This crude drug is the succulent clove of Lilium brownie F.E.Brown var. viridulum Baker, L. lancifolium Thunb. or L. pumilum DC. (family: Liliaceae).

This species is a perennial herb. The stem is hairless, with purple lines; the bulb is spherical, consisting of broad, nodeless and white cloves. The leaves grow in a scattered fashion, with a short petiole, the upper ones usually being smaller than the middle ones; the blade is oblanceolate to obovate, 7-10cm long, 2-3cm wide, acute apically, oblique and narrow at the base, entire marginally and hairless on both sides and has 3-5 veins. The plant bears 1-4 aromatic trumpet flowers. The perianth comprises 6 tepals, which are obovate, mostly white, tinged with purplish brown and spotless on the back, and bended but not rolled at the top, and whose nectaries have papillae on both sides. Each flower includes 6 stamens, which bend forward and have pubescent filaments and versatile elliptical anthers containing brownish red pollen grains; the ovary is long column-shaped, the style is hairless, and the stigma is 3-divided. The capsule is oblong, bearing numerous seeds.

In China, this crude drug is mainly produced in Yixing, Lianyungang, Dongtai and Hai'an of Jiangsu; Shaoyang, Longhui, Anhua, Changsha, Yueyang, Pingjiang, Yuanyang, Liuyang, Longshan and Miluo of Hunan; Lanzhou and Jialiang of Gansu; and Huzhou, Tonglu, Longquan and Suichang of Zhejiang.

In the autumn, the bulb is dug out, cleaned; and the cloves are peeled off, heated for a short time in boiling water and dried.

The cloves are long-elliptical, pointed apically, comparatively broad and slightly undulant and rolled inward at the base, 1.5-3cm long, 0.5-1cm wide, and about 4mm thick, showing 3-5 veins, some of which are indistinct. They have a white or light yellow, smooth and semi-transparent surface. They are hard and brittle; their fracture section is even and corneous. This crude drug is smellless and tastes a bit bitter.  

This plant contains regaloside A, regaloside D, 3,6′-O-diferuloylsucrose, 1-O-feruloylglycerol, 1-O-p-coumaroylglycerol, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-nuatigenin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-β-D- glucopyranoside, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-nuatigenin-3-O-α-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)]β-D-glucopyranoside, brownioside, deacylbrownioside, 27-O-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaroyl)isonarthogenin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, solasodine-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)] -β-D-glucopyranoside, β1-solamargine^[1], β-sitosterol, daucosterol, n-butyl-β-D-fructopyranoside)^[2], ophiopogonin D, lililancifoloside A^[3].

The rhizome、leaf contains lilioside C^[1].

It contains phosphatidyl choline, diphosphatidyl glycerols, phosphatidic acid ^[4], alkaloid: colchicine ^[5].

It also contains BHP^[6], protein, amino acid, vitaminsB、C, trace element ^[7].

1. The antioxidant: lily crude polysaccharide in vitro has good antioxidant activity effect. Enzyme and water extraction of  lily polysaccharide play a certain role in removing O2-, wherein the effect of enzyme extraction is significant higher than water extraction polysaccharide. Enzyme extraction polysaccharide also have significant inhibitory effect on ·OH. Both of enzyme and water extraction polysaccharides could inhibit H2O2 induced erythrocyte oxidation hemolysis, the former have the stronger effect. The enzyme extraction polysaccharide could still obviously inhibit the erythrocyte lipid peroxidation, while the water extraction less. LBP-3, one of the three component purified from crude polysaccharide, is the main antioxidant component[1]. Research have shown that lily crude polysaccharide could increase the activity of D-Galactopyranose induced SOD (superoxide dismutase), catalase and glutathione enzyme in blood of aged mouse, and decrease the lipid peroxide level in plasma, brain homogenate and liver homogenate[2]. The total saponins extracted from lily possess the higher eradication effect than ginsenoside[3].

2. Antitussive, flat out, reduce spit: mice irrigated lily water extract 20g/kg can significantly extend the incubation period of sulfur dioxide led cough, reduce the cough times within the first two minutes and significantly increase the trachea phenol red eduction quantity[4]. Lily apozem can cease ammonia induced mice cough, increase the lung perfusion flow and be against the histamine caused toad asthma[5].

3. Anti-stress injury: mice irrigated lily water extract 10g/kg, continuous 2 times, could significantly increase the mice load (5% weight) swimming time, against isoproterenol effect caused by lack of oxygen, significantly extend hypoxia time. Irrigation Lily water extract 10g/kg still can significantly extend the swimming time of lung deficiency mouse model caused by smoked method, yin-deficiency model mouse cuased by adrenal cortical hormone and the hypoxia tolerance time of mice with thyroidism-type "Yin" deficiency caused by thyroid[4].

