Roots and rhizomesPhlegm-resolvingBulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii

Zhe Bei Mu (Thunberg Fritillaria Bulb)

Q: What is Zhe Bei Mu? Are Chuan Bei Mu, Tu Bei Mu and Zhu Bei the same?

Official Zhe Bei Mu (浙贝母) is the dried bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii , mainly from Zhejiang. The pharmacopoeial name is Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus . Large outer scales are Da Bei ; intact small bulbs are Zhu Bei ; fresh thick slices are Zhe Bei Pian. Chuan Bei Mu is bitter-sweet and slightly cold: moistens the Lung, transforms phlegm and stops cough—chronic dry vacuity cough, and is far costlier. Tu Bei Mu is a cucurbit, resolving toxin and dissipating binds—not a Fritillaria. Write Zhe Bei Mu; do not treat every “Bei Mu” as Chuan Bei. Do not combine with aconite / Wu Tou.

Q: What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Zhe Bei Mu?

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Zhe Bei Mu is bitter and cold , enters the Lung and Heart channels, and acts to clear heat, transform phlegm and stop cough, and resolve toxin, dissipate binds and disperse welling-abscess . It is used for wind-heat cough, phlegm-fire cough, Lung abscess, breast abscess, scrofula and sores. Bitter-cold and draining, it suits phlegm-heat, wind-heat and phlegm-fire lumps—not cold phlegm, damp phlegm, Spleen-Stomach deficient cold, or treating vacuity-dryness cough as if it were Chuan Bei Mu.

Q: What is the usual dosage? Can it be drunk daily as a cough or nodule tea?

The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 5–10 g . It is not a four-season “Zhe Bei cough tea.” Cold cough with white phlegm and vacuity-dryness scant phlegm only grow more damaged by cold. Phlegm-heat cough and scrofula need a practitioner and a short course, and a check that Fu Zi, Chuan Wu or Cao Wu is not in the same formula.

Q: How do you choose and store Zhe Bei Mu?

Choose thick firm scales, ample powder, a white cross-section and a slightly bitter taste . Moldy, moth-eaten lots mixed with Chuan Bei or Tu Bei Mu are discarded. Store dry against moths. Buy pharmacopoeial Zhe Bei Mu; do not replace clearing heat, transforming phlegm and resolving toxin to dissipate binds with Chuan Bei, Tu Bei or an unidentified bulb by equal weight.

A practical guide to Zhe Bei Mu: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 13, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin Name	Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii
Chinese Name & Pinyin	浙貝母 · Zhe Bei Mu
Medicinal Part	Roots and rhizomes
The herb	Zhe Bei Mu is the dried bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii, with thick scales. Chuan Bei Mu is a separate official drug. Incompatible with Chuan Wu, Cao Wu, and Fu Zi.
Nature and channels	Bitter, cold. Enters the Lung and Heart. Bitterness drains downward and transforms phlegm. Cold clears heat and dissipates nodules.
Pharmacopoeia line	Clears heat and transforms phlegm. Dissipates nodules and resolves toxin. Used for wind-heat cough, phlegm-fire cough, Lung abscess, breast abscess, scrofula, and sores.
Pattern cues	Yellow sticky sputum. Wind-heat cough. Lung abscess. Scrofula and breast abscess.
In this article	Zhe Bei versus Chuan Bei, Gua Lou, and Xuan Shen. Excess phlegm-fire versus deficiency dryness. Why it must not sit with aconite. Who should skip it.

What Is Zhe Bei Mu?

Zhe Bei Mu (浙贝母; Zhè Bèi Mǔ; Latin: Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus; English: Thunberg fritillary bulb) is the dried bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. In Chinese medicine it is a heat-clearing, phlegm-transforming herb. It is bitter and cold, enters the Lung and Heart channels, and its core actions are to clear heat and transform phlegm, and to dissipate nodules and resolve toxin. It is not Chuan Bei Mu. Sichuan fritillary is sweet-bitter and slightly cold. It moistens the Lung and stops cough, and fits deficiency-consumption dry cough. Zhe Bei is bitter-cold. It more strongly clears fire and dissipates nodules, and fits phlegm-fire, wind-heat, scrofula, and breast abscess. They are not interchangeable cough bulbs. Do not combine it with Chuan Wu, Cao Wu, or Fu Zi. Garden fritillary is not the official piece.

