铅丹辛寒 收敛神气镇惊，除热下气止利。
龙骨甘平微寒 涩可去脱，固气，安定神志，涩肠。
牡蛎咸寒 入少阴肾经，主荣卫虚热，消胁下坚痞。伤寒阳气亡脱，非龙骨
牡蛎之涩，无以固之。凡四方同用。
蜀漆苦平微温有小毒 吐胃中结气，咳逆寒热，故伤寒火邪错逆，惊狂亡阳
者用之。
甘遂苦甘寒有毒 其功决水，使气直达下十二水。大反甘草，散膀胱留热、胸腹坚满。
陷胸汤下结胸；
十枣汤泄硬满。
葶苈大寒性沉辛苦 属阳走泄行水，通小肠膀胱留热，抽肺经上气喘急。
陷胸丸泄满；
泽泻散导湿。
巴豆辛温有大毒 荡涤肠胃，宣通闭塞，破积聚留饮，下十种水气，故三物
白散寒实结胸者用之。
栝蒌实苦寒 主胸痹，悦人面，润心肺，止血痰。
陷胸汤下结；
小柴胡泄热。
贝母辛苦平 主伤寒烦热，心胸痞满，故曰散下结气，散实。
文蛤味咸 走肾可以胜水， 坚而能开结，故仲景散表中水寒。
芫花味辛苦，性温有小毒 主咳逆上气、胸中痰水，故十枣汤散饮逐水。
大戟味苦甘寒 通十二水，利大小肠，故十枣汤下热而泄水。
商陆味辛酸平有毒 主水胀腹满。花白者可入药，花赤者见鬼神，故泽泻散
利小便而散水。
海藻咸寒性沉 属阴利水，通闭结，泄水消肿满，同商陆散水而导湿。
荛花酸苦微寒有小毒 主伤寒温疟水肿坚实，小青龙治利，谓水去利自止也。
铅丹，性味辛、寒，具有收敛神气（指收敛浮越的精神意识）以镇惊的作用，能清除热邪、降逆气、止泻利。
龙骨，性味甘、平，微寒，其涩敛之性可去除滑脱不禁之症，固护正气，安定神志，涩肠止泻。
牡蛎，性味咸、寒，归少阴肾经，主治营卫虚弱所致之虚热，消除胁下坚硬痞块。伤寒病中阳气亡失脱绝时，若非龙骨、牡蛎的涩敛之性，无法固摄阳气。四方（泛指多种方剂）中常共同使用这两味药。
蜀漆，性味苦、平，微温，有小毒，能涌吐胃中郁结之气，治疗咳逆及寒热往来，因此伤寒病中因火邪误治导致气机错逆、出现惊狂、阳气亡失症状者，使用此药。
甘遂，性味苦、甘，寒，有毒，其功效在于决破水饮，使药力直达下部十二种水气病证。它与甘草相反，能疏散膀胱内滞留的热邪以及胸腹部的坚满胀闷。陷胸汤利用它来攻下结胸证；十枣汤利用它来泄除硬满之症。
葶苈子，性味大寒，性质沉降，味辛、苦，属阳，具有走泄行水之功，能通利小肠和膀胱内的滞留热邪，缓解肺经上逆引起的喘息急促。陷胸丸利用它来泄除满闷；泽泻散利用它来引导湿气排出。
巴豆，性味辛、温，有大毒，能荡涤肠胃积滞，宣通闭塞，破除积聚的留饮，攻下十种水气病证，因此三物白散用于治疗寒实结胸证。
栝蒌实（瓜蒌），性味苦、寒，主治胸痹，能使面色悦泽，滋润心肺，止血化痰。陷胸汤利用它来攻下结胸；小柴胡汤利用它来泄除热邪。
贝母，性味辛、苦，平，主治伤寒烦热、心胸痞塞胀满，因此说它能消散下焦郁结之气，消散实证。
文蛤，性味咸，入肾经可以制约水邪，质地坚硬而能开散结聚，因此张仲景用它来发散表中的水寒之邪。
芫花，性味辛、苦，性温，有小毒，主治咳逆上气、胸中痰饮水湿，因此十枣汤利用它来消散饮邪、驱逐水气。
大戟，性味苦、甘，寒，通利全身十二种水气，通利大小肠，因此十枣汤利用它来攻下热邪并泄除水气。
商陆，性味辛、酸，平，有毒，主治水胀、腹部胀满。花色白的可以入药，花色红的据说能见鬼神，因此泽泻散利用它来利小便并消散水气。
Qian Dan (Lead Tetroxide), acrid and cold, has the function of gathering Shen Qi (spiritual consciousness) to calm fright, clearing heat, directing qi downward, and stopping diarrhea.
