Fritillaria

Other names : Fritillaria thunbergii, Fritillaria bulb, Zhe Bei Mu, Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb.
See also : Chuan Bei Mu, Zhe Bei Mu

Special Precautions of Fritillaria

• Many Chinese pharmacies may be found selling unprocessed fritillaria and this substance should never ever be used internally. As the use of medications prepared with fritillaria encourages the contractions of the uterus, it should not be used in any form during pregnancy. In addition, people enduring high blood pressures should never take any medication prepared with fritillaria.
• It is important to use the bulbs of the plants of this genus for treatment under the guidance of qualified herbal medicine practitioners as an excess dosage of the medications prepared with the rhizome may result in breathing problems and heart failure.
• The patent medication called ‘qing chi hua tang’ (Fritillaria and Pinellia Syrup) are the most commonly available varieties of fritillaria. If you are using this medication as per the recommendations of your health care provider or according to the instructions given on its label, it is safe and non-toxic.

The benefits of Fritillaria are

• Plants belonging to the different species of the genus fritillaria are antitussive, expectorant as well as febrifuge by nature.
• The rhizomes of these plants are capable of countering toxic effects or diseases (antidote), contract the tissues or canals of the body and diminish mucus or blood discharges (astringent), exciting secretion of milk (galacto-gouge), suppress coughing (antitussive), promote discharge of cough and other fluids from the respiratory tract (expectorant) and cleanse the body by evacuating bowels (purgative).
• The plants enclose an element called fritimine that declines the irritability of the respiratory centers, bring voluntary movements to a standstill as well as counteract or offset the impacts of opium.
• The rhizomes of plants under this genus are believed to counteract against tumors and swellings in the throat, neck and chest.
• Hence, they are prescribed for treating thyroid gland nodules, scrofula (primary tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, especially of the neck), abscesses (a localized collection of pus in the tissues of the body, often accompanied by swelling and inflammation), boils as well as breast cancer. * The bulb of the plant is also used internally to treat bronchitis, coughs, pneumonia, symptoms associated with fever as well as abscess and other conditions.
• In China, the rhizomes of the plants belonging to the genus fritillaria have been traditionally used for treating lung and breast cancers. It is important to use the bulbs of the plants of this genus for treatment under the guidance of qualified herbal medicine practitioners as an excess dosage of the medications prepared with the rhizome may result in breathing problems and heart failure. These bulbs are usually harvested during winter when they lie latent and the aerial parts of the plants have withered. They are dried in the sun and stored for later usage.
• Plants belonging to the genus fritillaria are very strong cough suppressants or antitussives and also provide relief from inflammation in the same manner as the use of steroids. As discussed above, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners have been using fritillaria to treat people suffering from ailments like bronchial contaminations, pneumonia, and having problems in throwing out mucus accumulated in the respiratory centers.
• Plants of this genus have also been utilized in treating conditions such as swollen glands, abscesses and nodular swellings. It is thought to be particularly effective in curing abscess in the breast and lungs.
• Fritillaria is especially beneficial for treating specific conditions and they include coughs, laryngitis, influenza and lupus. Using medications prepared with fritillaria helps to widen the bronchial tubes, get rid of cough, as well as lessen salivation.
• Recent researches have revealed that the herb works much in the same manner as the drug dexamethasone - Cortastat, Dexasone, Decadron and the like, that are used by modern allopathic medical practitioners to cure nasal allergy as well as inflammation.
• In addition, the herb has been found to be very effective in treating lupus.