Introduction to Bidens tripartita
Bidens tripartita, also known as Bidens frondosa or Three-lobe beggarticks, is an annual herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family. It has an erect stem that can reach a height of 30-80 centimeters, sometimes up to 90 centimeters. The stem branches from the base and is hairless. The leaves are opposite, with the upper leaves on the stem being smaller and sometimes undivided, while the lower leaves are pinnately or deeply divided. The leaflets are ovate to lanceolate, with a wedge-shaped or nearly round base, and a pointed or gradually pointed tip. The margins are irregularly serrated with large teeth, and the uppermost leaflet is usually larger than the lower ones. The leaf stalks have wings. The inflorescence is a terminal head, spherical or flattened spherical, with two rows of bracts. The inner bracts are lanceolate and membranous, about the same length as the inflorescence or slightly shorter, while the outer bracts are lanceolate or inversely lanceolate, longer than the inflorescence and leaf-like. The flowers are tubular and yellow, with a two-lobed stigma. The fruits are flattened achenes, oblong or inversely oblong, measuring 4.5-9 millimeters in length and about 1.5-2.2 millimeters in diameter. They have backward-pointing small prickles along the edges, a central longitudinal rib on both sides, and an upward-pointing prickle on each side. The plant blooms from August to September, and the fruits ripen in October.
Bidens tripartita is found in wet and shallow water areas under temperate and subtropical climates. It can tolerate saline-alkali soils. It is a herbaceous plant that prefers acidic to neutral soils.
Chemical Constituents of Bidens tripartita
The dried herb contains volatile oil (0.11%) and tannins (2.01%). It also contains flavonoids such as vitexin and vitexin-7-glucoside. The leaves contain approximately 160 milligrams of vitamin C per percent. The fruits contain 23.78% oil.
Pharmacological Effects of Bidens tripartita
An infusion of the whole plant has sedative, hypotensive, and mildly increased cardiac contractility effects when injected into animals. When taken orally, it has diuretic and diaphoretic effects.
Medicinal Uses of Bidens tripartita
Bidens tripartita is used to treat bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, dysentery, erysipelas, and scabies.
Dosage and Administration of Bidens tripartita
For internal use, the herb is decocted in water at a dosage of 2-5 qian (fresh herb 1-2 liang). It can also be ground into a paste. For external use, it can be applied as a powder or as a paste.
Images of Bidens tripartita
Selected Formulas with Bidens tripartita
1. For bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis: Take 1 liang of fresh Bidens tripartita and decoct it in water. (From "Fujian Medicinal Herbs")
2. For tonsillitis and pharyngitis: Take 3-4 liang of fresh Bidens tripartita, add 6 fresh olives or 5 qian of fresh Radix Vladimiriae, and decoct in water. (From "Fujian Medicinal Herbs")
3. For sore throat: Take 5 qian to 1 liang of fresh Bidens tripartita, add rock sugar, and stew it. (From "Eastern Fujian Materia Medica")
4. For dysentery: Take 2 jin of Bidens tripartita, grind it into a paste, and mix it with half a cup of honey water. Take it on an empty stomach. If fresh herbs are not available, take a cun spoonful of the dried herb, grind it into a powder, and mix it with half a cup of honey water. (From "Illustrated Compendium of Materia Medica")
5. For scabies: Mash the fresh leaves of Bidens tripartita into a paste and apply it. (From "Fujian Medicinal Herbs")