It is used most often for three patterns:

Wind-heat / phlegm-fire cough — yellow sticky sputum, chest tightness
Lung abscess — coughing of pus; this needs a clinic
Phlegm-fire binding toxin — scrofula, breast abscess, sores

It is usually used raw and may be crushed for decoction. The usual decoction dose is 5–10 g. Thin cold sputum, spleen-deficiency loose stools, and dry deficiency cough with little sputum are a poor match. Bitter-cold and downbearing, it is not a “cough bei” that can swap 1:1 with Chuan Bei. Incompatible with aconite herbs.

When phlegm-heat fills the Lung, or phlegm-fire binds, yellow sputum, scrofula, and breast abscess are common. Zhe Bei is bitter-cold and heat-clearing. It transforms and dissipates, which is why it is often paired with Xuan Shen and Mu Li for scrofula. It is more bitter-cold than it is moistening. Thin white sputum and fear of cold are injured further if more clearing is added.

Zhe Bei Mu is not a catch-all phlegm or nodule herb. In cold phlegm or qi-deficiency dry cough, using it alone can cool and injure the middle. Whether it can replace Chuan Bei should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Zhe Bei Mu: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii

Botanical Origin

The dried bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq.(Liliaceae)

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hunan.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material has fat and thick scale leaves, white and powdery externally and fractured surfaces.

Macroscopic Features

Yuan bao bei is the single outer layer scale leaf. One side is raised up, one side is indented, similar to a gold or silver ingot called a ‘yuan bao’, length is about 1.7~4cm, 7~17mm thick. Externally white or pale yellow, covered with white powder, hard and brittle texture, easily broken, fractured surface is uneven, white or pale yellow, powdery. faint odor, bitter taste. Zhu bei: intact bulb, fat spherical shape, 1~1.7cm tall, 2~3.5cm diameter. Externally white, outer layer has 2 scale leaves, fat and thick, slightly similar to kidney-shape, center has 2~3 shrunken small scales and stem remnants, inner surface is pale yellowish-white. Same texture, odor and taste as yuan bao bei.

Sourcing and Quality Identification

Historically, the most premium Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) comes from Zhejiang province, though it is also cultivated in Jiangsu and Anhui.

How to spot good quality: Premium bulbs are oblate (flattened spheres) with thick, solid outer scales. The cross-section should be white or slightly yellowish-white and have a starchy, powdery texture with a mildly bitter scent.
Processed vs. Raw: Processed slices might look slightly darker and have a looser texture compared to the raw herb.
Common Confusions: It is sometimes confused with other fritillary species, but substitutes usually have thinner scales, lack the powdery texture, and have a much weaker scent.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Bitter; ColdLungHeart

1. Historical Records

While earlier texts often grouped all fritillary bulbs together, the specific uses of Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) became clearer over time:

Ben Cao Zheng (Corrected Materia Medica): First highlighted its specific ability to "clear phlegm-fire and dissipate stagnant nodules."
Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica): Noted its use for throat blockages and swelling.
Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica): Emphasized its power to resolve hard lumps, swellings, and scrofula (lymph node swelling).
De Pei Ben Cao (Materia Medica of Combinations): Clarified its affinity for the Lung and Heart meridians, firmly stressing its cold nature.

2. Evolution of TCM Understanding

A crucial evolution in TCM was distinguishing Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) from its famous cousin, Chuan Bei Mu (Sichuan Fritillary Bulb).

Early practitioners sometimes mixed them up, assuming all fritillary bulbs just "moistened the lungs."
Later experts clarified the difference: Zhe Bei Mu is strongly cold and bitter, making it the expert for clearing thick, yellow "heat-phlegm" and hard nodules. In contrast, Chuan Bei Mu is sweeter and moister, making it better for dry coughs and depleted lungs.

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Clears heat, transforms phlegm, disperses bind, resolves toxin. Apply to wind-heat cough, lung abscess and throat impediment, scrofula, swelling and pain of sore and ulcer.

