INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Bulbus Lilii |
| Common English: | Lily Bulb Brown's Lily Bulb Lilium |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Sweet Slightly Bitter (Bland) |
Slightly Cold (Cool) |
Heart Lung |
9-30g Tincture: 2-5ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Nourishes Yin, moistens the Lungs, clears Heat and stops coughing |
Dry coughs or sore throat, hemoptysis, due to Lung Yin Deficiency, dry Lungs or Lung Heat Especially useful for Lung Yin Deficiency |
Clears Heat from the Heart and calms the Spirit |
Intractable low-grade fever, insomnia with much dreaming, restlessness and irritability in the aftermath of febrile disease Heart Fire Palpitations due to insufficiency of Qi and Yin |
Nourishes Stomach Yin and harmonizes the Middle Jiao |
Pain associated with Stomach Yin Deficiency |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Cx. Mori |
Rx. Platycodi |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
Phlegm-Heat Clogging the Lungs and injuring the Fluids leading to coughing and wheezing. |
Coughs in children marked by Phlegm Clogging the chest and dysfunction of the throat. |
Coughing with Blood-streaked sputum, hot palms and soles and night sweats from Lung and Kidney Yin Deficiency. |
Flos Farfarae |
Tub. Ophiopogonis |
|
Wind-Heat coughing during pregnancy. |
Chronic coughing due to Lung Heat, usually with blood-streaked sputum. |
Chronic dry cough and sore throat with Blood streaked sputum due to Lung Yin Deficiency or consumption. |
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata |
Rz. Anemarrhenae |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
Palpitations, irritability, insomnia, and dark, scanty urine due to lingering Heat. |
Irritability and mental disorientation due to Yin Deficiency or lingering Heat in the late stages of febrile disease. Dry cough, vexation and agitation after a warm disease. Lily disease. |
Cools the Heart and treats both Qi and Blood to restore harmony to the Ying and Wei after a warm febrile disease. |
Flos Farfarae |
Rz. Bletillae |
Rz. Anemarrhenae |
Dry cough. |
Bronchiectasis and hemoptysis. |
Palpitations, insomnia, restlessness, dark urine and inability to concentrate in the aftermath of a febrile disease. |
Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae |
Talcum |
Haematitum |
Difficulty falling and staying asleep. |
Dark urine. Dysuria. |
Vomiting. Hiccups. |
Rx. Paeoniae Alba |
Rx. Linderae (9g) |
|
Atrophic gastritis due to Stomach Yin Deficiency. |
With 30g Bai He for chronic Stomach pain from unknown causes. |
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- Some sources say that this herb has a diuretic action.
- This herb is common in formulas for dry, hacking cough.
- It is used for febrile stress in the chest produced by dry, hacking cough, palpitations and restlessness.
- One source says that it nourishes Heart Yin.
- It is Sweet and Cold, but moistens without being slimy.
- It can be applied externally to treat swellings and ulcers ( true of many Yin tonics of the Lily family).
- Crush the fresh herb and apply topically as a paste for non-ulcerating sores.
- This herb is also said to Tonify Qi and Blood.
- This herb can be used alone for Lung abscess.
- This herb is also said to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
- It is often used as a food and cooked with porridge to nourish Lung Yin.
- It treats mental disorientation, palpitations, insomnia and a feeling of constraint due to Yin Deficiency or Disharmony of the Ying and Wei following an externally contracted disease.
- It is said that this herb can supplement the Spleen to keep the Lungs pure, stop coughing and promote diuresis.
- Both Bai He and Rx. Adenophorae/Glehniae Sha Shen nourish Yin, clear the Lungs, moisten Dryness, stop coughing and are used in the treatment o dry coughs. Sha Shen is better for augmenting the Stomach, generating fluids and stopping thirst, while clearing the lungs and expelling Phlegm. Bai He moistens the Lungs, stops hemoptysis, clears the Heart and quiets the Spirit.
- Honey-prepared Lily Bulb Mi Zhi Bai He is stronger at moistening the Lungs, stopping coughs and tonifying Lung Qi. It is used for chronic coughs due to Lung Deficiency.
- Lily Root Bai He Gen is preferred for relieving apprehension and anxiety. It also treats dysuria and edema.
- Traditionally drinking Lily Flower Tea or eating the petals is said to help overcome worry and sorrow.
- Bai He is also effective for numerous psychological and cardiac imbalances related to Heart Yin Deficiency: palpitations, deep cardiac pain with a feeling of emptiness in the cardiac region, insomnia, profuse dreams, vexation, agitation and neurasthenia.
- When a dry cough is predominant, honey mix-fried Bai He should be used.
- If vexation and agitation or insomnia is predominant, uncooked Bai He should be prescribed.