Chuan Bei Mu (川贝母) — Sichuan Fritillary: TCM Uses, Dry Cough & Formulas

At a Glance

Herb: Chuan Bei Mu
Chinese name: 川贝母 (Chuān Bèi Mǔ)
Latin name: Fritillaria cirrhosa / thunbergii bulb
Nature: Slightly Cold
Taste: Bitter / Sweet
Meridian: Lung / Heart
Category: Herbs that Resolve Phlegm and Stop Coughing
Introduction: Chuan Bei Mu (川贝母), the dried bulb of several Fritillaria species from Sichuan and high-altitude western China — including F. cirrhosa, F. unibracteata, F. przewalskii, and F. delavayi — is the most prized and expensive phlegm-resolving herb in the Chinese materia medica. Recorded in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, its sweet-moist quality distinguishes it from the more bitter Zhe Bei Mu, making it uniquely suited for chronic dry cough from lung yin or qi deficiency. Modern pharmacology has confirmed steroidal alkaloids (peimisine, peiminine, imperialine) with bronchodilatory, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and antitussive activities. It is incompatible with Wu Tou per the Eighteen Incompatibilities.

Clears heat and resolves phlegm — treats cough with yellow sticky phlegm from lung heat
Moistens the lung and stops cough — the primary herb for chronic dry cough from yin deficiency
Dissipates nodules — resolves phlegm-heat accumulations (though weaker than Zhe Bei Mu)
Opens the chest — relieves chest tightness from phlegm obstruction

Chronic dry cough from lung yin deficiency — the classic indication; combined with Sha Shen, Mai Dong
Cough with scanty, difficult-to-expectorate phlegm from heat injuring lung yin
Lung heat with acute cough and yellow phlegm
Phlegm-heat nodules and scrofula (weaker than Zhe Bei Mu for this purpose)
Pediatric cough — preferred over Zhe Bei Mu due to its sweet, gentle nature

Standard dose: 3–9 g in decoction; 1–2 g as powder (more effective and economical)
Incompatible with Wu Tou (乌头, including Fu Zi, Chuan Wu, Cao Wu) — one of the Eighteen Incompatibilities (十八反); do not combine
Contraindicated in cold-damp or wind-cold cough — its cool, moist nature worsens cold
Very expensive — adulteration is common; source from reputable suppliers
Distinguished from Zhe Bei Mu: sweeter, moister, milder; preferred for chronic yin deficiency cough

Chuan Bei Pi Pa Lu (川贝枇杷露): Chuan Bei Mu, Pi Pa Ye, Sha Shen — classic commercial syrup for dry cough from lung heat or yin deficiency
Combined with Sha Shen, Mai Dong, Sheng Di, Yu Zhu for lung yin deficiency dry cough
Er Mu San (二母散): Chuan Bei Mu + Zhi Mu — clears lung heat and nourishes yin; for dry cough with afternoon fever from yin deficiency
Combined with Xing Ren, Sang Bai Pi, Zhi Mu for lung heat cough

知母 (Zhī Mǔ) — lung yin deficiency with heat causing chronic dry cough and hemoptysis (二母散). 2. 沙参 (Shā Shēn) + 麦冬 (Mài Dōng) — yin deficiency dry cough with little phlegm. 3. 瓜蒌 (Guā Lóu) — phlegm-heat cough with chest pain and viscous sputum. 4. 雪梨 (Xuě Lí) — folk remedy: 川贝 powder stuffed in pear, steamed — chronic dry cough. 5. 百合 (Bǎi Hé) + 生地 (Shēng Dì) — lung-kidney yin deficiency with cough and night sweats (百合固金汤). Source: 神农本草经, 本草纲目, 医方集解 (百合固金汤).

peiminine
- Antitussive: suppresses cough center in medulla
- Antitussive: reduces cough frequency in citric acid aerosol models
imperialine
- Expectorant: stimulates bronchial gland secretion and mucociliary clearance
- Antihypertensive: inhibits ACE
- Antihypertensive: vasodilatory via calcium channel antagonism
Bronchodilatory
- relaxes airway smooth muscle via β₂-adrenergic and adenylate cyclase pathways
Anti-inflammatory
- reduces IL-6, IL-8, and MUC5AC mucin production in airway epithelial cells
peimisine
- Antitumor: induces apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer lines

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (《神农本草经》): ‘Governs cold-damage vexation heat, dribbling pathogenic qi, hernia masses, throat impediment, difficult lactation, metal wounds, and wind convulsions.’
Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》): ‘Fritillary Bulb can disperse depressed and bound qi in the Heart and chest; treats consumptive taxation cough, hematemesis, hemoptysis, lung atrophy, lung abscess, and women’s breast abscess.’
Ben Cao Bei Yao (《本草备要》): ‘Moistens the Lung and disperses masses, clears heat and transforms phlegm; treats consumptive taxation cough, hematemesis and hemoptysis, lung atrophy, lung abscess, throat impediment, and scrofula.’