Bidens, Gui Zhen Cao 鬼针草

Beggarticks, Spanish Needles, Cuckolds, Black Jack
Gui Zhen Cao (TCM)
Picture Bidens bipinnata
Ruiz, H., Pavón, J., Drawings of the Royal Botanical
Expedition to the Viceroyalty of Peru (1777-1816)

Picture Bidens bipinnata
(Photo by Cbaile19) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Bidens bipinnata, B. parviflora, B. pilosa
TCM also uses B. pilosa var. minor (Xian Fen Cao) similarly.
In the U.S., B. bipinnata is used; B. connata and B. frondosa are regarded as having similar properties.

Parts used:


Whole herb (TCM)
In the U.S., Root and Seeds have been used in addition to the herb.

Temperature & Taste:


Cold, dry

Classifications:


B. Clear Heat

Uses:


1. Clears Heat and Toxin: (TCM)
-Soreness and swelling of the Throat
-Diarrhea, Dysentery
-Toxic Sores, Abscesses, Mastalgia
-Leprosy (internally & topically, in China & India)
-Hepatitis
-Urinary Tract Infections, Nephritis
-Acute Appendicitis (used by Mulam minority of China)
-Snake and Insect Bites

2. Clears Wind and Damp, Eases Pain: (TCM)
-Muscles and Joint pain from Wind-Damp
-Lumbago, Migraine

3. Moves the Blood, Resolves Swelling:
-Trauma, Bruising (Herb, TCM)
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea (Seed, USA)
-‘Painful and deficient Menstruation’ (Seed, Cook)
-Palpitation (Seed, Cook)
-Angina (used by Mulam minority of China)
-demonstrated effectiveness against various Tumor cell lines

4. Clears Heat, Resolves Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-root decoction ‘proved beneficial in Severe Cough’ (King’s)
-Seed has been said to have expectorant qualities (Cook)
-Croup (leaf infusion taken every 15 minutes in infusion until vomiting occurs)

5. Externally:
-topically to Venomous bites including Snake bite (fresh herb pounded and applied) (TCM)
-applied to Trauma (fresh herb pounded and applied) (TCM)
-topically to swelling and inflammation (TCM)
-leaves as a wash to stop bleeding Piles, bleeding Gums etc. (Cook)


Dose:


Decoction: 3–12 grams
Powder: 1–4 grams (Sayre)
Tincture (8 oz. of the fresh herb in 1 pint 76% alcohol): 5–30 drops (Scudder)

Main Combinations:


1. Dysentery, Bidens with Pueraria Ge Gen, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Coptis Huang Lian
2. Urinary Tract Infections, Bidens with Coix Yi Yi Ren (Job’s Tears), Phellodendron Huang Bai, Plantain seed (Che Qian Zi)
3. Hepatitis, Bidens with Polygonum Hu Zhang, Isatis Radix Ban Lan Gen, Scutellaria Huang Qin
4. Appendicitis, Bidens can be taken with Da Huang Mu Dan Tang (a formula)

Major Formulas:




Cautions:


Use cautiously in Stomach weakness.

Main Preparations used:



Research

–Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae): Botanical Properties, Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology.
–Total flavonoids of Bidens bipinnata L. ameliorate experimental adjuvant-induced arthritis through induction of synovial apoptosis
–The Inhibitory Effect of Binens Bipinnata L. Extract on U14 Tumour in Mice
–Natural Compounds as Modulators of Cell Cycle Arrest: Application for Anticancer Chemotherapies
–Study on In Vitro Anti-Tumor Activity of Bidens Bipinnata L. Extract
–Review of anticancer mechanisms of isoquercitin