Tendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu)

Pharmaceutical Name: Bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae

Botanical Name : 1. Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don; 2. Fritillaria unibracteata Hsiao et K. C. Hsia; 3. Fritillaria Przewalskii Maxim; 4. Fritillaria Delavayi Franch.

Common Name : Tendrilled fritillary bulb

Source of Earliest Record : Shennong Bencao Jing

Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: The bulbs are dug in summer and dried in the sun. The bulb bark is removed.

Properties & Taste: Bitter, sweet and slightly cold

Meridians : Lung and heart

Functions:
1. To moisten the lungs and resolve phlegm;
2. To stop cough;
3. To clear heat and release nodules

Indications & Combinations:

1. Cough: a) chronic cough due to lung deficiency manifested as dry cough and dry throatTendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) is used with Ophiopogon root (Maidong) and Glehnia root (Shashen); b) phlegm-heat cough manifested as yellow and thick sputumTendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) is used with Anemarrhena rhizome (Zhimu), Scutellaria root (Huangqin) and Trichosanthes fruit (Gualou); c) wind-heat coughTendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) is used with Mulberry leaf (Sangye), Peucedanum root (Qianhu) and Apricot seed (Xingren).

2. Scrofula, mastitis and lung abscess: a) scrofulaTendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) is used with Scrophularia (Xuanshen) and Oyster shell (Muli); b) mastitisTendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) is used with Dandelion herb (Pugongying) and Forsythia fruit (Lianqiao); c) lung abscessTendrilled fritillary bulb (Chuanbeimu) is used with Houttuynia (Yuxingcao) and Coix seed (Yiyiren).

Dosage: 3-10 g

Cautions & Contraindications: This herb cannot be used with Sichuan aconite root (Wutou), as they counteract each other.