Zhe Bei Mu - 浙貝母 - Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii
Common English:	Fritillaria Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb Zhejiang Fritillaria Bulb

Category

Herbs that Transform Phlegm and Stop Wheezing: Herbs that Cool and Transform Phlegm-Heat

Properties

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 4.5-9g (Secondary source)

Actions And Indications

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, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Fr. Forsythiae Lian Qiao Fr. Arctii Niu Bang Zi	Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen Concha Ostreae Mu Li Sp. Prunellae Xia Ku Cao	Sargassum Hai Zao Thallus Eckloniae Kun Bu Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia
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 Xia Ku Cao Sargassum Hai Zao Rz. Curcumae E Zhu (Thallus Eckloniae) (Kun Bu)	Endoconcha Sepiae Hai Piao Xiao	Flos Lonicerae Jin Yin Hua Hb. Taraxaci Pu Gong Ying Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua
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 Yi Yi Ren Hb. Houttuyniae Yu Xing Cao Sm. Benincasae Dong Gua Ren Or Rz. Phragmitis Lu Gen	Fr. Forsythiae Lian Qiao	Fol. Mori Sang Ye Fr. Arctii Niu Bang Zi Rx. Peucedani Qian Hu Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren
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 Xing Ren Rx. Asteris Zi Wan Flos Farfarae Kuan Dong Hua Rx. Ophiopogonis Mai Men Dong	Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen Concha Ostreae Mu Li	Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng Rx. Asteris Zi Wan
Dry cough due to Lung Yin Deficiency.	Nodules without abscess.	Cough with pus or Blood.
Hb. Taraxaci Pu Gong Ying Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen Fr. Forsythiae Lian Qiao
Carbuncles, abscesses and breast lumps.

Notes

1. Zhe Bei Mu and Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu both relieve cough, disperse nodules, and cool and transform Phlegm-Heat. Chuan Bei Mu is bitter and sweet, nourishes and moistens the Lung, and is typically chosen for dry cough and for chronic conditions with weak Lungs such as tuberculosis. Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu, by contrast, is bitter, cold, acrid and descending; it is stronger at cooling Heat and dispersing clumps, and is used more often for acute, externally-contracted cough and asthma with thick, yellow Phlegm that is hard to expectorate. It is also the preferred choice for swellings, nodules, lumps and abscesses, and wherever toxicity is present.
2. The two herbs Chuan Bei Mu and Zhe Bei Mu are frequently not distinguished and are simply labeled Bei Mu. When that happens, the cheaper Zhe Bei Mu is usually the one supplied.
3. Signs of toxicity are depressed breathing, mydriasis, tremors and coma.
4. Research has demonstrated an anti-cancer effect for this herb.
5. It appears frequently in formulas for lung abscess, swollen glands and breast cancer.
6. It is described as an astringent and detoxicant that protects the Heart and reinforces the viscera, and it is said to cure furuncles, swelling and tumors.
7. It is further said to relieve Stagnation, eliminate toxins and invigorate the Blood, and to be used for consumptive Lung diseases, pulmonary abscess, goiter, subcutaneous nodules, cellulitis and many other kinds of infection.
8. It is also reported to treat Lung Deficiency, chronic asthma, a dry throat with scanty Phlegm, scrofula, and carbuncles of the breast and Lung.
9. For swellings, it is paired with Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng and given in large doses.
10. According to some sources, this herb moistens the Lungs, regulates Lung Qi and stops cough.
11. It is suited to External Wind with Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Lungs, presenting with cough, thick yellow Phlegm and chest pain, as well as to scrofula, boils and other toxic swellings.
12. It can be used for bleeding from stab wounds caused by metal implements.
13. It is also able to treat tumors, fibrocystic breasts and lymphatic swelling.
14. Zhe Bei Mu and Rz. Pinelliae Preparata Zhi Ban Xia both relieve cough by transforming Phlegm. Zhe Bei Mu acts only on the Lungs; it is bitter and Cold, cools Heat and works gradually. Zhi Ban Xia acts on both the Lung and Spleen; it is acrid and warm, disperses Cold and works quickly.
15. Bul. Bolbostemma Paniculatum disperses Stagnation, clears Heat, and reduces sores and swellings, and it is used mostly externally. It is not the same herb as Chuan Bei Mu or Zhe Bei Mu and must not be mistaken for either.