Spanish needle
Bidens pilosa · 鬼针草
Herbs & Roots. Caribbean, African, Latin American & Amazon and Chinese Medicine.
Also called Beggar's ticks, Cobbler's pegs, Black-jack
Pinyin: Guǐ Zhēn Cǎo
Limited safety dataSpanish needle is a common weed of warm regions. Its leaves are cooked as greens in parts of Africa, and the herb is brewed as a folk tea in the Caribbean and Asia.
Did you know? Its seeds have tiny barbs that hook onto clothing and animal fur, which is how the plant spreads and how it got names like beggar's ticks.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Infections. Lab studies show activity against bacteria and malaria parasites, but people have not been well studied.See the research: 3 studies in peopleTraditional proof
- Blood sugar. Animal studies suggest a blood sugar lowering effect. Good human trials are missing.See the research: 1 study in peopleTraditional proof
- Inflammation. Used in herbal teas to cool inflammation, and lab studies show anti-inflammatory activity. Human trials are missing.See the research: 6 studies in peopleTraditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
In Chinese herbal medicine the plant is used to clear heat and remove toxins, and in Taiwan it is brewed as a summer tea. In the Caribbean and Africa, people have used it for fevers and wounds.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Antimicrobial, Hypoglycemic, Anti-inflammatory. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Usually brewed as a tea from the dried or fresh herb, or simmered as a decoction. In parts of Africa the young leaves are cooked as a vegetable. No standard medicinal dose has been set.
Tea, decoction and food.
Where to get it
A widespread weed of roadsides, fields and waste ground across Africa, Asia and the Americas. It is sold as dried herb in some Asian herb shops and in herbal teas online. Plants from polluted soil can collect metals, so choose products tested for heavy metals.
Be careful
Older leaves are bitter, so young leaves are usually preferred. In one rat study, high doses raised liver enzymes, so avoid large or long-term medicinal doses. Plants from polluted soil may hold heavy metals. Because it is in the daisy family, people allergic to ragweed or daisies may react. It may lower blood sugar, so check with a doctor if you take diabetes medicines. Safety in pregnancy is not established, so avoid it during pregnancy.
Avoid if: pregnancy; ragweed allergy; liver disease; diabetes medicines.
Mixing with other things
- Use cautionDiabetes medicine (metformin, insulin, glipizide, Ozempic)
Animal studies suggest it may lower blood sugar, which could add to diabetes medicines.
Adds up with others that may lower blood sugar: , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 54 more.
The honest take
Spanish needle is a common weed with real folk use in many regions, and its leaves are eaten as a green in parts of Africa. Most research on it is in test tubes and animals, and no good human trials exist for any claim. Plants from polluted soil can hold metals, so buy tested products.
Sources
Each “See the research” link opens PubMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's index of medical studies, showing only trials and reviews done in people. The number tells you how much a use has been tested, not whether it worked. The proof rating tells you that.
Study counts checked October 2026.