- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- Western China (Sichuan) and the Himalaya
- Traditions
- Chinese medical traditions
Asia · Herb · № 647
Fritillaria cirrhosa
Herb · Asia
Fritillaria bulb (bei mu)
Fritillaria cirrhosa
Traditionally attributed effects: dissolves phlegm and clears congested lungs; together with pear for dry airways and a heated chest.
Safety notes
Use only dried, prepared bulbs of the right species; fresh bulbs and some other fritillaria species are toxic. Not during pregnancy without advice. Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Chinese materia medica: Not with cold, watery phlegm. The fresh bulb is toxic. Do not combine with aconite.
Preparation
Dried bulbs, in small amounts.
Use in traditions
Sichuan is regarded as the origin of the best quality; a classic Chinese cough remedy.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Chinese food therapy
Attributed effects
Bei mu clears congested lungs; pears moisten, promote the production of body fluids, cool and strengthen the lung energy. Together for congested lungs, dry airways and a heated chest.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- sweet, bitter, cold (chuan bei mu); bitter, cold (zhe bei mu)
- Meridians
- heart, lung
Attributed effects
Chuan bei mu (Fritillaria cirrhosa) dissolves hot, sticky phlegm, moistens the lungs in dry cough from yin deficiency and dissolves lumps from phlegm-fire. Zhe bei mu (F. thunbergii) cools more strongly in acute cough with thick yellow phlegm and swellings in neck and lungs, and is cheaper.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 3–9 g a day, usually in a decoction.
Combinations
- With ophiopogon and sha shen for dry cough from lung deficiency
- With zhi mu, huang qin and gua lou for thick yellow phlegm
- With figwort (xuan shen) and kelp for swollen glands
- With dandelion and lian qiao for mastitis
Caution: Not with cold, watery phlegm. The fresh bulb is toxic. Do not combine with aconite.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Decoction
- Recipes
- Steamed pears with bei mu