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| Latin: |
Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii |
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| Origin: |
Zhejiang fritillary bulb is the bulb of the perennial plant Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. (thunberg fritillary), of the family Liliaceae.
Fritillary consists of about 80 species of bulbous, mostly perennial plants, native primarily to the north temperate zone. Zhejiang fritillary is native to east Asia, and can be found in bamboo thickets in China and Japan.
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 0.6 m. The plant can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.
In China, Zhejiang fritillary was originally produced in Xiangshan, Zhejiang, but is now mainly produced in Zhengxian County, Zhejiang. In addition, it is also produced in the provinces Jiangsu, Anhui, Hunan, Jiangxi, etc.
Harvested when the plant withers at the beginning of summer, the bulb is washed clean, the skin then rubbed off, mixed well with calcined shell powder to absorb juice and cut into thick slices or beaten into pieces.
See also Herbs, Herbs for Clearing Phlegm, Sichuan Fritillary Bulb. |
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| Properties: |
| Bitter in flavor, cold in nature, it is related to the lung and heart channels. |
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| Functions: |
| Removes heat-phlegm and relieves stagnation syndrome to resolve masses. |
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| Applications: |
1. Treats coughing due to wind-heat, dryness-heat or phlegm-heat:
Zhejiang fritillary bulb has similar functions to those of Sichuan fritillary bulb, but it is more bitter and purging than the latter.
a) Coughing due to wind-heat:
Zhejiang fritillary bulb is often used in combination with mulberry leaves, hogfennel root (Radix Peucedani), etc.
b) Coughing due to stagnation of phlegm-heat in the lungs:
Zhejiang fritillary bulb is often used in combination with Mongolian snakegourd (Fructus Trichosanthis), windweed rhizome (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae), etc.
2. Treats scrofula (tuberculosis of lymph nodes especially in the neck), goiter, skin and external diseases, pulmonary abscess, etc.:
Purging with its bitterness, Zhejiang fritillary bulb can clear away toxic heat, relieve stagnation-syndromes and resolve masses.
a) Scrofula and subcutaneous nodes:
Zhejiang fritillary bulb is used in combination with Zhejiang figwort root (Radix Scrophulariae), oyster shell, etc., e.g., Xiaoluo Wan.
b) Goiter:
Zhejiang fritillary bulb is used in combination with kelp and kombu.
c) Skin and external diseases:
Zhejiang fritillary bulb is used in combination with weeping forsythia fruit (Fructus Forsythiae), dandelion (Herba Taraxaci), etc.
d) Pulmonary abscess:
Zhejiang fritillary bulb is used in combination with houttuynia, reed root, etc. |
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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: |
Like Sichuan fritillary bulb, this herb is against common monkshood rhizome (Rhizoma Aconiti).
It 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: |
Regular Materia Medica : "Pulmonary abscess, consumptive lump diseases, coughing and dyspnea (difficult breathing), hematemesis (vomiting blood), epistaxis (nosebleed), inflammation of the throat, scrofula, acute mastitis (inflammation of the breast), lumbodorsal cellulitis, all types of skin and external diseases."
"Lowering phlegm and qi to the largest extent, being good at relieving stagnation-syndromes and removing toxic heat. Its clearing and lowering functions are several times more powerful than those of Sichuan fritillary bulb."
Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica : "Removing toxic substances, resolving phlegm and ventilating lung-qi, this herb is applicable to pulmonary diseases with phlegm due to pathogenic wind and fire." |
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| Toxic or Side Effects: |
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| Modern Researches: |
Zhejiang fritillary bulb contains fritimine, peimine, peiminin, propeimine, etc.
Fritimine has effects of diminishing excitability of respiratory centres, paralyzing voluntary movement and countering effects of opium.
Peiminin has clear antitussive (cough suppressant) effects. In a low concentration, peimine has an obvious dilating effect on the smooth muscle of the bronchus. In addition, it also has central inhibitory, tranquilizing and analgesic effects.
The bulb is thought to act specifically on tumours and swellings of the throat, neck and chest, and they are taken in the treatment of thyroid gland nodules, scrofula, abcesses and boils and breast cancer.
The bulb also has a folk history of use against cancer of the breast and lungs in China. |
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