Recommended by holistic veterinarians, Herbsmith Rx Fritillaria Harmonize Lung is a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) herbal formula developed to resolve cough in horses by addressing the root cause: a Lung disharmony. Unlike approaches that simply suppress cough symptoms, this eight-herb formula resolves cough by clearing Lung Heat, dispelling Phlegm, opening and directing Lung Qi, and harmonizing the Lung and Lung meridian so the body can heal the underlying disharmony. When the Lung is in harmony, the horse can respond normally to viral challenges and environmental allergens such as dust and mold, rather than reacting with chronic cough and Phlegm accumulation. A critical aspect of this formula's strategy is that treatment should continue for a significant period after the cough resolves. Simply stopping when the cough is gone treats only the symptom, not the underlying Lung disharmony that produced it; continuing to harmonize the Lung through the full treatment period allows the disharmony to be truly resolved and prevents recurrence. Fritillaria Harmonize Lung is not a substitute for veterinary care but rather an adjunct; these herbs complement conventional veterinary care and pharmaceuticals and can, and in many cases should, be used together. If a fever develops, seek veterinary care immediately. Available in traditional powder (500g, 900g, 1200g) and Flax Plus (30-day and 60-day supply); a six-tablespoon scoop is included with the Flax Plus format. Dosing varies by body weight and health condition; your authorizing veterinarian will provide specific guidance.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
What It Supports
- Resolving cough by addressing Lung disharmony at its root: Addresses cough by clearing the Lung Heat, dispelling the Phlegm, and harmonizing the Lung Qi that constitute the underlying Lung disharmony producing the cough; treats the root cause rather than suppressing the symptom, which is why treatment must continue after the cough resolves to ensure the disharmony is fully cleared.
- Clearing Lung Heat and dispelling Phlegm: The chief herb Chuan Bei Mu, combined with Zhi Zi, Bai Bu, Xing Ren, and Zi Wan, clears Lung Heat (the TCVM equivalent of lung inflammation), transforms and expels accumulated Lung Phlegm, and restores the Lung's ability to descend and circulate its Qi normally.
- Opening and directing Lung Qi to harmonize the Lung meridian: Jie Geng opens the Lung, directs the formula's herbs to the Lung channel, and restores the Lung Qi's normal descending direction; when Lung Qi rebels upward rather than descending, cough results; restoring the Lung Qi's proper direction is central to resolving the cough at its source.
- Restoring normal immune responsiveness to viruses and allergens: By harmonizing the Lung and Lung meridian and resolving the underlying Lung disharmony, supports the horse's ability to respond normally to environmental triggers including viruses, dust, and mold; a harmonized Lung can meet these challenges without generating the chronic cough and Phlegm response of a Lung in disharmony.
TCVM Principles
- Primary action: Clear Lung Heat, dispel and transform Phlegm, descend and harmonize Lung Qi, stop cough, and restore the Lung meridian to harmony so the body can heal the underlying disharmony.
- Approach: This combination of herbs was developed generations ago to resolve cough by addressing its underlying cause: a Lung disharmony. In TCVM, cough arises when Lung Heat accumulates, Phlegm obstructs the Lung's channels, and Lung Qi rebels upward rather than descending in its normal direction. Simply suppressing the cough without clearing the Heat, dispelling the Phlegm, and restoring the Lung Qi's proper direction leaves the disharmony in place; the cough will return because its root has not been addressed. By harmonizing the Lung and Lung meridian, these herbs allow the body to heal itself from within. Once the Lung is in harmony, the horse can respond normally to viral challenges and environmental allergens such as dust and mold, rather than overreacting with chronic cough and Phlegm generation. The critical clinical implication of this approach is that treatment must continue for a significant period after the cough resolves: the resolution of cough signals that the symptom has cleared, not that the Lung disharmony has been fully resolved. Continuing the formula through a complete harmonization period is essential for preventing recurrence. This formula is best used as an adjunct to veterinary care, not as a substitute; it complements conventional veterinary treatment and pharmaceuticals and can and should be used alongside them. Seek veterinary care immediately if fever develops.
Available Forms
- 500g Traditional Powder: Mix into grain twice daily until coughing resolves or for at least 7 days, then once daily. Continue treatment for a significant period after the cough resolves to fully harmonize the Lung.
- 900g Traditional Powder: Larger supply for extended treatment courses appropriate to the harmonization period required after cough resolution.
- 1200g Traditional Powder: Bulk size for consistent long-term daily use through the full harmonization period.