1. Primary Focus: Clearing Heat and Transforming Phlegm

Traditional Function: Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) clears lung heat and resolves hot, thick phlegm. It is highly effective for coughs accompanied by sticky, yellow phlegm.
Target Symptoms: Used for external heat pathogens or internal trapped heat. Symptoms include frequent coughing, thick yellow phlegm, sore throat, and a dry, bitter mouth.
Common Pairings: Often combined with herbs like Sang Ye (Mulberry Leaf), Xing Ren (Apricot Seed), and Huang Qin (Baical Skullcap Root) to enhance its heat-clearing effects.
When to Avoid: Do not use if you have a cold-deficient Spleen and Stomach, feel cold easily, or have loose stools. Its cold nature can worsen digestive discomfort.

2. Secondary Focus: Dissipating Nodules and Reducing Swelling

Traditional Function: It dissipates nodules and swellings formed by accumulated phlegm and turbidity, both on the body's surface and internally.
Target Symptoms: Traditionally used for swollen lymph nodes, breast nodules, a feeling of a lump in the throat, and hot, painful skin sores.
Common Pairings: Often paired with Xia Ku Cao (Prunella Spike), Mu Li (Oyster Shell), and Lian Qiao (Forsythia Fruit) to strengthen the nodule-dissipating action.
When to Avoid: Not suitable for "cold" type sores (characterized by pale skin and lack of obvious pain), as its cold nature can further stagnate the area.

3. Common Herb Pairings: Synergistic Duos

A classic pairing is Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) and Xuan Shen (Scrophularia Root).
Why it works: Zhe Bei Mu focuses on clearing heat and breaking up nodules, while Xuan Shen nourishes Yin, reduces fire, and detoxifies. Together, they clear heat without damaging the body's fluids. This is ideal for neck nodules and sore throats caused by phlegm-heat and Yin deficiency. Note: A practitioner must determine the correct ratio based on your specific condition.

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. Key Chemical Compounds

Modern laboratory analysis shows that Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) contains alkaloids (like peimine and peiminine), saponins, and polysaccharides.

In-vitro (test tube) studies suggest these alkaloids have some anti-inflammatory activity.
Animal studies indicate potential effects on respiratory smooth muscle, but these findings cannot directly confirm how it works in the human body.

2. Modern Pharmacological Focus

Modern science primarily investigates the herb's potential to reduce inflammation and clear mucus.

Lab tests show that certain extracts might inhibit the release of inflammatory markers.
Animal tests have observed increased respiratory secretions (an expectorant effect), but comprehensive human clinical trials are still needed to verify these exact mechanisms.

3. Research Limitations

It is important to view modern research objectively:

Lab vs. Human: Results from animal or cell studies do not automatically translate to human clinical success.
Whole Herb vs. Extracts: Daily TCM uses the whole brewed herb, which provides a balanced, complex mix of compounds. This is entirely different from the isolated, high-dose chemical extracts used in labs.
Inconsistent Standards: Different studies use varying extraction methods and dosages, making it hard to create a unified scientific standard.
Holistic Synergy: TCM relies on the combined effect of all compounds in the herb. Judging the plant's entire efficacy based on a single isolated alkaloid does not reflect how it is traditionally used.

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. Shared Traits with Similar Herbs

Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) and Chuan Bei Mu (Sichuan Fritillary Bulb) share common ground:

Both primarily transform phlegm for respiratory issues.
Both treat traditional syndromes involving coughs and nodules.
Both require careful attention to dosage and individual constitution.

2. Core Differences

Nature and Potency: Zhe Bei Mu is strongly cold and bitter, making it a "clearing" herb. Chuan Bei Mu is slightly cold, sweet, and bitter, acting as a "moistening and nourishing" herb.
Action Focus: Zhe Bei Mu excels at clearing lung heat and hard nodules (best for hot, thick phlegm). Chuan Bei Mu excels at moistening the lungs and stopping coughs (best for dry, chronic, or deficient coughs).
Target Symptoms: Use Zhe Bei Mu for thick yellow phlegm, bitter mouth, and red, painful swellings. Use Chuan Bei Mu for scant sticky phlegm, dry throat, and weak coughing.
Contraindications: Zhe Bei Mu is bad for cold-deficient digestion. Chuan Bei Mu is bad for heavy, damp-phlegm conditions (thick, greasy tongue coating).

3. A One-Sentence Summary

Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb) is an aggressive clearer for hot phlegm and nodules, while Chuan Bei Mu (Sichuan Fritillary Bulb) is a gentle moisturizer for dry, chronic coughs.

