Tiger lily---tonic starches
Product name: tiger lily
Chinese name: Long Ya Bai He
Part use: bulb
Source from: Wanzai county, Jiangxi province of China
Uses in Chinese history:
Tiger lily has been planted and manufactured in Wanzai County for over five centuries. Lily is regarded as a tonic in nourishing lungs, calming the heart and tranquilizing the mind, promoting digestion and detoxification. These effects were mentioned in Ben Cao Gang Mu and Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
Modern Research------tonic starches
The nutrient content of the lily bulb is close to that of the potato. Fresh Lily bulb has 20-26% starch, 3-5% protein, a little vitamin C, and 0.05% colchicine and a trace of Demecolcine.
Colchicine is used as a drug in treating some diseases such as gout. Demecolcine is a drug used in chemotherapy. Some reports showed that tiger lily has many medicinal uses for containing trace amounts of colchicine and demecolcine.
Application: Functional foods and beverage