Tibetan Medicine – Fritillaria

Tibetan Medicine – Introduction of Fritillaria

The fritillaria is famous Tibetan medicine. It is named Apika in Tibetan language. It is liliaceous plant and perennial herb. It grows on high mountains, grasslands, boulder beach and bushlands of Tibet Plateau. It is with sweet taste and cool nature. It has functions of clearing heat and dissipating phlegm, moistening lung for arresting cough, dispelling melancholy and eliminating stagnation. It can be stewed in soup or steep in wine.

Tibetan Medicine – Character of Fritillaria

The fritillaria is bulb conical or heart-shaped. Its diameter is about 5mm to 9mm. It is about 4mm to 8mm high. The surface of the fritillaria is similar with white, and very smooth. The outside two scale leaves is with different size. The larger scale leaf tightly swathes the smaller scale leaf, and the uncovered part of the smaller scale leaf is crescent-shaped. The top of the fritillaria is cuspidal or blunt, and almost is closed. The bottom of the fritillaria is relatively flat, and slightly incurvate. In the fritillaria, there is small scale leaf and bud. The fritillaria is with slight smell and sweet taste.

Tibetan Medicine – Function of Fritillaria

The function of fritillaria includes clearing heat and dissipating phlegm, moistening lung for arresting cough, dispelling melancholy and eliminating stagnation. It has obvious effect on the disease of consumptive chronic cough, cough caused by lungheat, blood in the sputum, abscess of lung, acute mastitis, scrofula, pharyngitis and goiter.

Tibetan Medicine – Picking and Process of Fritillaria

The fritillaria should be picked during the period from July to September when sprouts do not wither. The fritillaria can be exposed to the sun or dried on gentle fire with mud. At the same time, use bamboo or wooden article to turn them over at all times. Until the surfaces turns into white, put them into a gunny bag. Then, slight collide the bag to remove the mud and old skin on them. At last, dry them in the sun.