Long Gu (Fossilized Bones), sweet, neutral, and slightly cold, its astringent property removes incontinence, consolidates qi, stabilizes the spirit, and astringes the intestines.
Mu Li (Oyster Shell), salty and cold, enters the Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. It governs deficiency-heat arising from deficient Ying and Wei (nutritive and defensive qi), and dissipates hardness and masses under the hypochondrium. In Taiyang disease where Yang qi is lost and collapsing, without the astringent properties of Long Gu and Mu Li, there is no way to consolidate it. These two are commonly used together in various formulas.
Shu Qi (Herba Descurainiae), bitter, neutral, and slightly warm, with slight toxicity, induces vomiting to expel stagnant qi in the stomach, treats coughing with reverse flow of qi, and alternating chills and fever. Therefore, it is used in Shanghan (Cold Damage) cases where fire pathogen mistreatment causes chaotic qi reversal, leading to panic, mania, and loss of Yang qi.
Gan Sui (Radix Kansui), bitter and sweet, cold, and toxic, its efficacy lies in breaking through water retention, allowing the medicinal power to reach the twelve types of water diseases below. It is strictly incompatible with Gan Cao (Licorice). It disperses retained heat in the bladder and hardness/fullness in the chest and abdomen. Xiaojun Tang (Chest-Penetrating Decoction) uses it to purge Jie Xiong (chest binding); Shizao Tang (Ten Dates Decoction) uses it to drain hard fullness.
Ting Li (Semen Lepidii/Descurainiae), extremely cold, heavy in nature, acrid and bitter, belongs to Yang, moves outward and drains, promotes water metabolism, unblocks retained heat in the Small Intestine and Bladder, and draws down upper lung qi to relieve panting and urgency. Xiaojun Wan (Chest-Penetrating Pill) uses it to drain fullness; Zexie San (Alisma Powder) uses it to guide dampness.
Ba Dou (Fructus Crotonis), acrid and warm, highly toxic, sweeps the intestines and stomach, opens blockages, breaks up accumulations and retained fluids, and purges ten types of water qi. Therefore, Sanwu Baisan (Three-Ingredient White Powder) is used for Cold-Excess Jie Xiong (chest binding).
Gua Lou Shi (Fructus Trichosanthis), bitter and cold, primarily treats Xiong Bi (chest obstruction), beautifies the face, moistens the lungs and heart, stops bleeding, and resolves phlegm. Xiaojun Tang uses it to descend Jie Xiong; Xiao Chaihu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) uses it to clear heat.
Bei Mu (Bulbus Fritillariae), acrid and bitter, neutral, primarily treats Shanghan irritability and heat, and chest/heart stuffiness and fullness. Thus, it is said to scatter lower stagnant qi and resolve excess patterns.
Wen Ge (Concha Meretricis), salty, travels to the Kidney to overcome water, is hard yet capable of opening blockages. Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing uses it to disperse external water-cold.
Yuan Hua (Flos Genkwa), acrid and bitter, warm, with slight toxicity, primarily treats coughing with reverse flow of qi and phlegm-fluid in the chest. Therefore, Shizao Tang uses it to scatter fluid retention and drive out water.
Da Ji (Radix Euphorbiae Pekinensis), bitter and sweet, cold, unblocks the twelve types of water throughout the body, benefits the Large and Small Intestines. Therefore, Shizao Tang uses it to purge heat and drain water.
Shang Lu (Radix Phytolaccae), acrid and sour, neutral, toxic, primarily treats water distension and abdominal fullness. The white-flowered variety can be used medicinally; the red-flowered variety is said to allow one to see spirits. Therefore, Zexie San uses it to promote urination and dissipate water.
Hai Zao (Thallus Laminariae/Sargassum), salty and cold, heavy in nature, belongs to Yin, promotes water metabolism, unblocks closure and blockages, drains water to reduce swelling and fullness. Combined with Shang Lu, it dissipates water and guides dampness.
Rao Hua (Flos Wikstroendae), sour and bitter, slightly cold, with slight toxicity, primarily treats Shanghan warm malaria and solid, firm edema. Xiao Qinglong Tang (Minor Green Dragon Decoction) treats diarrhea, stating that once water is removed, diarrhea naturally stops.