Bei Mu Gua Lou San (贝母瓜蒌散) — Fritillaria and Trichosanthes Powder

Bei Mu Gua Lou San (Fritillaria and Trichosanthes Powder) is the classical Chinese formula for dry cough driven by Lung Yin deficiency with residual thick, hard-to-expectorate phlegm. It moistens the Lung, transforms Phlegm-Heat and generates fluids — typically used in the tail-end of a viral illness with lingering dry cough, and in chronic Lung dryness with sticky phlegm.

On this page

1. Overview
2. TCM pattern
3. Ingredients
4. Actions and indications
5. Dosing
6. Cautions and contraindications
7. Related formulas
8. Treatment at my clinic

1. Overview

Bei Mu Gua Lou San (贝母瓜蒌散) — Fritillaria and Trichosanthes Powder — is a classical Chinese herbal formula in the Stop Coughing / Cough & Wheeze category. Source: Yi Xue Xin Wu (Medical Revelations), 1732 CE, by Cheng Guopeng. I prescribe it as bespoke pharmaceutical-grade granules from Sun Ten in Taiwan at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire and via online herbal consultations.

2. TCM pattern

Lung Yin deficiency with residual dry Phlegm-Heat: dry cough with scanty, thick, sticky phlegm that is difficult to expectorate; a dry throat and mouth; possibly minor blood-flecked sputum; a red tongue with a scant dry coating; a thin rapid pulse.

3. Ingredients

1. Chuan Bei Mu — Fritillaria cirrhosa (6–9g) — chief; moistens the Lung, transforms Phlegm-Heat, stops cough
2. Gua Lou — Trichosanthes kirilowii (fruit) (9g) — moistens the Lung and Intestines, transforms sticky Phlegm-Heat, opens the chest
3. Tian Hua Fen — Trichosanthes kirilowii (root) (9g) — generates fluids, clears Lung Heat, moistens dryness
4. Fu Ling — Poria cocos (6g) — supports Spleen to reduce phlegm generation at source
5. Ju Hong / Chen Pi — Citrus reticulata (aged tangerine peel) (3g) — regulates Qi, transforms Phlegm, prevents cloying of the moistening herbs
6. Jie Geng — Platycodon grandiflorus (6g) — opens the Lung, directs herbs upward, resolves throat and chest phlegm

4. Actions and indications

Principal actions

1. Moistens the Lung
2. Clears Heat
3. Transforms Phlegm

Indications

1. Dry cough with scanty thick sticky phlegm (dry post-viral cough)
2. Cough in Lung Yin deficiency with dry throat and mouth
3. Chronic cough in older adults or post-menopausal women with Yin depletion
4. Chest fullness with hard-to-clear phlegm
5. Adjunct in early bronchiectasis or chronic bronchitis with dry phlegm

5. Dosing

As decoction, twice daily during acute cough. Granule form 4–6g/day. Continue for 1–2 weeks after cough resolves for consolidation.

6. Cautions and contraindications

1. Contraindicated in Cold-Phlegm cough (white, watery, copious phlegm).
2. Not for acute Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat cough — wrong stage.
3. Any haemoptysis (coughing blood) requires conventional respiratory assessment.
4. Chuan Bei Mu is expensive; Zhe Bei Mu is a cheaper substitute for less deep Yin deficiency.

7. Related formulas

• Sang Xing Tang — for milder Warm-dryness invading the Lung
• Mai Men Dong Tang — for Lung and Stomach Yin deficiency with rebellious Qi
• Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang — for Warm-Dryness cough with more Heat

8. Treatment at my clinic

I prescribe Bei Mu Gua Lou San where the TCM pattern above matches the patient’s presentation, typically as part of a wider prescription tailored to the individual. Return to the Chinese herbal formulas directory or the Chinese herbal medicine main page.