牛至，中药名。为唇形科植物牛至OriganumvulgareL.的全草。具有解表，理气，清暑，利湿的功效。主治感冒发热，中暑，胸膈胀满，腹痛吐泻，痢疾，黄疸，水肿，带下，小儿疳积，麻疹，皮肤瘙痒，疮疡肿痛，跌打损伤。
Niu-zhi, name of Chinese Medicinal Material. Origanum vulgare L.) is the whole plant of the Labiatae plant Origanum vulgare L. It has the functions of releasing the exterior, regulating qi, clearing heat, and promoting diuresis. It is mainly used for treating fever due to cold, heatstroke, chest and diaphragm distention, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, edema, leukorrhea, infantile malnutrition, measles, skin itching, and painful swelling of sores and injuries.

功效作用 Efficacy and Functions

解表，理气，清暑，利湿。
Disperse exterior, soothe liver qi, clear heat, and promote diuresis.

主治 Indications

感冒发热，中暑，胸膈胀满，腹痛吐泻，痢疾，黄疸，水肿，带下，小儿疳积，麻疹，皮肤瘙痒，疮疡肿痛，跌打损伤。
Common cold with fever, heatstroke, chest fullness, abdominal pain and diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, edema, leukorrhea, pediatric malnutrition, measles, itchy skin, painful swellings and sores, as well as bruises and injuries.

用法用量 Dosage and Administration

内服：煎汤，3-9g，大剂量用至15-30g；或泡茶。外用：适量，煎水洗；或鲜品捣敷。
Internal use: Decoction, 3-9g, high dose up to 15-30g; or brewed as tea. External use: appropriate amount, decoct for washing; or apply fresh product as a poultice.

禁忌 Contraindications

表虚汗多者禁服。
Avoid in individuals with exterior deficiency and excessive sweating.

化学成分 Chemical Composition

全草含水苏糖和挥发油，油中主要含百里香酚，香荆芥酚，乙酸牻牛儿醇酯及聚伞花素等，叶还含熊果酸。
The whole plant contains stachyose and volatile oil, with the oil mainly composed of thymol, carvacrol, geranyl acetate, and p-cymene, among others. The leaves also contain ursolic acid.

药理作用 Pharmacological Effects

1、抗微生物作用：牛至挥发油对福氏痢疾杆菌、宋内痢疾杆菌、志贺痢疾杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、白色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌、伤寒杆菌、甲型副伤寒杆菌、变形杆菌的最低抑菌浓度分别为0.34mg/ml、0.17mg/ml、0.17mg/ml、0.17mg/ml、0.34mg/ml、0.34mg/ml、0.17mg/ml、0.34mg/ml、0.34mg/ml，从挥发油中得到的百里香酚和香荆芥酚对上述细菌也有显著抑制作用，最低抑菌浓度在0.25-0.55mg/ml范围内。牛至挥发油对绿脓杆菌也有抑制作用，最低有效浓度为1.0μl/ml。挥发油对鸡胚的毒性较大，因此在鸡胚无毒的浓度下对流感病毒、腺病毒均无抑制作用。

1. Antimicrobial effects: The essential oil of oregano shows minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.34 mg/ml, 0.17 mg/ml, 0.17 mg/ml, 0.17 mg/ml, 0.34 mg/ml, 0.34 mg/ml, 0.17 mg/ml, 0.34 mg/ml, and 0.34 mg/ml against Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi A, and Proteus vulgaris, respectively. Thymol and carvacrol isolated from the oil also show significant antibacterial activity, with MICs ranging from 0.25–0.55 mg/ml. The oil also inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a minimum effective concentration of 1.0 μl/ml. However, due to its high toxicity to chicken embryos, it does not inhibit influenza virus or adenovirus at non-toxic concentrations.

