Source Lily Bulb is the dried fleshy scale leaf ofLilium lancifolium Thunb.
Producing Areas Hunan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Anhui, Henan, etc.
Properties Sweet, Cold
Channels Lung, Heart
Action
- Moistens the lungs, stops cough, and clears heat
For lungqi andyin deficiency causing consumptive cough with symptoms such as consumptive, dry, chronic cough, shortness of breath, and white, yellow, or bloody sputum that is difficult to expectorate. Also for heat signs accompanying lungyin deficiency such as night sweats, tidal fever, and an absence of sputum. - Clears heat and calms the spirit
For lungyin deficiency directly affecting the heart with symptoms such as physical or speech disorientation, trouble with concentration, sensory impairment, bitter taste in the mouth, dark yellow urine, and a rapid thready pulse. - Nourishesyin and harmonises the middle-jiao
For dull pain associated with stomachyin deficiency.
Usage and Dosage
10 – 30g is used in decoction for oral use. It also can be steamed alone or with honey, or cooked with porridge. For external use,crush it and apply to the affected area.
Notes Contraindicated in patient with diarrhoea due to asthenic coldness of the spleen and kidney.
It is long and oval in shape, 2 – 5cm long, 1 – 2.5cm wide, 1.5 – 4mm thick in the middle. The surface is white or pale brown yellow, with several straightaway white clusters of fibrous tubes. The top is slightly pointed while the base is wide with thin edge which is undulant and slightly curved towards the inner. The broken surface is neat, keratin-like and translucent. Baihe is hard and crisp. The flavour is slightly bitter, with no smell.
Storage
Keep in a dry place.
Description of Quality Herb
Good Baihe is big and thick in size, white in colour and hard.
Frog Soup with Lily Bulb
Effects Nourishes theyin, moistens the lung, and hydrates the skin. This soup is beneficial for those with dry and dull complexion.
Ingredients
Forest frog’s oviduct 10g, dried lily bulb 25g, red dates (pits removed and sliced finely) 5, Western ginseng 5g, Dwarf lilyturf tuber 5g, Solomon’s Seal rhizome 5g, rock sugar 150g.
Preparation
1.Place the ginseng, lilyturf tuber and Solomon’s Seal in a pot, add a glass of water and boil, simmer until the water reduced to half; extract the essence and set aside.
2.Soak the forest frog’s oviduct in warm water (approximately 1 hour) until it softens and expands, remove any impurities, rinse with clean water. Soak the dried lily bulb in warm water, remove the pits of the red dates, set aside.
3.Place the forest frog’s oviduct, dried lily bulbs, red dates and rock sugar in a crock, pour in the essence, and add an adequate amount of water. Put the crock in an electric cooker, pour 2 glasses of water in the cooker and steam until cooked.
Lily and Chrysanthemum Tea
Effects Clears the liver of heat, improves eyesight, relieves sore throat and promotes subsidence of swelling. This tea is beneficial for those suffering from internal heatiness.
Ingredients
Dried lily bulb 2, chrysanthemum flower 3, green tea 1g, honeysuckle flower 0.5g, field mint 0.5g.
Preparation
1.Mix all the ingredients together.
2.Steep in boiling water for 5 minutes and serve.