What it is:
This herb is thebulb of Cremastra-variabilis or Pleione bulbocodioides pro-duced mainly in provinces of Sichuanand Guizhou. The bulb is dug up in May and June, washedclean and dried in sunlight after getting rid of the stem, leaf and root.

Property:
Sweet and lightly pungent in flavour, cold in property, slightly poisonous.

Effects:
Subduingswelling, dispersingthe lumps and clearingaway phlegm and deto-xicating.

Used for:
1. Carcinomas ofthe breast, thyroid,skin, cervix, naso-pharynx, esophagus and stomach, mali-gnant lymphoma, leukemia, etc.
(1) For excess fire caused by the accumulation of phlegm- dampness in lymphoma and thyroidadenoma, it is usedwith kombu, kelp, bugle, etc. Colchicine, one of its active components, exerts a good effecton various tumour clinically. Phar-macological study shows that it serves as an inhibitor in the intermediate stage of cellular mitosis,which causesgrowth stasis of tumour cell. It makes tumourcell severe degeneration and necrosis exten-sively when injected in tumour locally.

2. Carbuncles, furuncles, lymphatictuberculosis, snakebite and benign tumour. Dosage and admi-nistration:
(1)Decoct3-9g in water for anoral dose.
(2) Grindthe herb and get juice to make bolus and powder with other medicine.
(3) Smash or grind a proportional amount of it with vinegar. Apply it on the affected parts.
(4) For antitumor, colchicine injectio compound,intravenous or tumour masses injection.