Chekiang Fritillary Bulb

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

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.

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

Bitter, cold

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.

'Yuan bao bei’: This refers to the da bei form of zhe bei mu, which has a bulb enclosed by an outer single scale leaf. It forms a half-circle shape; the outer potions extend outward and the inner portion is concave, similar to the shape of Chinese gold or silver ingots called ‘yuan bao’.