2、对平滑肌的作用：牛至挥发油对大鼠离体肠管主动收缩及氯化钡（BaCl₂）引起的收缩无明显影响，但对乙酰胆碱引起的收缩有较弱的对抗作用。亦有报道牛至总挥发油对离体肠平滑肌有解痉作用，可能是直接作用于肠平滑肌（拮抗BaCl₂）以及对乙酰胆碱和组胺的拮抗作用。解痉作用对缓和菌痢患者腹痛、腹泻等症状也有一定的作用。总挥发油松弛离体血管平滑肌，对不同种属动物血压有不同影响，可降低大鼠血压，但对狗、猫血压几乎无影响。总挥发油虽能扩张离体豚鼠支气管，但作用较弱，无平喘作用。挥发油5×10⁻⁵g/ml可使离体兔耳血管灌流量显著增加；2.5×10⁻⁵g/ml使离体家兔、豚鼠冠脉流量显著增加。十二指肠给药10mg/kg，可使麻醉大鼠血压1h内平均降低2.7±1.6kPa（20.5±12mmHg）。家兔离体主动脉条实验中，挥发油不能对抗去甲肾上腺素的缩血管反应；阿托品却可对抗挥发油对大鼠的降压作用，提示降压作用可能是通过兴奋受体所致。
2. Effects on smooth muscle: Oregano essential oil has no significant effect on spontaneous contractions or BaCl₂-induced contractions in isolated rat intestinal segments, but exhibits weak antagonism against acetylcholine-induced contractions. Some studies report that total volatile oil has antispasmodic effects on isolated intestinal smooth muscle, possibly via direct action on the muscle (antagonizing BaCl₂) and antagonism of acetylcholine and histamine. This may help alleviate abdominal pain and diarrhea in bacillary dysentery. The oil relaxes isolated vascular smooth muscle, lowers blood pressure in rats, but has little effect on dogs and cats. Although it can dilate isolated guinea pig bronchi, the effect is weak and lacks bronchodilatory efficacy. At 5×10⁻⁵ g/ml, the oil significantly increases perfusion in isolated rabbit ear vessels; at 2.5×10⁻⁵ g/ml, it enhances coronary flow in isolated rabbits and guinea pigs. Intraduodenal administration of 10 mg/kg reduces mean arterial pressure in anesthetized rats by 2.7±1.6 kPa (20.5±12 mmHg) within 1 hour. In isolated rabbit aortic strips, the oil does not counteract norepinephrine-induced vasoconstriction, but atropine blocks its hypotensive effect in rats, suggesting a cholinergic receptor-mediated mechanism.

3、对免疫功能的影响：小鼠灌服牛至提取液显著提高腹腔巨噬细胞吞噬指数和吞噬率。牛至给小鼠每日灌服1次，连续5d，显著增强以溶血素反应为指标的特异性体液免疫功能；极显著促进玫瑰花结形成细胞功能，提示其也能增强细胞免疫功能。牛至挥发油50mg/kg给小鼠腹腔注射，每日1次，连续7d，显著提高小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞YC（酵母菌-C36）和EA（免疫球蛋白G-绵羊红细胞）花环形成率，显著增强腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬功能，显著增加小鼠脾脏重量，对胸腺重量则无明显影响。提示牛至抗感染作用与增强巨噬细胞功能有关。
3. Immunomodulatory effects: Oral administration of oregano extract in mice significantly increases the phagocytic index and rate of peritoneal macrophages. Daily dosing for 5 consecutive days significantly enhances specific humoral immunity (measured by hemolysin response) and markedly promotes rosette-forming cell activity, indicating enhanced cellular immunity. Intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg oregano essential oil once daily for 7 days significantly increases YC (yeast-cell) and EA (IgG-sheep RBC) rosette formation rates in peritoneal macrophages, enhances phagocytic function, and increases spleen weight without affecting thymus weight. These findings suggest that oregano’s anti-infective properties are linked to improved macrophage function.

