Fritillaria cirrhosa

Fritillaria cirrhosa

　　Fritillaria cirrhosa: A perennial herb with a conical bulb, an upright stem 15–40 cm tall. It has 2–3 pairs of leaves, usually opposite, though some may be scattered or whorled in the middle section, lanceolate to linear in shape, slightly curled or uncured at the tip, and sessile. Flowers are solitary at the top of the stem, bell-shaped, pendulous, each with three narrow, strap-like leafy bracts that are somewhat curved into a hook shape at the tip. The flower has six tepals, usually purple, less often yellowish-green, with purple spots or small squares; the nectar gland pit is prominently protruding on the ventral side; the capsule bears six longitudinal wings. Flowering period is from May to July, fruiting from August to October.

In Fritillaria unibracteata, only the bottom 1–2 pairs of leaves are opposite, while the rest are alternate or nearly opposite, with tips not curled. There is one leafy bract. The tepals are deep purple with slight yellow squares, and the nectar gland pit is not prominent. The wings on the fruit ribs are very narrow. Flowering period is June, fruiting period is August.

Properties and meridians: Fritillaria cirrhosa is bitter and sweet in flavor, slightly cold in nature. It enters the lung and heart meridians.

Functions and indications: This herb is bitter in taste and slightly cold in nature, entering the lung meridian. It clears heat, resolves phlegm, and calms wheezing and coughs, and can be used for treating phlegm-heat cough and wheezing with thick yellow sputum. Its sweet flavor also helps moisten the lungs and relieve cough, making it suitable for dry coughs with little sticky phlegm due to lung heat or yin deficiency, as well as chronic coughs caused by deficiency. It also has the effect of dispersing nodules and relieving depression, and can treat chest tightness and irritability due to phlegm-heat binding, as well as scrofula and phlegm nodules. Additionally, when combined with cuttlefish bone and licorice as a powder (known as Wu Bei San), it is effective in treating gastric ulcers.

Usage: Oral administration: 3–10 g; grind into fine powder and take as a decoction, 1–1.5 g per time. Contraindicated with Aconitum. Not suitable for cough due to cold-dampness.

Chinese patent medicines: Qiuli Gao (Autumn Pear Syrup), Chuanbei Pipa Lu (Fritillaria & Loquat Syrup), Yangyin Qingfei Wan (Nourish Yin & Clear Lung Pills), Niuhuang Qingfei San (Cattle Gallstone & Clear Lung Powder), Tiedi Wan (Iron Flute Pills), Zhibaoding (Treasure Pill), Shedan Chuanbei Jiaonang (Snake Gallbladder & Fritillaria Capsules), Beimu Guawei San (Fritillaria & Trichosanthes Formula)

Medicinal diet: Chuanbei Rock Sugar Soup, Chuanbei-Stuffed Pear