4. Sedative and hypnotic: Mice fed lily water extract of 20g/kg significantly prolong pentobarbital sodium sleep time, and  significantly improved subthreshold dose of sodium pentobarbital sleep[4].

5. Impact on immune function: Mice fed lily water extract of 10g/kg significantly inhibited dinitrochlorobenzene induced delayed-type hypersensitivity[4]. 250μg/ml lily polysaccharide co-cultured with mouse spleen lymphocytes can significantly promote the synthesis of DNA and RNA, also increase the survival of lymphocytes. H-TdR infiltration method found lily polysaccharide have a significant role in promoting the LPS mitogenic response[6].

6. Antitumor: lily polysaccharide component LBPS-1 have a strong inhibitory effect on transplanted melanoma and lung cancer[7]. Purified lily polysaccharide (LP-1) can inhibit liver tumor growth and significantly enhance the thymus index and spleen index, macrophage phagocytic function and serum hemolysin of tumor-bearing mice[8].

1. Treatment of Shingles: 25 cases of Shingles treatment group weresmashed container of XuanBaiHe applied to the rash at 3 times per day until coatedvesicles have dried scabs. 7 to 10 days per 1 treatment course. Results: Thepain of patient was disappeared for the average of two days. 8 cases of treatmentgroup was recovered, 13 cases were effective, 4 cases were invalid, the totalefficiency rate was 84%,It was significant differences on compared with controlgroup (P <0.05) ^[1].

Function: moisten the lung and nourish yin, clearing heart and tranquilization.

Syndromes to be treated: Cough due to yin deficiency, blood-stained sputum, palpitate with fear, insomnia and dreamful sleep, swelling, skin ulcer.    

Oral administration: decoction, 6-12g, also can used in vinum, pill, and powder, or cooked and eat with rice.

External application: spread on the skin with smashed powder.

Forbid to be used in the patients with the syndrome of cough due to wind-cold evil and loose stool.

1. Baihegujin Pill(Oral Liquid): lily bulb, preparedrehmannia root, tendrilleaf fritillary bulb, scrophularia root, dried rehmanniaroot, chinese angelica root, white peony root, platycodon root, liquorice.

2. Ermu’ansu Pill: anemarrhena rhizome, thunberbgfritillary bulb, coltsfoot flower, aster root, bitter apricot kernel, scrophulariaroot, ophiopogon root, lily bulb, poppy capsule.

3. Chuanbeixueli Cream: pear ointment, tendrilleaffritillary bulb, ophiopogon root, lily bulb, coltsfoot flower.

4. Liqidingchuan Pill: purple perillaseed(stir-frying), purple perilla leaf, purple perilla leaf, tangerine peel, processedpinellia tuber, mustard seed(stir-frying), radish seed(stir-frying), bitter apricotkernel(stir-frying), tendrilleaf fritillary bulb, mulberry bark(stir-fryingwith honey), coltsfoot flower, aster root, milkvetch root(stir-frying), poria, whiteatractylodes rhizome（stir-frying with bran）,lily bulb, anemarrhena rhizome, ophiopogon root, cochinchinese asparagus root, driedrehmannia root, chinese angelica root, fleece flower root(stir-frying withsoybean wine), ass hide glue （stir-frying with tokaygecko powder）.

5. Gajiedingchuan Capsule(Pill): tokay gecko, lily bulb,purple perilla leaf seed(stir-frying), bitter apricot kernel(stir-frying), asterroot, snakegourd seed, ephedra, scutellaria root, coptis root, gypsum, gypsum(calcining),ophiopogon root, liquorice.

6. Moluo Pill: lily bulb, poria, whiteatractylodes rhizome（stir-frying with bran）,corydalis tuber(stir-frying with vinegar), lindera root, membrane of chickengizzard(stir-frying), chuanxiong rhizome, cat-tail pollen, chinese angelicaroot, white peony root, ophiopogon root, dendrobium, scrophularia root, notoginseng,sanguisorba root, grassleaved sweetflag rhizome, oriental wormwood, orientalwater plantain rhizom.

7. Jieyu Anshen Granule: bupleurum root, curcumaroot, dragon’s teeth, wild or spring jujuba seed(stir-frying), polygalaroot(prepared), lily bulb, white atractylodes rhizome(stir-frying), poria, capejasminefruit(stir-frying), grassleaved sweetflag rhizome, bile arisaema, pinelliatuber(prepared), chinese angelica root, stir-fried liquorice, chinese date, lightwheat.