Bei Mu Gua Lou San
Star贝母瓜蒌散 (Fritillaria and Trichosanthes Fruit Powder)
Source: Yi Xue Xin Wu (1732)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Bei Mu Gua Lou San (Fritillaria and Trichosanthes Fruit Powder), from the Yi Xue Xin Wu, is used to moisten Lung dryness, clear heat; dilute phlegm and stop cough.
Presentation: dry-phlegm of the Lung from exterior dryness or heat; scanty phlegm very difficult to expectorate; dry throat; tongue: dry, red tongue with thin, sticky, yellowish coating; pulse: thready, wiry and rapid.
Syndrome: Syndrome of phlegm.
Composition strategy:
- Eliminates phlegm with heat-clearing, Lung-moistening herbs rather than pungent-warm herbs
- Moistens with Bei Mu, Gua Lou and Tian Hua Fen instead of cloying sweet-cold Yin tonics that would trap phlegm
Source: Yang Y. Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010, p. 244.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chuan Bei Mu
as printed: Chuan Bei Mu (Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus)
|
5g | 27.78% | Jun (Chief) | clear heat, moisten Lung, eliminate phlegm, stop cough |
|
Gua Lou
as printed: Gua Lou (Trichosanthis fructus)
|
3g | 16.67% | Chen (Deputy) | like Bei Mu, also regulate Qi and reduce fullness |
|
Tian Hua Fen
as printed: Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthis radix)
|
2.5g | 13.89% | Zuo (Assistant) | clear heat, generate fluid, moisten Lung to dilute phlegm |
|
Ju Hong
as printed: Ju Hong (Citri erythrocarpae pars rubra epicarpii)
|
2.5g | 13.89% | Zuo (Assistant) | remove phlegm, stop cough |
|
Fu Ling
as printed: Fu Ling (Poria)
|
2.5g | 13.89% | Zuo (Assistant) | tonify Spleen-Qi, leach out dampness |
|
Jie Geng
as printed: Jie Geng (Platycodi radix)
|
2.5g | 13.89% | Zuo (Assistant) | remove phlegm, stop cough |
Dui Yao — Core Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations at the heart of this formula, as recorded on the herbs' own pages — each pair has an action neither herb has alone.
Moistens the lungs and clears heat while transforming phlegm and loosening the chest, for dry-phlegm cough with sputum that is hard to expectorate.
Energetics dose-weighted
The formula's overall nature, taste balance and channel reach, weighted by each herb's dose. Classical formulas often pair warm and cool herbs on purpose, so a net figure summarises the mix — it doesn't describe every herb in it.
Nature
Net slightly cool (-0.61)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 17%, cool 42%, neutral 28%, warm 14%.
Taste
- pungent 14%
- sweet 36%
- bitter 43%
- bland 7%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Lung 100%
- Heart 42%
- Stomach 31%
- Spleen 28%
- Large intestine 17%
- Kidney 14%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
Dose-weighted from each herb's recorded nature, taste and channels (missing values are left out, never counted as neutral). It describes the composition — it is not a recommendation.
Preparation
Decoction. Fritillariae cirrhosae Bulbus (chuan bei mu) is usually used; because of cost it is often taken as powder (about 1/5 of the raw dose) with the strained decoction.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 802.
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Formula Network
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Similar Formulas by composition
Match score combines dosage-weighted composition (cosine, 70%) with shared-herb overlap (Jaccard, 30%).
Traditional formula information is for educational purposes only. Herbal formulas should be prescribed by a qualified practitioner — dosages and combinations are individualized and can interact with medications.
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