Classical Formulas Containing Zhe Bei Mu

Sang Xing Tang

桑杏湯Assistant

Formula CategoryExterior-Releasing FormulasPrimary PatternWind-HeatPrimary FunctionDisperse warm-dryness, moisten Lungs, stop coughRelated ConditionsDry Cough·Dry Mouth & Throat·Sore Throat

View Formula Profile Read Complete Guide

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

Synergy is Key: A formula is a balanced team. The healing power comes from how the herbs interact, so a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effects.
Holistic Balance: The exact dosage and combination in a formula affect the entire body. Never try to mix or alter these formulas at home based on internet articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Herbal Teas and Meals

Zhe Bei Mu and Snow Pear Tea:
- Ingredients: 3g Zhe Bei Mu (Zhejiang Fritillary Bulb), 1 snow pear, a little rock sugar.
- Method: Peel, core, and dice the pear. Boil with the herb and sugar in water for 20 minutes, then drink the broth.
- Best For: Short-term relief in autumn or spring for lung-heat coughs with yellow phlegm and a dry throat.
- Avoid If: You have loose stools, weak digestion, or heavy damp-phlegm.
- Frequency: 1-2 times a week. Do not use continuously.

2. Preparation Differences

Raw vs. Processed: Raw versions are stronger for clearing heat. Processed versions are milder and better suited for general cough relief.
Brewing: It does not require special pre-boiling. Simply soak it with your other herbs and decoct (boil) them together. Do not randomly swap raw herbs for concentrated extracts, as the dosages differ significantly.

3. Dosage and Usage Cycles

Dosage: Clinical doses are typically 3-10g. For home food therapy, keep it under 3g.
Duration: Do not use continuously for more than 3 days at a time. Children and the elderly must consult a doctor for adjusted, safer doses.

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

Cold Digestion: Avoid if you have a weak stomach, feel cold easily, or suffer from chronic diarrhea.
Vulnerable Populations: Pregnant and nursing women must consult a doctor. Children and the elderly should only use it under professional guidance.
Organ Health: Avoid self-prescribing if you have liver or kidney dysfunction to prevent extra strain on these organs.
Allergies: Strictly prohibited if you are allergic to plants in the Fritillaria family.

2. Medication Interactions and Dietary Notes

Herb Interactions: Its cold nature may clash with warm, tonifying herbs. Consult a doctor if you are taking warming TCM formulas.
Drug Interactions: It may affect how certain Western medications are absorbed. If you take blood thinners, blood pressure meds, diabetes drugs, or sedatives, consult your doctor before use.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose

Side Effects: Overuse can cause nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain.
Emergency Response: If you experience allergic signs (rash, itching), persistent vomiting, difficulty breathing, or sudden worsening of symptoms, stop using it immediately and seek emergency medical care.

Frequently Asked Questions About Zhe Bei Mu

What is Zhe Bei Mu? Are Chuan Bei Mu, Tu Bei Mu and Zhu Bei the same?

Official Zhe Bei Mu (浙贝母) is the dried bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii, mainly from Zhejiang. The pharmacopoeial name is Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus. Large outer scales are Da Bei; intact small bulbs are Zhu Bei; fresh thick slices are Zhe Bei Pian. Chuan Bei Mu is bitter-sweet and slightly cold: moistens the Lung, transforms phlegm and stops cough—chronic dry vacuity cough, and is far costlier. Tu Bei Mu is a cucurbit, resolving toxin and dissipating binds—not a Fritillaria. Write Zhe Bei Mu; do not treat every “Bei Mu” as Chuan Bei. Do not combine with aconite / Wu Tou.

What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Zhe Bei Mu?

According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Zhe Bei Mu is bitter and cold, enters the Lung and Heart channels, and acts to clear heat, transform phlegm and stop cough, and resolve toxin, dissipate binds and disperse welling-abscess. It is used for wind-heat cough, phlegm-fire cough, Lung abscess, breast abscess, scrofula and sores. Bitter-cold and draining, it suits phlegm-heat, wind-heat and phlegm-fire lumps—not cold phlegm, damp phlegm, Spleen-Stomach deficient cold, or treating vacuity-dryness cough as if it were Chuan Bei Mu.

How do you choose Da Bei, Zhu Bei and sliced Zhe Bei? Can it be powdered?

