A coarse, unarmed annual, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves triangular-cordate or sub-orbicular, often three-lobed, irregularly toothed, cuneate at the apex, scabrid or hispid; flower-heads numerous, white or green, in terminal and axillary racemes; male heads uppermost, globose, florets numerous, involucral bracts few, short, narrow, in one series; female heads ovoid, outer involucral bracts few, short, inner many, united, covered with hooked bristles, terminating in two strong, hooked beaks; flowers 2, pappus and corolla none; achenes obovoid, enclosed in the hardened involucre.

Antiepileptic, sedative, laxative, diaphoretic, emollient, diuretic, sedative and antibilious (plant); antiinflammatory, antitumor and hypothermic (root); astringent, alterative, antisyphilitic and diuretic (leaves)

Xanthium strumarium
PIER
Plants for a Future

Sesquiterpene lactones (leaf); n-heptacosanol, beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol (root).

In leucoderma, epilepsy, in chronic malaria, leucorrhoea and urinary diseases (plant); in smallpox, in cancer and scrofula (root); on ulcers, boils and abscesses (root extract); in the treatment of rheumatism, diseased kidneys and tuberculosis (plant infusion); allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, catarrh, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, constipation, diarrhoea, lumbago, leprosy and pruritis (fruits)

Uterine vasoconstrictor, more than 6-8 burrs a day can cause potential placental separation.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.