酒蒸焙干，研粉用。大力子、恶实、鼠粘子。
辛，苦，无毒，性降。除瘾疹之风湿，解咽喉之风热，平疮疡之肿毒，开腰膝之凝滞。
处处有之。三月生苗，高三四尺，四月开花成丛，淡紫色，结实如枫 而小，萼上细刺百十
攒簇之，一 有子数十颗。其根大者如臂，长者近尺，其色灰黔。七月采子，十月采根。
浮肿咽塞，酒下末。（验方第一。）
头痛连睛，同石膏末，茶下。（第二。）
头痛有痰，同旋花末，茶下。（第三。）
咽膈壅涎，同炙草、荆穗末，汤下缓之。（第四。）
喉痹肿痛，同马蔺子末服。（第五。）
咽中痘疹，同桔梗、甘草煎。（第六。）
风热瘾疹，同浮萍炒末，薄荷汤下。（第七。）
痘热狂，咽塞便秘，同荆穗、甘草煎。（第八。）
便痈肿痛，炒末，同芒硝蜜水下。（第九。）
蛇蝎虫毒，煎服。（第十。）
水肿腹大，炒末丸服。（十一。）
手脂肿疼麻木，或连肩膝，同羌活末服。（十二。）
苦，寒，无毒。疗一切痈疽，恶疮、杖疮、金疮、反花，治诸般风疾，中风、弱风、劳
风、
燥热发狂，取根汁服。（验方第一。）
心烦热恍惚。同上。（第二。）
一切风疾，同生地、枸杞、牛膝浸酒服。（第三。）
筋牵骨痛，同地黄、黑豆浸酒服。（第四。）
面忽肿痛，用根酒煎膏，贴之，仍酒服。（第五。）
头风白屑，同叶熬稠，涂之，至明，皂角水洗下。（第六。）
咽热肿，用根煎服。（第七。）
项上瘿疾，用根或煎或丸。（第八。）
小便不通，脐腹急痛，同生地、滑石，蜜水煎下。（第九。）
疮疖，以叶贴之。（第十。）
诸疮肿毒，取汁入米煮粥服。（十一。）
积年恶疮，以根取汁，合猪脂油封之。（十二。）
漏疮。同上。（十三。）
将牛蒡子用酒蒸制后焙干，研磨成粉末使用。它又名大力子、恶实、鼠粘子。
味辛、苦，无毒，药性沉降。能祛除瘾疹（皮肤风团瘙痒）中的风湿邪气，解除咽喉部位的风热之邪，平息疮疡肿毒，疏通腰膝部位的凝滞气血。
这种植物到处都有。三月生出苗茎，高三四尺，四月开花形成丛状，花色淡紫，结出的果实像枫树种子但较小，萼片上有细刺数十上百根簇拥在一起，一个果实里有几十颗种子。它的根部粗的像手臂，长的接近一尺，颜色灰黑。七月采集种子，十月采集根部。
【牛蒡子验方】
治疗浮肿、咽喉堵塞，用酒送服粉末。（第一方。）
头痛牵连眼睛，与石膏粉同用，茶送服。（第二方。）
头痛伴有痰湿，与旋花粉同用，茶送服。（第三方。）
咽喉胸膈壅塞多涎，与炙甘草、荆芥穗粉同用，汤剂送服以缓急。（第四方。）
喉痹肿痛，与马蔺子粉同服。（第五方。）
咽部痘疹，与桔梗、甘草煎煮服用。（第六方。）
风热引起的瘾疹，与浮萍炒研成末，薄荷汤送服。（第七方。）
痘疹发热狂躁，咽喉堵塞便秘，与荆芥穗、甘草煎煮服用。（第八方。）
便痈肿痛，炒成粉末，与芒硝、蜂蜜水送服。（第九方。）
蛇蝎虫类毒素，煎煮服用。（第十方。）
水肿腹大，炒成粉末制成丸剂服用。（第十一。）
手部脂瘤肿痛麻木，或牵连肩膝，与羌活粉同服。（第十二方。）
【牛蒡根叶】
味苦，寒，无毒。治疗各种痈疽、恶疮、杖疮、金疮、反花疮，治疗各类风疾，如中风、弱风、劳风、燥热发狂，取根汁服用。（验方第一。）
心烦热、神志恍惚。同上。（第二。）
各种风疾，与生地、枸杞、牛膝浸泡酒中服用。（第三。）
筋脉牵引骨痛，与地黄、黑豆浸泡酒中服用。（第四。）
面部突然肿痛，用根加酒煎膏，外贴患处，同时内服酒剂。（第五。）
头风白屑（头皮屑），与叶子熬制成稠状，涂抹患处，到第二天早上用皂角水洗去。（第六。）
咽喉热肿，用根煎煮服用。（第七。）
颈部瘿瘤疾病，用根或煎或制成丸剂。（第八。）
小便不通，脐腹急痛，与生地、滑石同用，蜂蜜水煎服。（第九。）
疮疖，用叶子贴敷患处。（第十。）
各种疮肿毒，取汁液加入米中煮粥服用。（第十一。）
多年不愈的恶疮，用根取汁，混合猪脂油封涂患处。（第十二。）
漏疮。同上。（第十三。）
Steeped in wine, baked until dry, and ground into powder for use. Also known as Dalizi (Great Burdock Seed), Eshi (Evil Real), and Shuniuzi (Mouse Burdock Seed).