4、其他作用：牛至挥发油以0.15ml/kg、0.30ml/kg给小鼠灌胃，对醋酸所致扭体反应有显著抑制作用，并呈量效关系，同样剂量对戊巴比妥钠阈下剂量催眠作用有显著协同作用，对小鼠有明显镇静作用。牛至提取物也有显著抗氧化作用。酊剂具有明显的利尿作用，可使尿量及尿中氯化物排泄增加，民间作为利尿、发汗剂。浸剂可用于肠弛缓，促进食欲，改善消化，尚有祛痰作用。
4. Other effects: Intragastric administration of oregano essential oil at 0.15 ml/kg and 0.30 ml/kg significantly inhibits acetic acid-induced writhing in mice in a dose-dependent manner. The same doses synergistically enhance sub-hypnotic pentobarbital-induced sleep, indicating sedative effects. Oregano extracts exhibit strong antioxidant activity. Tinctures show marked diuretic effects, increasing urine volume and chloride excretion, and are used traditionally as diuretics and diaphoretics. Infusions are used for intestinal atony, stimulating appetite, improving digestion, and acting as expectorants.

毒理作用 Toxicological Effects

小鼠口服总油的急性LD₅₀为2.43±0.38ml/kg（1ml约为900mg），临床用量每日为40-80mg，故安全范围较大。亦有报道小鼠口服挥发油的LD₅₀为4.497±0.368ml/kg。挥发油以20ml（含油10mg/kg）给小鼠灌胃，连续3星期，各主要脏器肉眼及组织切片均未见异常。
The acute oral LD₅₀ of total oil in mice is 2.43±0.38 ml/kg (approximately 900 mg/ml), while clinical daily dosage ranges from 40–80 mg, indicating a wide safety margin. Another study reports an LD₅₀ of 4.497±0.368 ml/kg for the volatile oil. Mice administered 20 ml (containing 10 mg/kg oil) daily for three weeks showed no abnormalities in gross or histological examination of major organs.

相关论述 Relevant Discussion

1、《滇南本草》：“解表除邪。治中暑头疼，暑泻，肚肠疼痛，暑热咳嗽，发汗，温胃和中。”

1. Dian Nan Ben Cao: "Relieves exterior syndromes and expels pathogens. Treats headache and diarrhea due to summerheat, abdominal pain, heat-induced cough, induces sweating, warms the stomach, and harmonizes the middle burner."

2、《贵州民间药物》：“解表止痛，散皮肤湿热。治伤风发热，止呕吐。”
2. Guizhou Folk Medicine: "Relieves exterior symptoms, alleviates pain, and disperses damp-heat from the skin. Treats wind-cold with fever and stops vomiting."

3、《新疆中草药手册》：“能解热，活血。”
3. Xinjiang Materia Medica Manual: "Has febrifuge and blood-activating properties."

4、《贵州草药》：“解表，理气，利湿，止呕。”
4. Guizhou Herbal Medicine: "Relieves exterior, regulates qi, promotes diuresis, and stops vomiting."

5、《陕西中草药》：“活血祛瘀，止痛生肌，通窍利膈，调经。主治跌打损伤，骨折，胸膈胀满，崩漏，白带。”
5. Shaanxi Materia Medica: "Activates blood, removes stasis, relieves pain, promotes tissue regeneration, opens orifices, benefits the diaphragm, and regulates menstruation. Used for trauma, fractures, chest fullness, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea."

6、《浙江药用植物志》：“治感冒，中暑，急性胃肠炎腹痛，胸膈胀满，跌打损伤。”
6. Zhejiang Medicinal Plants Compendium: "Treats common cold, heatstroke, abdominal pain due to acute gastroenteritis, chest fullness, and contusions."

7、《福建药物志》：“防治流行性感冒，中暑腹泻，急性黄疸型传染性肝炎，水肿，乳痈，多发性脓肿。”
7. Fujian Materia Medica: "Prevents and treats influenza, heatstroke with diarrhea, acute icteric infectious hepatitis, edema, mastitis, and multiple abscesses."

