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| Latin: |
Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae. |
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| Origin: |
Sichuan fritillary bulb is the bulb of the perennial plant Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don (tendrilleaf fritillary), Fritillaria unibracteata Hsiao et K. C. Hsia (unibract fritillary), Fritillaria przewalskii Maxim. (Gansu fritillary), or Fritillaria delavayi Franch. (delavay fritillary), of the family Liliaceae. The former three are also known as the "songbei" or "qingbei," according to their different properties, while the last one is also known as the "lubei". Fritillary consists of about 80 species of bulbous, mostly perennial plants, native primarily to the north temperate zone. The four species of Sichuan fritillary are native to east Asia, and can be found on mountain slopes in alpine and sub-alpine meadows and scrubs, on open stony moist hillsides in China, the Himalayas, Nepal, etc.
Members of the genus have bell-shaped, nodding flowers that usually are solitary. The leaves alternate along the stem or are in whorls. A nectar gland is present at the base of each of the six parts of the flower. In many species the flower has a checkered appearance. The fruit is a three-valved capsule with many seeds. It is in flower from April to May. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects.
The bulb grows to about 0.5 m by 0.1 m in size. The plant can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.
In China, Sichuan fritillary is mainly produced in the provinces Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, etc. Harvested in summer and autumn, the fibrous roots and coarse skin are removed from the bulb, then the buld is dried in the sun for use when raw.
See also Herbs, Herbs for Clearing Phlegm, Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb. |
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| Properties: |
| Bitter and sweet in flavor, slightly cold in nature, it is related to the lung and heart channels. |
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| Functions: |
| Removes heat-phlegm, nourishes the lungs to arrest coughing and resolves masses to subdue swelling. |
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| Applications: |
1. Treats coughing due to consumption and irritating dry coughing due to lung-heat:
Cold in nature and slightly bitter in taste, Sichuan fritillary bulb can clear heat from the lungs, purge heat and resolve phlegm. Sweet in taste and moistening in character, it can moisturize the lungs to arrest coughing, so it is especially applicable to prolonged coughing due to internal injuries and syndromes of sticky sputum and heat-phlegm.
a) Phthisical (related to pulmonary tuberculosis) coughing due to deficiency of the lungs and prolonged coughing with phlegm due to yin deficiency:
Sichuan fritillary bulb is often used in combination with straight ladybell root (Radix Adenophorae Strictae) and ophiopogon root in order to nourish yin, moisturize the lungs, resolve phlegm and arrest coughing.
b) Coughing due to lung-heat and lung-dryness:
Sichuan fritillary bulb is often used in combination with windweed rhizome (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae), e.g., Er Mu Wan, in order to clear heat from the lungs, remove dampness, resolve phlegm and arrest coughing.
2. Treats scrofula (tuberculosis of lymph nodes especially in the neck), ulcerations and abscesses, acute mastitis (inflammation of the breast) and pulmonary abscess:
Sichuan fritillary bulb can clear heat from the lungs, alleviate mental depression, resolve phlegm and dissolve masses.
a) Scrofula due to stagnation of phlegm-fire:
Sichuan fritillary bulb is used in combination with Zhejiang figwort root (Radix Scrophulariae), oyster shell, etc., e.g., Xiaoluo Wan., in order to resolve phlegm, soften hard masses and relieve scrofula.
b) Acute mastitis and pulmonary abscess due to accumulation of toxic heat:
Sichuan fritillary bulb is used in combination with dandelion (Herba Taraxaci), houttuynia, etc., in order to clear away heat and toxic substances, subdue swelling and resolve masses. |
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| Dosage and Administration: |
3-10 g., decoction.
1-1.5 g., grind into powder for oral administration.
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| Cautions on Use: |
Sichuan fritillary bulb is against common monkshood rhizome (Rhizoma Aconiti).
Sichuan fritillary bulb should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, excessive doses can cause breathing difficulties and heart failure. |
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| Reference Materials: |
Shen Nong's Herbal Classic : "Dysphoria (excessive pain) with smothery sensation in a febrile disease, dribbling discharge of urine due to pathogens, whitish urethral discharge due to pathogenic wind-heat attacking the abdomen, inflammation of the throat, acute mastitis, incised wounds and wind-type convulsive diseases."
Corpus of Discussions on Herbals : "Tendrilleaf fritillary bulb (Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae) is a herb to relieve stagnation-syndrome, send down adversely rising qi and resolve phlegm; it can moisturize the lungs, resolve phlegm, arrest coughing and relieve asthma. It is a special first choice for syndromes of the stagnation of fire due to consumptive diseases."
The Collection of Materia Medica : "Coughing due to consumption, hematemesis (vomiting blood) and hemoptysis (blood stained sputum), consumptive lung diseases and pulmonary abscess, acute mastitis, carbuncles and cellulitis and various syndromes of stagnation." |
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| Toxic or Side Effects: |
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| Modern Researches: |
Sichuan fritillary bulb contains a variety of alkaloids, such as fritimine, imperialine, chinpeimine, fritiminine, sonpeimine, etc.
Both the total alkaloid and non-alkaloid parts of fritillary bulb have antitussive (cough suppressant) effects. Fritillary bulb liquid extract and fritimine have expectorant (promoting the ejection, by spitting, of mucus or other fluids) effects to different extents, can lower blood pressure, diminish excitability of respiratory centres, paralyse voluntary movement and counter the effects of opium.
In addition, imperialine has a spasmolytic (relieves spasms or convulsions) effect. The total alkaloids of fritillary bulb can also resist ulcers.
The dried bulb is used internally in the treatment of coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, feverish illnesses, abscesses, etc.
The bulb also has a folk history of use against cancer of the breast and lungs in China. |
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