- Flax Plus - 30-Day Supply: Herbal formula blended with ground flaxseed for ease of administration; six-tablespoon scoop included. Administer one scoop twice daily for the first 20 days, then one scoop daily.
- Flax Plus - 60-Day Supply: Extended Flax Plus supply for continued harmonization use well beyond cough resolution.
Ingredients
Active ingredients: Chuan Bei Mu (Fritillaria cirrhosa) - Sichuan Fritillary bulb; Zhi Zi (Gardenia jasminoides) - Gardenia fruit; Bai Bu (Stemona japonica) - Stemona root; Xing Ren (Prunus armeniaca) - Apricot seed; Zi Wan (Aster tataricus) - Aster root; Jie Geng (Platycodon grandiflorus) - Platycodon root; Niu Bang Zi (Arctium lappa) - Burdock fruit; Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) - Licorice root.
Inactive ingredients (Flax Plus only): Ground Flax Seed. Traditional Powder contains no inactive ingredients.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Active Ingredient TCVM Actions
Fritillaria Harmonize Lung is an eight-herb formula built around three complementary strategies: clearing Lung Heat and transforming Phlegm to remove the obstruction causing cough, opening and directing Lung Qi downward to restore normal Lung function, and harmonizing and supporting the Lung to allow the underlying disharmony to resolve:
- Chuan Bei Mu (Fritillaria cirrhosa) - Sichuan Fritillary bulb: The chief herb and formula namesake; clears Lung Heat, transforms Hot Phlegm, moistens the Lung, and stops coughing; one of the most important herbs in the TCVM materia medica for Lung Heat cough with Phlegm; its moistening and Heat-clearing nature makes it particularly suitable for the chronic or dry cough with stubborn Phlegm that accompanies Lung disharmony; less drying than Bei Mu (Thunberg Fritillary), making it appropriate for extended use during the harmonization period.
- Zhi Zi (Gardenia jasminoides) - Gardenia fruit: Clears Heat, drains Fire, cools the Blood, and eliminates Dampness; addresses the Lung Heat and Fire component of the Lung disharmony that drives the cough and Phlegm generation; its broad Heat-clearing action covers the Heat in the Lung channel and the underlying inflammatory process that sustains the chronic cough; also drains Dampness to support the Phlegm-dispelling strategy.
- Bai Bu (Stemona japonica) - Stemona root: Stops coughing, moistens the Lung, and kills parasites; one of the primary herbs in the TCVM materia medica specifically for stopping cough; Bai Bu is unusual in that it stops cough regardless of the cough's cause or pattern, making it a reliable antitussive component regardless of the exact nature of the individual horse's Lung disharmony; also moistens the Lung to address dryness that contributes to the irritation driving the cough.
- Xing Ren (Prunus armeniaca) - Apricot seed: Descends Lung Qi, stops coughing, calms wheezing, and moistens the Large Intestine; directly restores the Lung Qi's normal descending direction, which is reversed in the coughing horse; when Lung Qi rebels upward rather than descending, cough results; Xing Ren's Qi-descending action is the formula's primary intervention for restoring normal Lung Qi direction and resolving the cough at its functional source.
- Zi Wan (Aster tataricus) - Aster root: Stops coughing, transforms Phlegm, and descends Lung Qi; works alongside Xing Ren to descend rebellious Lung Qi and alongside Chuan Bei Mu to transform and expel the Phlegm obstructing the Lung; Zi Wan is particularly effective for chronic, persistent cough and is often used in formulas designed for extended treatment courses, making it well-suited to the continued-use-after-cough-resolution strategy of this formula.
- Jie Geng (Platycodon grandiflorus) - Platycodon root: Opens the Lung Qi, expels Phlegm, and serves as the formula's guide herb to the Lung channel; Jie Geng's primary function is directional: it opens the Lung's Qi mechanism and directs the actions of all the other herbs to the Lung channel, ensuring the Heat-clearing, Phlegm-transforming, and Qi-descending herbs all effectively reach their target; also expels Phlegm by opening the Lung Qi and allowing Phlegm to be more easily expelled; often used in cough formulas specifically for its channel-directing and Phlegm-expelling combination.
- Niu Bang Zi (Arctium lappa) - Burdock fruit: Disperses Wind-Heat, clears Lung Heat, expels Phlegm, and benefits the throat; addresses the external Wind-Heat component that frequently initiates Lung disharmony and chronic cough in the horse; clears Lung Heat from the exterior level and opens and benefits the throat and upper respiratory tract; also has a mild Phlegm-dispersing action that supports the formula's primary Phlegm-expelling strategy.
- Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) - Licorice root: Tonifies Spleen and Lung Qi, clears Heat, expels toxin, stops coughing, harmonizes the formula, and moderates the actions of the other herbs; serves multiple functions: it stops cough through its own mild antitussive action, supports Lung Qi through Spleen tonification, clears residual Heat, and harmonizes the interactions among the other seven herbs; as the formula's harmonizing herb, Gan Cao ensures the combined actions of the Heat-clearing, Phlegm-transforming, and Qi-directing herbs work smoothly together without conflicting.
Potential Drug Interactions
Herbsmith Rx Fritillaria Harmonize Lung is designed to complement conventional veterinary care and can generally be used alongside conventional respiratory medications. It contains Chuan Bei Mu, a Lung Heat-clearing and Phlegm-transforming herb; Zhi Zi, which has liver-protective and Heat-clearing properties; and Gan Cao (licorice), which may affect potassium levels and blood pressure with extended use at higher doses. Horses on prescription medications should use this formula under veterinary supervision, and fever warrants immediate veterinary attention regardless of herbal supplementation. Not for use in pregnant mares.
Medication categories warranting extra caution include corticosteroids or bronchodilators used for respiratory conditions (concurrent use can generally be coordinated under veterinary supervision; monitoring for any changes in respiratory response is advisable), medications affected by licorice root (Gan Cao may have mild mineralocorticoid effects with long-term use and could potentially interact with diuretics or corticosteroids at extended doses), and horses on multiple concurrent prescription medications. Your veterinarian can determine appropriateness based on your horse's condition, current medications, and laboratory results.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does treatment need to continue after the cough resolves?
This is the most important clinical point about this formula. In TCVM, cough is a symptom of an underlying Lung disharmony, not the disharmony itself. When the cough stops, it means the most acute expression of the disharmony has cleared, but the Lung disharmony that produced the cough may still be present and will generate a new cough episode when the horse encounters the next viral challenge or allergen exposure. Stopping the formula at cough resolution treats the symptom and leaves the root in place. Continuing the formula for a significant period after the cough resolves allows the Lung and Lung meridian to be fully harmonized, restoring the Lung's ability to respond normally to future challenges. Your authorizing veterinarian can advise on the appropriate extended treatment duration based on the severity and chronicity of your horse's Lung disharmony.
How is Fritillaria Harmonize Lung administered, and what is the dosing protocol for a 1,000 lb horse?
For the traditional powder, administer two tablespoons twice daily until coughing has resolved or for at least 7 days, then transition to two tablespoons once daily and continue for a significant period after the cough is gone to fully harmonize the Lung. If coughing recurs, repeat the twice-daily loading protocol. For the Flax Plus format, administer one scoop (six-tablespoon scoop included) twice daily for the first 20 days, then one scoop daily. Mix into grain for easy administration; if the horse is reluctant, begin with small amounts and gradually increase, or choose the Flax Plus version. Confirm dosing for horses of other weights with your authorizing veterinarian. Seek veterinary care immediately if fever develops.
Can Fritillaria Harmonize Lung be used alongside conventional respiratory medications?
Yes! This formula is specifically designed as an adjunct to, not a substitute for, conventional veterinary care. These herbs complement conventional veterinary medications and pharmaceuticals and can, and in many cases should, be used alongside them. The TCVM approach of clearing Lung Heat, dispelling Phlegm, and harmonizing the Lung works through mechanisms that are generally complementary rather than conflicting with conventional respiratory management. If fever is present or develops, seek veterinary care immediately. Your authorizing veterinarian can confirm the appropriate combination and monitoring protocol for your horse's specific situation.
What type of cough is Fritillaria Harmonize Lung most appropriate for?
Fritillaria Harmonize Lung is most appropriate for cough patterns involving Lung Heat and Phlegm accumulation: chronic cough, recurrent cough triggered by dust or mold exposure, cough with Phlegm or nasal discharge, and post-viral cough that persists after the acute infection has cleared. Because the formula addresses the underlying Lung disharmony rather than suppressing the cough reflex, it is particularly useful for horses whose cough tends to recur and for horses in dusty environments or competitive situations that regularly challenge Lung health. Horses with cough associated with fever require immediate veterinary evaluation, as fever indicates a more acute condition requiring primary conventional care.