临床应用 Clinical Applications

1、治伤风发热、呕吐：满坡香9g，紫苏、枇杷叶各6g，灯心草3g。煎水服，每日3次。（《贵州民间药物》）

1. Treating wind-cold with fever and vomiting: 9g Manpoxiang, 6g each of Perilla leaf and Loquat leaf, and 3g of Juncus. Decoct and take orally three times daily. (Guizhou Folk Medicine)

2、解热：牛至适量。泡茶喝。（《新疆中草药手册》）
2. For fever reduction: Use appropriate amount of oregano. Steep as tea and drink. (Xinjiang Materia Medica Manual)

3、治中暑发热头疼，烦渴出汗，腹痛水泻，小便短少，身体作困：香薷二钱，扁豆二钱（炒），神曲二钱，栀子二钱（炒），赤茯苓三钱，荆芥穗一钱五分。引用灯芯草煎服。（《滇南本草》香薷饮）
3. Treating heatstroke with fever, headache, irritability, thirst, sweating, abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, scanty urine, and fatigue: 6g Elsholtzia, 6g fried Lablab seed, 6g Shenqu, 6g fried Gardenia, 9g red Poria, and 4.5g Schizonepeta spike. Add Juncus and decoct for oral administration. (Dian Nan Ben Cao, Xiangru Yin)

4、治气阻食滞：满坡香12g，土柴胡、走游走、土升麻、香樟根、茴香根各9g，阎王刺12g。煎水服，每日3次。（《贵州民间药物》）
4. Treating qi stagnation and food retention: 12g Manpoxiang, 9g each of Tu Chaihu, Zouyouzou, Tu Shengma, Camphor root, Fennel root, and 12g Yanwangci. Decoct and take three times daily. (Guizhou Folk Medicine)

5、治白带：五香草、硫黄各9g。水煎服。（《陕西中草药》）
5. Treating leukorrhea: 9g Wu Xiangcao and 9g sulfur. Decoct and take orally. (Shaanxi Materia Medica)

6、治皮肤湿热瘙痒：满坡香（鲜草）250g。煎水洗。（《贵州民间药物》）
6. Treating damp-heat skin itching: 250g fresh Manpoxiang. Decoct and use for washing. (Guizhou Folk Medicine)

7、治预防麻疹：牛至全草15g。煎水作茶饮。
7. Preventing measles: 15g whole oregano herb. Decoct and drink as tea.

8、治多发性脓肿：牛至、南蛇藤各30g。水酒各半，炖豆腐服。（《福建药物志》）
8. Treating multiple abscesses: 30g oregano and 30g Celastrus orbiculatus. Simmer with half water and half wine in tofu and consume. (Fujian Materia Medica)

9、治月经不调：牛至9-15g。水煎服。（《新疆中草药手册》）
9. Treating irregular menstruation: 9–15g oregano. Decoct and take orally. (Xinjiang Materia Medica Manual)

加工炮制 Processing and Preparation

采收加工：7-8月开花前割起地上部分，或将全草连根拔起，抖净泥沙，鲜用或扎把晒干。
Harvesting and processing: Before flowering in July–August, cut the aerial parts or pull up the entire plant with roots, shake off dirt, and use fresh or tie into bundles and dry in the sun.

炮制方法：取原药材，除去杂质，抢水洗净，稍润，切段，晾干，筛去灰屑。
Processing method: Take raw material, remove impurities, quickly rinse, slightly moisten, cut into sections, air-dry, and sift to remove dust.

保存方法 Storage Method

贮干燥容器内，密闭，置阴凉干燥处。
Store in a dry container, sealed, in a cool and dry place.

