INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii |
| Common English: | Zhejiang Fritillaria Bulb Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb Fritillaria |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Bitter |
Cold (Slightly Cold) |
Heart Lung (San Jiao) (Liver) (Stomach) |
3-12g Powder: 1-1.5g Tumors: 4-5g Tincture: 1-4ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Heat, transforms Phlegm and stops coughing |
Acute Lung Heat patterns with productive cough |
Clears Heat and dissipates nodules |
Phlegm-Fire causing neck swellings (Chuang Yung) Lung and breast abscesses |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Fr. Forsythiae |
Rx. Scrophulariae |
Sargassum |
Acute cough due to Wind-Heat Invasion with dry mouth, scratchy throat and thick yellow sputum. |
Scrofula due to Phlegm-Fire with swelling and pain at multiple sites. |
Rock-like masses in the center of the neck. |
Sp. Prunellae |
Endoconcha Sepiae |
Flos Lonicerae |
Thyroid nodules, goiter and tumors. |
Epigastric pain and acid regurgitation. |
Abscesses and other toxic swellings. (most appropriate in the early stages with firm swelling, redness and pain) |
Sm. Coicis |
Fr. Forsythiae |
Fol. Mori |
Lung Abscess with copious pus. |
Clears Heat toxin, transforms turbid Phlegm, opens Stagnation and disperses clumped swellings to treat cough with thick yellow sputum, scrofula and goiter from Phlegm-Fire. |
Cough due to Wind-Heat or Phlegm-Heat. |
Sm. Armeniacae |
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Dry cough due to Lung Yin Deficiency. |
Nodules without abscess. |
Cough with pus or Blood. |
Hb. Taraxaci |
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Carbuncles, abscesses and breast lumps. |
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- Both Zhe Bei Mu and Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu cool and transform Phlegm-Heat, alleviate cough and disperse nodules. Chuan Bei Mu is bitter, sweet, nourishes and moistens the Lung and is commonly used for dry cough and in chronic conditions with weak Lungs like tuberculosis, while Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu is bitter, cold, descending and acrid; stronger at cooling Heat and dispersing clumps and more commonly used in acute externally-contracted conditions of cough and asthma with thick, yellow and difficult to expectorate Phlegm. It is also preferred for for swellings, nodules, lumps and abscesses and whenever toxicity is involved.
- Chuan Bei Mu and Zhe Bei Mu are often not differentiated and called simply Bei Mu. In this case, since Zhe Bei Mu is less expensive, it is most often used in these cases.
- Symptoms of toxicity include: reduced breathing, mydriasis, tremors and coma.
- This herb has been shown to have an anti-cancer effect.
- This herb is common in formulas for breast cancer, lung abscess and swollen glands.
- This herb is said to be an astringent and detoxicant, protects the Heart, reinforces the viscera and is said to cure furuncles, swelling and tumors.
- It is also said to eliminate toxins, relieve Stagnation and invigorate the Blood, for consumptive diseases of the Lung, pulmonary abscess, goiter, subcutaneous nodules, cellulitis and many other types of infections.
- It is also said to treat Lung Deficiency, chronic asthma, a dry throat with scanty Phlegm, scrofula and breast and Lung carbuncles.
- When treating swellings, it is combined with Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng and taken in large doses.
- Some sources say that this herb moistens the Lungs, regulates Lung Qi and stops cough.
- This herb is appropriate for External Wind with Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Lungs with cough, thick, yellow Phlegm, chest pain, scrofula, boils and other toxic swellings.
- This herb can treat bleeding from stab wounds from metal implements.
- This herb can also treat lymphatic swelling, fibrocystic breasts and tumors.
- Both Zhe Bei Mu and Rz. Pinelliae Preparata Zhi Ban Xia transform Phlegm to alleviate cough. Zhe Bei Mu treats only the Lungs, is bitter and Cold, cools Heat and is gradual in action. Zhi Ban Xia treats the Lung and Spleen, is acrid and warm disperses Cold and is quick in nature.
- Bul. Bolbostemma Paniculatum clears Heat, disperses Stagnation and reduces sores and swellings. It is mainly used externally. It is not the same as Chuan Bei Mu or Zhe Bei Mu and should not be confused with them.