanthii (Cānɡ ěr Zǐ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Fructus Xanthii (Cānɡ ěr Zǐ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: Fructus Xanthii, 3–10 grams; crude Siberian Cocklebur herb, 1–2 liang (≈30–60 grams); (2) 1.5–3 qian (≈4.5–9 grams), prepared as a water decoction, or processed into pills or powder; (3) 3–10 grams, prepared as a water decoction, or finely ground into powder and formulated into pills or powder. Externally: Apply an appropriate amount—either mashed and applied topically, or used as a wash with a water decoction.
(2) Xanthium mongolicum Kitag.
Botanical description: Xanthium mongolicum Kitag. is also known as Mongolian Cocklebur or Měng Gǔ Cānɡ ěr. Differences from Xanthium sibiricum Patrin ex Widder include: the mature involucre containing the achene is elliptic; its total length—including the beak—is 18–20 mm, and its width is 8–10 mm; the outer surface bears relatively sparse, rigid involucral thorns, each 2–5.5 mm long (typically ~5 mm), thickened at the base.
Ecological environment: This plant grows on arid hillsides and sandy wastelands.
Characteristics of the Herb: The Siberian Cocklebur herb derived from Xanthium mongolicum Kitag. is similar in appearance to that derived from Xanthium sibiricum Patrin ex Widder. Key differences are: the capitulum (flower head) is elliptic; the involucre is hard and firm; and rigid, hooked thorns are sparsely distributed on its surface. Achenes occur in pairs, each bearing a divergent rostrum (beak) at the apex.
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References:
1. Introduction of Canɡ er Zi: Siberian Cocklebur Fruit
✵The article records the herb Siberian Cocklebur Fruit—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, and botanical sources: two plant species—(1) Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder and (2) Xanthium mongolicum Kitag.—with a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two plants; the characteristics of the herb Siberian Cocklebur Fruit; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Cānɡ ěr Zǐ
Botanical Description: Xanthium sibiricum Patrin. ex Widder is also known as Xanthium strumarium L. or 'Cānɡ ěr'. It is an annual herb reaching 20–90 cm in height. Roots are fusiform (spindle-shaped), either branched or unbranched. The stem is erect—unbranched or rarely branched—with a cylindrical lower portion and longitudinally grooved upper portion, covered with grayish-white, coarse hairs. Leaves are alternate and have long petioles, petioles are 3–11 cm long; leaf blades are triangular-ovate or cordate, 4–9 cm long and 5–10 cm wide, with subentire or inconspicuously 3–5-lobed margins; the apex is acute or obtuse; the base is tri-veined; the upper surface is green, the lower surface is pale-white and covered with scabrous or short, white pubescence.
Ecological Environment: It grows on plains, hills, low mountains, wastelands, grasslands, roadsides, ditch banks, field margins, and village peripheries.
Botanical description: Xanthium mongolicum Kitag. is also known as Mongolian Cocklebur or Měng Gǔ Cānɡ ěr. Differences from Xanthium sibiricum Patrin ex Widder include: the mature involucre containing the achene is elliptic; its total length—including the beak—is 18–20 mm, and its width is 8–10 mm; the outer surface bears relatively sparse, rigid involucral thorns, each 2–5.5 mm long (typically ~5 mm), thickened at the base.
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