Actions are of the same type; choose powdery white, slightly bitter stock. Decoction uses thick slices or crushed pieces; dissipating binds may use powder in pills. Do not substitute Chuan Bei powder for Zhe Bei, or Tu Bei Mu for clearing heat and transforming phlegm.

What is the usual dosage? Can it be drunk daily as a cough or nodule tea?

The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 5–10 g. It is not a four-season “Zhe Bei cough tea.” Cold cough with white phlegm and vacuity-dryness scant phlegm only grow more damaged by cold. Phlegm-heat cough and scrofula need a practitioner and a short course, and a check that Fu Zi, Chuan Wu or Cao Wu is not in the same formula.

What are the contraindications? Can it be used in pregnancy?

Do not combine with Chuan Wu, processed Chuan Wu, Cao Wu, processed Cao Wu or Fu Zi (Eighteen Incompatibilities). Forbid in Spleen-Stomach deficient cold and in cold or damp phlegm. Use caution in pregnancy. Stop if cold epigastric-abdominal pain and loose stool appear. Lung abscess coughing pus and high fever are emergencies—do not rely on a fritillary tea alone.

Can Zhe Bei Mu transform phlegm, stop cough and dissipate binds?

It can help phlegm-heat and phlegm-fire binding into swellings. Wind-heat and phlegm-fire cough join mulberry root bark, Scutellaria and Trichosanthes. Scrofula and phlegm nodules join Scrophularia and oyster shell in Xiao Luo Wan. Lung and breast abscess need heat-clearing pus-expelling partners. Bitter-cold, it drains and dissipates—not a specific for every cough, every nodule or every breast lump. Coughing blood with high fever and acute suppurative mastitis need specialty care.

Can Zhe Bei Mu be drunk daily as a cough, nodule or Lung-clearing tea?

Phlegm-heat yellow sputum and wind-heat cough may enter a short formula; deficient cold only grows more draining. “Zhe Bei dissolves nodules” does not replace imaging and pathology. Clearing heat, transforming phlegm and resolving toxin to dissipate binds should name Zhe Bei Mu 5–10 g, and avoid aconite.

How do you choose among Zhe Bei Mu, Chuan Bei Mu, Gua Lou, Xuan Shen and Xia Ku Cao?

Thunberg fritillary is bitter-cold: clears heat, transforms phlegm, stops cough, resolves toxin and dissipates binds—Lung-Heart, strong at draining and dissipating, suited to excess phlegm-heat cough, scrofula and breast abscess. Sichuan fritillary is bitter-sweet and slightly cold: clears heat, moistens the Lung and transforms phlegm—stronger at moistening, suited to vacuity-dryness chronic cough. Trichosanthes is sweet, slightly bitter and cold: clears heat, washes phlegm, unbinds the chest and moistens the intestines—chest-bi phlegm-heat. Scrophularia is sweet-bitter-salty and slightly cold: clears heat, cools Blood, enriches Yin, downbears fire and dissipates binds. Prunella is acrid-bitter-cold: clears Liver fire, brightens the eyes and dissipates binds. Excess phlegm-heat cough and scrofula favor Zhe Bei Mu; vacuity-dryness cough favors Chuan Bei Mu; chest oppression favors Gua Lou; Yin-vacuity phlegm nodules favor Xuan Shen; Liver-fire lumps favor Xia Ku Cao. They may be paired; cold phlegm, deficient cold and aconite all forbid Zhe Bei Mu.

Which herbs is Zhe Bei Mu combined with? What are the representative formulas?

Scrofula and phlegm nodules join Scrophularia and oyster shell in Xiao Luo Wan. Phlegm-heat cough joins Anemarrhena in an Er Mu type pairing. Wind-heat cough joins mulberry leaf, Peucedanum and loquat leaf. Write Zhe Bei Mu 5–10 g; do not combine with Wu Tou or Fu Zi.

How do you choose and store Zhe Bei Mu?

Choose thick firm scales, ample powder, a white cross-section and a slightly bitter taste. Moldy, moth-eaten lots mixed with Chuan Bei or Tu Bei Mu are discarded. Store dry against moths. Buy pharmacopoeial Zhe Bei Mu; do not replace clearing heat, transforming phlegm and resolving toxin to dissipate binds with Chuan Bei, Tu Bei or an unidentified bulb by equal weight.

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.