Actually in TCM practice there are total 5 different fritillaria species, among which bulbus fritillariae cirrhosae (Chuan Bei Mu) and Thunberg Fritillary Bulb (Zhe Bei Mu) are the most used two. However, generally the former is believed to be the best.

Its formal name is tendrilleaf fritillary bulb or Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae in Latin. The plant is a member of Liliaceae family. Looked from the TCM's angle, medicinal fritillaria refers to the dry bulbs of Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don, Fritillaria unibracteata Hsiao et K. C. Hsia, Fritillaria przewalskii Maxim., and Fritillaria delavayi Franch.

According to different medicinal properties, they can be classified as "Song Bei", "Qing Bei", "Lu Bei", and cultivated products. The medicinal fritillaria bulb is usually harvested in summer and autumn or when the snow is melting. After the harvest, it needs to remove the fibrous roots, bark, and sand before drying them in the sun or low temperature drying.

WHAT'S FRITILLARIA USED FOR? 
In the sight of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this herb is bitter, sweet, and slightly cold in nature. It goes to two meridians, including lung and heart. Its chief functions are to eliminate phlegm by cooling, moisten lung to arrest cough, and remove stasis to reduce swelling. Its main indications and uses are irritating dry cough caused by lung heat, hacking cough with little phlegm, cough due to overexertion and Yin deficiency, dry coughing and sputum with blood, stagnation in chest and heart, the consumptive lung disease, Pulmonary Abscess, Chronic Pharyngitis, and Mastitis. Usual dosage is from 3 to 10 grams in decoction, or 1 to 2 grams in powder.

Fritillaria

CHINESE HERBAL FORMULAS RELATED FRITILLARIA
1) Er Mu San
Ee Mu San is from Ji Jiu Xian Fang (Immortals' Prescriptions for Emergency). This prescription is really great for treatment of cough due to lung heat and dryness. The other herb is Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena Rhizome).

2) Xiao Luo Wan
Xiao Luo Wan is chosen from Yi Xue Xin Wu (Understanding of Medical Science). It is good at curing scrofula, mastitis, and lung abscess. The other two important herbs are Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion) and Yu Xing Cao (Houttuynia).

3) Si Shun Tang
Si Shun Tang is selected from Zheng Zhi Zhun Sheng (The Level-line of Patterns & Treatment). This herbal recipe is mainly used for pulmonary abscess, pyemesis, dysphoria in chestpalms-soles, chest tightness, and cough. Other main herbal ingredients include Zi Wan (Purple Aster Root), Jie Geng (Platycodon), and Gan Cao (Licorice Root).

4) Bei Mu Tang
Bei Mu Tang comes from Sheng Ji Zong Lu (Complete Record of Holy Benevolence). It is primarily for the treatment of sudden cough due to the cold. Other herbs are Kuan Dong Hua (Coltsfoot Flower), Ma Huang (Ephedra), Xing Ren (Apricot Seed), and Gan Cao.