药材鉴别 Medicinal Material Identification

药材性状：全草长23-50cm。根较细小，略弯曲，直径2-4mm，表面灰棕色；质略韧，断面黄白色。茎呈方柱形，紫棕色至淡棕色，密被细毛，节明显，节间长2-5cm。叶对生，多皱褶或脱落，暗绿色或黄绿色，完整者展开后呈卵形或宽卵形，长1.5-3cm，宽0.7-1.7cm，先端钝，基部圆形，全缘，两面均有棕黑色腺点及细毛。聚伞花序顶生；苞片倒长卵形，黄绿色或黄褐色，有的先端带紫色；花萼钟状，先端5裂，边缘密生白色细柔毛。小坚果扁卵形，红棕色。气微香，味微苦。以叶多、气香浓者为佳。
Characteristics: Whole herb 23–50 cm long. Roots are small, slightly curved, 2–4 mm in diameter, gray-brown surface; slightly tough, yellow-white fracture. Stems square, purple-brown to light brown, densely hairy, distinct nodes, internodes 2–5 cm. Leaves opposite, often wrinkled or fallen, dark green or yellowish-green; intact leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 1.5–3 cm × 0.7–1.7 cm, blunt apex, rounded base, entire margin, with brown-black glandular dots and fine hairs on both sides. Terminal cymose inflorescence; bracts inversely oblong, yellow-green or yellow-brown, some with purple tips; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, margins densely covered with white soft hairs. Nutlets flattened-ovate, reddish-brown. Slightly fragrant odor, slightly bitter taste. Preferred when rich in leaves and strong aroma.

植物学信息 Botanical Information

植物种属：唇形科牛至属牛至。
Plant species: Origanum vulgare L., family Lamiaceae (Labiatae).

形态特征 Morphological Characteristics

多年生草本，高25-60cm。芳香。茎直立，或近基部伏地生须根，四棱形，略带紫色，被倒向或微卷曲的短柔毛。叶对生；叶柄长2-7mm，被柔毛；叶片卵圆形或长圆状卵圆形，长1-4cm，宽4-15mm，先端钝或稍钝，基部楔形或近圆形，全缘或有远离的小锯齿，两面被柔毛及腺点。花序呈伞房状圆锥花序，开张，多花密集，由多数长圆状小假穗状花序组成，有覆瓦状排列的苞片；花萼钟形，长3mm，外面被小硬毛或近无毛，萼齿5，三角形；花冠紫红、淡红或白色，管状钟形，长7mm，两性花冠筒显著长于花萼，雌性花冠筒短于花萼，外面及内面喉部被疏短柔毛，上唇卵圆形，先端2浅裂，下唇3裂，中裂片较大，侧裂片较小，均长圆状卵圆形；雄蕊4，在两性花中，后对短于上唇，前对略伸出，在雌性花中，前后对近等长，内藏；子房4裂，花柱略超出雄蕊，柱头2裂；花盘平顶。小坚果卵圆形，褐色。花期7-9月，果期9-12月。
Perennial herb, 25–60 cm tall. Aromatic. Stem erect or prostrate at base with adventitious roots, quadrangular, slightly purple, covered with appressed or slightly curled short pubescence. Leaves opposite; petiole 2–7 mm, pubescent; blade ovate or elliptic-ovate, 1–4 cm × 4–15 mm, obtuse or subacute apex, cuneate or nearly rounded base, entire or remotely serrate, pubescent and glandular on both surfaces. Inflorescence a corymbose panicle, open, many-flowered, composed of numerous elongated false racemes with imbricate bracts; calyx campanulate, 3 mm, sparsely hirsute or nearly glabrous, teeth 5, triangular; corolla purple-red, pale red, or white, tubular-campanulate, 7 mm, tube longer than calyx in perfect flowers, shorter in pistillate flowers, sparsely short-hairy externally and in throat internally, upper lip ovate, shallowly 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed with larger central lobe and smaller lateral lobes, all elliptic-ovate; stamens 4, in perfect flowers posterior pair shorter than upper lip, anterior pair slightly exserted, in pistillate flowers nearly equal and included; ovary 4-lobed, style slightly exceeding stamens, stigma 2-lobed; disc flat. Nutlet ovate, brown. Flowering: July–September; fruiting: September–December.

分布区域 Distribution Area

分布于西南及陕西、甘肃、新疆、江苏、安徽、浙江、江西、福建、台湾、河南、湖北、湖南、广东、西藏等地。
Distributed in Southwest China and in Shaanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, and Tibet.

道地产区 Authentic Production Areas

主产于云南、四川、贵州。自产自销。
Mainly produced in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou. Self-produced and self-marketed.

生长环境 Growing Environment

生于海拔500-3600m的山坡、林下、草地或路旁。
Found on slopes, under forests, grasslands, or roadsides at altitudes of 500–3600 meters.