Chuān Bèi Mǔ (川贝母), known in English as Sichuan fritillary bulb (Fritillaria cirrhosa), is a cool, sweet and bitter Chinese herb from the Resolve phlegm category. It enters the Lung and Heart channels. Its main action: clears Heat, transforms Phlegm-Heat — moistening.
| Pinyin | Chuān Bèi Mǔ (Chuan Bei Mu) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 川贝母 |
| English | Sichuan fritillary bulb |
| Botanical name | Fritillaria cirrhosa |
| Category | Resolve phlegm |
| Nature | Cool |
| Flavour | Sweet, Bitter |
| Channels | Lung, Heart |
| Dosage | 3–9g (powder 1–1.5g) |
| Cautions | Cold-Phlegm; Spleen deficiency; incompatible with Fu Zi (some texts) |
Actions
- Clears Heat, transforms Phlegm-Heat — moistening
- Dissipates nodules and lumps
Indications
- Lung-Heat or Lung-Dry cough (especially chronic)
- Scrofula
- Breast abscess
How to remember Chuān Bèi Mǔ
Most Resolve phlegm herbs enter the Lung channel.
- You can work these out
- Lung channel: from its use for “Lung-Heat or Lung-Dry cough (especially chronic)”
- Learn by heart
- Cool: Resolve phlegm herbs vary in nature
- Sweet: Resolve phlegm herbs vary in flavour
- Bitter: Resolve phlegm herbs vary in flavour
- Heart channel: nothing in its group or its actions points to it
Formulas containing Chuān Bèi Mǔ
Other Resolve phlegm herbs
- Bàn Xià
- Guā Lóu
- Tiān Nán Xīng
- Zào Jiǎo Cì
- Jié Gěng
- Zhè Bèi Mǔ
- Zhú Rú
- Tiān Zhú Huáng
- Hǎi Zǎo
- Kūn Bù
- Pí Pá Yè
- Xìng Rén
- Zǐ Wǎn
- Bǎi Bù
- Kuǎn Dōng Huā
- Sāng Bái Pí
- Tíng Lì Zǐ
- Bái Jiè Zǐ
- Bái Qián
- Qián Hú
- Xuán Fù Huā
- Zǐ Sū Zǐ
- Bái Guǒ
- Qīng Méng Shí
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Chuān Bèi Mǔ?
Chuān Bèi Mǔ is cool and sweet and bitter.
Which channels does Chuān Bèi Mǔ enter?
Chuān Bèi Mǔ enters the Lung and Heart channels.
What are the actions of Chuān Bèi Mǔ?
Clears Heat, transforms Phlegm-Heat — moistening; Dissipates nodules and lumps.
What is Chuān Bèi Mǔ used for?
Lung-Heat or Lung-Dry cough (especially chronic); scrofula; breast abscess.
Which formulas contain Chuān Bèi Mǔ?
Bǎi Hé Gù Jīn Tāng and Gān Lù Xiāo Dú Dān.
Practise Chuān Bèi Mǔ and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.