Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb – 1 lb (454 g)

Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb, known in Chinese as 浙贝母 (Zhèbèimǔ) and scientifically as Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Zhe Bei, Elephant Fritillaria, Large Fritillaria, and Yuanbao Bei. It is the bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq., a plant of the Liliaceae family. It is mainly produced in Zhejiang, with production also in Jiangsu and other areas. It is harvested in early summer when the plant withers, then cleaned. The bulbs are separated by size: the large bulbs have the core bud removed and are commonly called “Large Bei”; the small bulbs retain the core bud and are called “Pearl Bei.” They are separately rubbed to remove the outer skin, mixed with shell powder to absorb the juice, and dried; or the bulbs are separated by size, cleaned, core buds removed, sliced thickly while fresh, washed, and dried, commonly called “Zhe Bei slices.”

[Properties] Bitter in taste, cold in nature. Enters the Lung and Heart meridians.

[Actions] Clears heat and transforms phlegm, descends Qi and stops cough, dissipates nodules and reduces swelling.

[Applications]
1. Used for cough and lung abscess. This herb treats coughs caused by external wind-heat or phlegm-heat obstructing the lungs. For the former, it can be combined with Mulberry Leaf (Sang Ye), Apricot Seed (Xing Ren), Burdock Fruit (Niu Bang Zi), and Peucedanum (Qian Hu); for the latter, it can be combined with Scutellaria (Huang Qin), Trichosanthes fruit (Quan Gua Lou), and Mulberry Root Bark (Sang Bai Pi). For lung abscess with purulent and bloody sputum, it can be combined with Houttuynia (Yu Xing Cao), Coix seed (Yi Yi Ren), and Reed Rhizome (Lu Gen).
2. Used for scrofula and goiter caused by phlegm-fire stagnation. For scrofula, it is often combined with Scrophularia (Xuan Shen), Rehmannia (Sheng Di), Prunella (Xia Ku Cao), and Oyster Shell (Mu Li); for goiter, it is often combined with Seaweed (Hai Zao), Kelp (Kun Bu), and Picrasma (Huang Yao Zi).
3. Used for abscesses, sores, and mastitis, often combined with Honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), Forsythia (Lian Qiao), Frankincense (Ru Xiang), Myrrh (Mo Yao), and Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying). It can also be ground with Arisaema (Tian Nan Xing) into powder and mixed with rice vinegar for topical application.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoct 4.5–9 g; or used in pills or powders. External use: appropriate amount, ground into powder and applied topically.

[Cautions] Use with caution in cases of cold phlegm, damp phlegm, and spleen-stomach deficiency cold. Not suitable for use with Aconite (Wu Tou).

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: The bulb of Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii contains various alkaloids including fritillarin, fritillarinine, fritillarinone, fritillarin ketone, fritillarinine alkaloid, and choline. It also contains fritillarin glycosides, fritillarinine glycosides, fritillarinol, β-sitosterol, carotene, picrotoxin, various diterpenoids, and four fatty acids.
2. Pharmacological effects: Fritillarin and dehydrofritillarin have antitussive, sedative, and analgesic effects; fritillarin at low concentrations significantly relaxes animal bronchial smooth muscle, while at high concentrations it causes contraction; extracts of fritillarinol significantly relax histamine-induced contraction of isolated guinea pig tracheal strips and acetylcholine-induced contraction of guinea pig ileum; fritillarin and its glucoside have hypotensive effects in anesthetized animals; the four fatty acids contained in the bulb inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme.
3. Clinical reports: Pertussis—2.5 g of Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii ground into powder is placed inside a chicken egg with a small hole made at the tip, mixed evenly, sealed with clean paper, and steamed with the hole facing upward in a rice cooker until cooked. The shell is removed before administration, taken once or divided into morning and afternoon doses. One egg per day, up to 9 eggs. In a total of 58 cases treated, 28 cases had cough cessation, 22 cases had cough relief, with an overall effective rate of 86%. [Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1985, (1):18]