Pungent, bitter, non-toxic, with a descending nature. It dispels wind-dampness from urticaria (wind-rash), resolves wind-heat in the throat, calms swelling and toxicity of sores and ulcers, and opens stagnation in the waist and knees.
It is found everywhere. In March, seedlings emerge, growing three to four chi high. In April, flowers bloom in clusters, pale purple in color. The fruits are like maple seeds but smaller, with dozens or hundreds of fine thorns clustered on the calyx; each fruit contains dozens of seeds. The roots can be as thick as an arm and nearly one chi long, with a grayish-black color. Seeds are harvested in July, and roots in October.
[Formulas for Niu Bang Zi]
For edema and throat obstruction, take the powder with wine. (Formula 1.)
For headache radiating to the eyes, mix with Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao) powder and take with tea. (Formula 2.)
For headache with phlegm, mix with Convolvulus (Xuanhua) powder and take with tea. (Formula 3.)
For accumulation of saliva in the throat and chest, mix with roasted Licorice Root (Zhigancao) and Schizonepeta Spike (Jingsui) powder, and take with decoction to relieve urgency. (Formula 4.)
For laryngismus (Houbi) with swelling and pain, take with Iris Tectorum Seed (Malinzi) powder. (Formula 5.)
For chickenpox/rash in the throat, decoct with Platycodon Root (Jiegeng) and Licorice Root (Gancao). (Formula 6.)
For wind-heat urticaria, stir-fry Lepidium Seed (Fuping) into powder and take with Mint Decoction (Bohe Tang). (Formula 7.)
For fever and mania due to chickenpox/rash, throat obstruction, and constipation, decoct with Schizonepeta Spike (Jingsui) and Licorice Root (Gancao). (Formula 8.)
For perianal abscess with swelling and pain, stir-fry into powder, mix with Mirabilite (Mangxiao) and honey water, and take. (Formula 9.)
For snake, scorpion, and insect venom, decoct and take. (Formula 10.)
For edema and abdominal distension, stir-fry into powder, form pills, and take. (Formula 11.)
For swelling, pain, and numbness in hand fat tissue, or radiating to shoulders and knees, take with Notopterygium Rhizome (Qianghuo) powder. (Formula 12.)
[Niu Bang Gen Ye - Roots and Leaves]
Bitter, cold, non-toxic. Treats all types of carbuncles and sores, malignant ulcers, whip marks, metal wounds, and fungoid growths (Fan Hua Chuang); treats various wind diseases such as stroke (Zhong Feng), weak wind, labor-induced wind, and madness due to dry-heat. Take root juice. (Verified Formula 1.)
For mental restlessness, heat, and confusion. Same as above. (Formula 2.)
For all wind diseases, soak Radix Rehmanniae Preparata (Shengdi), Lycium Fruit (Gouqi), and Achyranthes Root (Niuxi) in wine and take. (Formula 3.)
For tendon traction and bone pain, soak Radix Rehmanniae (Dihuang) and Black Soybean (Heidou) in wine and take. (Formula 4.)
For sudden facial swelling and pain, decoct the root with wine into a paste, apply externally, and simultaneously take with wine. (Formula 5.)
For head wind and dandruff (Bai Xie), decoct leaves into a thick paste, apply to the area, and wash off with Soap Pod (Zaojiao) water the next morning. (Formula 6.)
For hot swelling in the throat, decoct the root and take. (Formula 7.)
For goiter on the neck, use the root either decocted or made into pills. (Formula 8.)
For urinary retention and acute pain in the umbilical/abdominal region, mix with Radix Rehmanniae (Shengdi) and Talcum (Huashi), decoct with honey water, and take. (Formula 9.)
For furuncles, apply leaves externally. (Formula 10.)
For all sores and swelling/toxicity, take the juice, mix with rice, cook into porridge, and take. (Formula 11.)
For chronic malignant ulcers, take root juice, mix with Pig Fat Oil, and seal/apply to the wound. (Formula 12.)
For fistula (Lou Chuang). Same as above. (Formula 13.)