Qian Niu Zi

Qian Niu Zi - Pharbitis nil
		Professional Data

Pin Yin
Qian Niu Zi

Latin
Semen Pharbitidis

Introduction

Semen Pharbitidis is the dried ripe seed of Pharbitis nil (L.) Choisy or Pharbitis pupurea (L.) Voigt (Fam. Convolvulaceae). The plant is cut up in the late autumn when the fruit is ripe but not dehiscent, dried in the sun. The seed is tapped out, and removed from foreign matter.

Western medical

qian niu zi is often indicated in the treatment of epilepsy, abdominal pain due to parasites, edema and ascites.

Eastern medical

Pattern: Discharge to remove stagnated food, dispels Water, eliminates swelling and kills parasites.
Properties: Bitter, pungent, cold, toxic.
Channels entered: :Lung, Kidney, Large Intestine and Small Intestine.

Chemical constituents

qian niu zi contains pharbitin, lysergol, chanoclavine, penniclavine, isopenniclavine elymoclavine, protein and sterines, etc..

Pharmacological actions

Miscellaneous effect

Pharbitin has similar chemical properties to jalapin and had strong purgative effect. qian niu zi had helminthic effect on some pig bellyworms. Toxic to human, but not strong.

Clinical Studies

Epilepsy

gou teng 5~15g; tian ma, yuan zhi, shi chang pu, bai jiang can, bei mu, dan nan xing, ban xia 3~10g each; quan xie, hei xian niu zi, bai qian niu zi, 2~6g, hu po powder 2~5g. 1 dose daily, 30 days as a course of treatment with an interval of 3~5 days. 36 cases were treated, and 25 were markedly effective, 9 effective, 2 ineffective.

Abdominal pain due to parasites

qian niu zi 6~10g, bing lang 10g, shi jun zi 20g, da huang 6g, to treat bellyworm and tapeworm.

Edema and ascites

bai zhu 12g, gui zhi 6g, fu ling 12g, sang bai pi 12g, ting li zi 10g, chen pi 10g and mu tong 6g for water decoction, combining with 3g powder of grounded qian niu zi for deglutition.

References

Except those noted, all references come from Weng Weiliang, et al., Clinical Chinese materia medica, Henan Science & Technology Press, 1998