Tranquilizing Herbs
Bai He: Chinese Herb Guide
Naming
Bai He (Bulbus Lilii)——Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Herbal)
The Processing of Bulbus Lilii
Origin
The fleshy bud scale of the perennial herbaceous plant Lilium brownii F. E. Brown var. viridulum Baker, L. lancifolium Thunb., or L. pumilum DC. of family-Liliaceae.
Location
Cultivated in most areas in China.
Harvest
Plucked in autumn.
The actual smell and taste
The bud scale of cultivated plant is big and slightly bitter, while the wind plant is small and bitter.
Best quality
Even, thick flesh, hard and white.
Processing
Unprocessed or stir-baked with honey solution.
The Effect of Bulbus Lilii
Property
Sweet, slightly cold; lung and heart meridians entered.
Actions
Nourish yin of lung and heart, clear heat of lung and heart, relieve cough and dispel phlegm, calm heart and induce tranquilization.
Indications
A. Lung yin deficiency syndromes
It is slightly cold in property with mild action. It can nourish lung yin, and clear lung heat. Though it is not strong than Bei Sha Shen, Mai Dong from moistening and clearing lung, it can relieve cough and dispel phlegm. For dryness in nose and throat, dry cough with little phlegm or blood in phlegm due to lung yin deficiency with dryness heat, fresh Bai He could be pounded singly, or it is combined with lung-moistening and cough-relieving herbs. For instance, it is used with Kuan Dong Hua in Bai Hua Gao from Ji Sheng Fang. For chronic cough, and cough blood due to lung deficiency, it is combined with herbs of nourishing yin, moistening and clearing lung, and dispelling phlegm. For instance, it is used with Sheng Di Huang, Mai Dong, Jie Geng and Chuan Bei Mu in Bai He Gu Jing Tang from Shen Zhai Yi Shu (Book from Shenzhai House).
B. Heart yin deficiency syndromes
It can nourish heart yin, clear heart heat and calm heart and induce tranquilization. For absentmindedness, failure in self-controlling of emotion, bitter in mouth, dark-yellow urine, slight rapid pulse due to heart yin deficiency with heat, or deficiency restlessness, palpitation. insomnia and dream-disturbed sleep due to remaining heat in later stage of heat diseases, it is combined with yin-nourishing and heat-clearing herbs, for instance, it is used with Sheng Di Huang in Bai He Di Huang Tang and Zhi Mu in Bai He Zhi Mu Tang from Jin Kui Yao Lue.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 10~30 g. Stir-baked with honey could strengthen its action of moistening lung and relieving cough.
Sources and further reading
We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.
- Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
- Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
- NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.
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