1. Alias
Elephant shell, big shell, pearl shell.
2. Plant morphology
Perennial herb. The bulb is hemispherical with 2-3 fleshy scales. The stem is single, upright, and cylindrical. Ye has no handle; Leaves opposite each other at the lower part of the stem, narrowly lanceolate to linear; The leaves in the middle and upper parts often have 3-5 whorls, with few intertwining. The leaves are shorter and have tendrils at the tips. Flowers grow only at the top of the stem or leaf axils; Bell shaped flowers, hanging downwards; 6 petals, arranged in 2 rounds, oblong in shape, with a short pointed or blunt tip, pale yellow or yellow green in color, with fine parallel veins, and a light purple checkered pattern on the inner surface. Basal glandular tissue; Stamen 6, attached at the base of the anthers, outward facing; The pistil is 1, the ovary is 3 chambers, each chamber has multiple ovules, and the stigma is 3 lobes. The capsule is oval in shape and has 6 wide longitudinal wings. When mature, the dorsal part of the chamber cracks. The seed is flat, nearly semi-circular, with winged edges. The flowering period is from March to April, and the fruiting period is from April to May.
3. Origin distribution
Born in grassy slopes and shady areas under forests. Distributed in Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and other places.
4. Harvesting and processing
Excavate from May to June, wash the soil thoroughly, and separate the size. The larger one has its heart buds removed and divided into two pieces, forming a ingot shape, called "Yuanbaobao", while the smaller one is called "Zhubei". Place them separately in cleaning cages, wipe off the outer skin, add lime and mix well. After one night, let the lime seep in, and then dry or dry them.
5. Characteristics of medicinal herbs
Zhubei: Complete bulb, flattened spherical, with a diameter of 1-2.5 centimeters and a height of 1-1.5 centimeters. The surface is off white, with two thickened outer scale leaves that are slightly kidney shaped and interlocked. There are 2-3 wrinkled small scale leaves and dried residues in the center. Solid and brittle, easy to break, white cross-section, rich in powder. The air is weak and the taste is bitter. Dabei (Yuanbaobao): Single petal thick bulb, slightly crescent shaped, 2-4 cm long, 1-2.5 cm high, 0.6-1.5 cm thick, with a white to pale yellow white outer surface and light brown scars, and a white to pale yellow white inner surface.
6. Sexual Taste Returning to the Classics
Cold in nature and bitter in taste. Return to the lung meridian and heart meridian.
7. Effect and Function
Clearing heat, dispersing nodules, resolving phlegm, and relieving cough. It belongs to the category of clearing phlegm, relieving cough, and relieving asthma drugs.
8. Clinical application
Dosage: 4.5-9 grams, taken orally, or 1.5 grams taken after grinding. Used to treat wind heat cough, lung abscess and throat obstruction, scrofula, sores, swelling and toxins, etc. Anti aconite and grass aconite.
9. Pharmacological research
This product has functions such as cough control, sedation, asthma relief, pupil dilation, blood pressure regulation, analgesia, blood sugar elevation, and phlegm removal. Can dilate tracheal smooth muscle and enhance uterine smooth muscle contraction; Can slow down heart rate; Pupil dilation inhibits saliva secretion; Can increase blood sugar levels, etc.
10. Chemical composition
Containing sterol alkaloids such as berberine A, berberine B, berberine, berberine ketone, berberine, isoberberine, berberine glycoside, berberine glycoside, berberine glycoside, berberine glycoside, berberine C, choline, and berberine, as well as various diterpenoid compounds.
11. Usage taboos
People with cold phlegm, damp phlegm, and weak spleen and stomach should take it with caution. Not suitable for use with Aconitum medicinal herbs.
12. Compatibility prescription
① Treatment for cold and cough: 9g each of Zhejiang Fritillaria, Anemarrhena, Mulberry Leaves, Almonds, and 6g Perilla frutescens. Boil it in water. (Shandong Herbal Medicine Handbook)
② To treat breast pain and boils: stir fry Bai Zhi, frankincense, myrrh (each made clean), Zhe Bei Mu, Gui Shen, and divide equally into powder. Take 15 grams per serving, with alcohol included. (Surgical Life Collection)
③ Treatment of carbuncles, toxins, swelling and pain: 9 grams each of Fritillaria thunbergii and Forsythia suspensa, 18 grams of honeysuckle, and 24 grams of dandelion. Boil it in water. (Shandong Herbal Medicine Handbook)
④ Treatment of ulcerative stomatitis: 4.5 grams of Fritillaria thunbergii and 25.5 grams of squid bone. Grind the medicine carefully. Take 6 grams each time, 3 times a day. (Shandong Medical Journal, 1966, (3): Elephant Octopus Powder)
⊙ The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non TCM professionals are not allowed to test drugs.