Cirsium, also known as Radix Euphorbiae Pekinensis (Daji), is seen everywhere, such as raised ridges, fields, ditch sides, wetlands, and so on. Though this is not a kind of eye-catching weed, it is a very common Chinese herb that is frequently used for bleeding, high blood pressure, and a variety of ailments clinically.

Also known as Japanese thistle herb, this is a perennial herb, 0.5 to 1m high. Root is in clusters, conical, fleshy and with tan surface. Stems are erect, with thin vertical stripes and white silky hairs at base. Basal leaves are clustered, stalked, oblanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, 15 to 30cm in length, pinnatifid, with dentate edge. Since it features its effusive flower heads, the inflorescence is terminal capitulum. Achenes are oblong, with multilayered pappus, pinnate, and in the dark gray color. It blossoms from May to August and fruits from June to August.

Popular Cirsium related Chinese herbal formulas
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds that this herb is sweet, bitter and cool in properties. It covers two meridains, including heart and liver. Its key functions are to cool and stop bleeding and eliminate stasis to subdue swelling. Basic cirsium uses and indications are epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematuria, functional uterine bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, Hepatitis, nephritis, Mastitis, and traumatic injury. External uses include traumatic bleeding, Carbuncle, boils, and pyogenic infections. Usual dosage is from 5 to 10 grams and the dosage of fresh plant can be up to 60 grams.

1. Get juice by smashing and twisting fresh Cirsium thistles leaves and root. Take it in small doses at short intervals to treat spitting blood and dry mouth. – From Tai ping sheng hui fang (Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief)

2. Squeeze juice from a handful of fresh herb. Take half liter of the juice for treatment of Hematemesis, Epistaxis, and metrorrhagia. – From Ben Cao Hui Yan (Treasury of Words on the Materia Medica)

3. Clean and smash 3 to 10 grams of fresh roots. Pour in due amount of boiled water and stew for one hour. Take it before the dinner and three times a day to treat coughing up blood due to lung heat. From Fu Jian Min Jian Cao Yao (Folk Herbs In Fujian)

4. Treat metrorrhagia and metrostaxis by the herbal formula of Da Ji, Ai Ye (Mugwort Leaf), Bai Ji Guan Hua Zi (Semen Celosiae.), Mu Er (Wood ear), and Chao Huang Bai (Dry Fried Amur Cork Tree Bark). – From Dian Nan Ben Cao (Pharmaceutical Natural History of Southern Yunnan)

5. Cure pulmonary abscess with decoction of 12 grams fresh Cirsium thistles. Take it before dinner and three times a day. – From Min Dong Ben Cao (East Fujian Materia Medica)