What are the pharmacological effects of lily? A comprehensive analysis of its medicinal value

[Source] The dried fleshy scales of Lilium lancifolium Thunb., Lilium brownii F.E.Brown ex Miellez, or Lilium brownii F.E.Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker, plants of the genus Lilium in the family Liliaceae. The first is commonly called "Longya lily" and the latter two are commonly called "Su lily".

[Original plant] 1. Lilium lancifolium is a perennial herb, with a bulb nearly broadly spherical, 4-8 cm in diameter; scales fleshy, broadly ovate, 2.5-5 cm long, 1.4-2.5 cm wide, white; stem 0.8-1.5 m tall, with purple stripes, covered with white cottony hairs. Leaves alternate, oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, 5-20 cm long, 0.5-2 cm wide, gradually smaller upward and bract-like, often with bulbils in the leaf axils. Flowers in summer; usually 3-6 flowers arranged in a terminal raceme; pedicels 6.5-9 cm long, purple, with white cottony hairs; flowers nodding, trumpet-shaped, tepals 6, in 2 whorls, lanceolate, recurved, orange-red, with purple-black spots; outer tepals 6-10 cm long, 1-2 cm wide; inner tepals slightly wider, with papillose and fimbriate projections on both sides of the nectary; stamens 6, filaments 5-7 cm long, pale red, anthers oblong, purple, about 2 cm long; ovary cylindrical, 1.5-2 cm long, style slender, stigma 3-lobed. Capsule narrowly oblong-ovate, 3-4 cm long. Grows in moist environments. Distributed in our province and Hebei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Xizang and other provinces and regions. Mostly cultivated. Also distributed in Japan and Korea. 2. Lilium brownii is a perennial herb, with a spherical bulb, 2-4.5 cm in diameter; scales lanceolate, 1.8-4 cm long, 0.8-1.4 cm wide, white; stem 0.7-2 m tall, with purple stripes or small papillose projections on the lower part. Leaves scattered, lanceolate to linear, 7-15 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, smaller upward and bract-like, with 5-7 veins, entire, glabrous. Flowers in May-June; flowers solitary or several arranged in a nearly umbellate inflorescence; pedicels 3-10 cm long, slightly curved; flowers trumpet-shaped, tepals 6, in 2 whorls, fragrant, milky white, slightly purple outside, spotless, spreading outward or with tips curved outward but not revolute, 13-18 cm long; outer tepals 2-4.3 cm wide, apex acute; inner tepals 3.4-5 cm wide, with small papillose projections on both sides of the nectary; stamens 6, filaments 10-13 cm long, curved upward; anthers oblong; ovary cylindrical, 3.2-3.6 cm long, stigma 3-lobed. Capsule oblong, 4.5-6 cm long, about 3.5 cm wide, ribbed, with many seeds. Grows on hillsides, under shrubs, roadsides or by streams. Distributed in our province and the southeastern, central, southwestern and southern regions of China. 3. Lilium brownii var. viridulum differs from Lilium brownii in its oblanceolate to obovate leaves. Grows on hillsides and in rock crevices. Distributed in our province and Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, Hebei provinces and all provinces and regions from East China and South China to Southwest China. Wild or cultivated.

[Medicinal material] Producing areas: in our province it is produced in Qingyuan, Lianxian, Longmen, Yangchun, Xinyi, Huiyang, Meixian, Shaoguan and other places. Harvesting and processing: harvested in summer and autumn. Dig up the bulbs, wash clean, peel off the scales, or cut off the base so that the scales fall off naturally, blanch briefly in boiling water and then sun-dry or oven-dry; or fumigate with sulfur 1-2 times and then sun-dry. Characters: (1) Longya lily: scales long elliptic, apex rather pointed, base slightly broad, margin thin and slightly wavy, often curled inward, middle part relatively broad and thick, 2-3.5 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, 1-3 mm thick in the middle. Surface milky white or pale yellowish-brown, smooth, semi-transparent, with 3-5 longitudinal straight vein lines (vascular bundles) visible, sometimes the outer surface showing close-crack-like lines and the inner surface showing longitudinal crack-like lines. Empirical identification is summarized as "ivory-colored, close-cracked, hairpin-tail, dragon-boat-shaped, fine and smooth in texture". Texture hard and brittle, easy to break, fracture smooth, horny. Odor slight, taste sweet. (2) Su lily: scales slightly thinner and narrower than Longya lily, color slightly duller, vein lines not obvious, taste bitter and slightly sour. Quality requirements: both are considered best when the scales are thick and fleshy, white with a slight yellow tinge (ivory-colored), hard and fine in texture (for medicinal use, those with a bitter taste are better). Packaging and storage: packed in gunny sacks, stored in a ventilated and dry place, protected against mold and insects. Honey-fried products should be kept in small amounts, must be sealed in jars, and placed in a cool and dry place, protected against moisture and insects.

[Pharmacology] Antitussive and antiasthmatic effect: the decoction has an antitussive effect on cough in mice induced by ammonia stimulation; it can increase the pulmonary perfusion flow in mice and can counteract histamine-induced asthma in toads. Leukocyte-raising effect: experiments prove that this product has the effect of raising peripheral leukocytes. Hemostatic effect: external application of its powder has a certain degree of hemostatic effect.

[Processing] For lily, remove impurities and sift out debris. For honey lily, take clean lily, and according to the weight of the lily, add 20% refined honey diluted with 2% white liquor, mix well, and after the refined honey has been fully absorbed, place in a wok and stir-fry over gentle heat until slightly yellow and no longer sticky to the hand, then take out and spread to cool. After processing it is slightly yellow, with a burnt-honey sweet aroma. Honey-frying can enhance the lung-moistening and antitussive effect.

[Medical uses] Nature and flavor: sweet, slightly bitter, slightly cold. Meridian entry: enters the Heart and Lung meridians. Functions and indications: moistens the lungs and stops cough, clears the heart and calms the spirit. Used for dry cough and sore throat due to lung dryness or lung heat, cough with blood-streaked sputum due to consumptive cough, and palpitations, insomnia, and mental restlessness caused by lingering heat after febrile disease and insufficiency of qi and yin. Usage and dosage: 9-30 g, decocted in water or cooked as porridge. Precautions: contraindicated for those with wind-cold cough and those with cold in the middle burner and loose stools.