得火金之性，故味苦辛。火金相搏，故性烈而有毒。入太阴经。为风寒郁于肺家，以
致风痰壅盛。且苦则善燥，辛则善散，温则开通，故主麻痹下气，破坚消痈利膈，散血堕胎，
得牛胆则燥气减，得火炮则毒性缓，或用白矾汤，或入皂角汁，浸三日夜，换水浸之。晒干用。
天南星散跌扑，即凝瘀血堕中风不语稠痰，筋脉拘挛，牙关噤闭，利胸膈下气，堕
胎破坚积，诛痈消肿，疗口眼歪斜，解痰迷心窍，总胜湿除涎，治风逐血之要药。胆治
者功力与燥烈之性俱缓矣。
主治（痘疹合参） 除风痰，利胸膈破坚消肿。取胆制者，因苦寒之性，入肝而镇惊也。
按∶南星气温而泄，性紧有毒，故能攻坚祛湿。半夏辛而能守，南星辛而不能守，
其性烈于半夏也。南星专主风痰，半夏专主湿痰，功虽同而用有别也。阴虚燥痰禁之。
禀季春之气，兼得乎水之性，阴中微阳，其味苦，而微辛，其气寒而无毒，其色
赤而象火。且叶为阳发，生也，花为阴成，实也，丹者象离火也，故能泻阴胞中之火，
入心经正药，兼入肝肾阴分。辛能行血，苦能泻热，故能阴血分邪热，及 坚瘀血并清
理阳明也。凡实热者宜生用；若胃稍虚者宜酒炒用。
粉丹皮，凉无汗骨蒸，止吐衄必用，除 坚瘀血，留舍于肠胃中，散冷热血气，攻
作于生产后，仍主神志不足，更调经水欠匀，治风痫，定惊止搐，疗痈肿排脓住痛，
不特去血中之伏热，而又有凉相火之神功，用黄柏以治相火，不若丹皮之功为胜也。然
胃气虚寒，经行过期不净者勿服。
主治（痘疹合参） 治痘凉血热化斑，肠胃积血，吐血鼻衄，能泻阴中之火，其功
多于清热，而更长于行血，故妇人经漏不止，及孕妇无故者禁之。
按∶丹皮清东方雷火，是其本功，北方龙火因而下伏，此乙癸同源之治也。古人惟
此以治相火，故六味丸用之。后人专用黄柏，不知丹皮赤色象离，能泻阴中之火，使
火退而阴生，所以入足少阴，而佐滋补之用。若黄柏者，不过苦寒而燥，既可伤胃，
久则败阳，苦燥之性徒存，补阴之功何在！与丹皮之力不啻霄壤矣。但相火实旺，湿热
太重者暂用之，以少损其势可也。
天南星禀受火与金的性质，所以味道苦而辛。火与金相互搏击，所以药性猛烈且有毒。它进入太阴经（手太阴肺经和足太阴脾经）。主要用于治疗风寒郁结于肺部，导致风痰壅盛的情况。而且苦味善于燥湿，辛味善于发散，温性能开通闭塞，所以主治肢体麻痹、降逆下气、破除坚积、消除痈肿、利膈宽胸、散血以及堕胎。若用牛胆汁炮制，则其燥性减弱；若用火炮制，则其毒性减缓；或者用白矾汤浸泡，或加入皂角汁，浸泡三昼夜，期间换水多次浸泡。晒干后使用。
生天南星能消散跌打损伤引起的瘀血，治疗中风不语导致的稠痰、筋脉拘挛、牙关紧闭，能利胸膈、下气、堕胎、破除坚积、消除痈肿、治疗口眼歪斜，解除痰迷心窍之症，总体上是胜湿除涎、治风逐血的重要药物。经过胆制（用牛胆汁炮制）后，其功效与燥烈之性都变得缓和了。
主治（结合痘疹病症参考）：去除风痰，利胸膈，破除坚积，消肿。选用胆制的天南星，是因为它具有苦寒的性质，能入肝经以镇惊安神。
按语：南星气温而具有泄降作用，药性紧束且有毒，所以能攻坚祛湿。半夏辛散但能守中，南星辛散但不能守中，其药性比半夏更猛烈。南星专门主治风痰，半夏专门主治湿痰，虽然功效相似但应用有所区别。阴虚燥痰者禁用。
牡丹皮禀受春季末季之气，兼得水之性质，属于阴中有微阳，味道苦而微辛，气寒而无毒，颜色赤红而象征火。叶子属阳主发生，花朵属阴主结果，丹代表离火之象，所以能泻阴胞（子宫等阴分部位）中的火热，是入心经的正药，兼入肝肾的阴分。辛味能行血，苦味能泻热，所以能清除阴血分中的邪热，以及坚硬瘀血，并清理阳明经的热邪。凡是实热证适宜生用；如果胃气稍虚者适宜用酒炒后使用。
粉丹皮，对于无汗的骨蒸潮热必用，止吐血、衄血必用，能破除留舍在肠胃中的坚硬瘀血，散除冷热血气，攻逐产后发作的瘀血，仍然主治神志不足，更能调理月经不匀，治疗风痫，定惊止搐，治疗痈肿排脓止痛。不仅去除血中的伏热，还有凉泻相火的奇妙功效，用黄柏来治疗相火，不如丹皮的功效显著。但是胃气虚寒，月经过期不止者不要服用。
主治（结合痘疹病症参考）：治疗痘疹凉血清热化斑，肠胃积血，吐血鼻衄，能泻阴中之火，其功效多于清热，而更长于行血，所以妇人经漏不止，及孕妇无故出血者禁用。
按语：丹皮清泻东方雷火，是其根本功效，北方龙火因此得以潜降，这是乙癸同源（肝肾同源）的治疗原理。古人只用此药治疗相火，所以六味丸中使用它。后人专用黄柏，不知道丹皮赤色象征离火，能泻阴中之火，使火退而阴生，所以入足少阴肾经，辅助滋补之用。像黄柏那样，不过是苦寒而燥，既可伤胃，久服则败损阳气，只剩下苦燥的性质，补阴的功效在哪里！这与丹皮的力量简直相差如天地之别。只有当相火确实旺盛，湿热太重时，暂时使用它，以稍微削弱其势头即可。
Arisaema cum Bile (Dannanxing) possesses the nature of Fire and Metal, hence its taste is bitter and acrid. The interaction between Fire and Metal results in a potent and toxic nature. It enters the Taiyin Meridian (Hand-Taiyin Lung and Foot-Taiyin Spleen). It is primarily used for conditions where Wind-Cold stagnates in the Lungs, leading to excessive accumulation of Wind-Phlegm. Furthermore, Bitterness dries dampness effectively, Acridity disperses pathogenic factors, and Warmth opens blockages; thus, it treats numbness, directs rebellious Qi downward, breaks down hard accumulations, resolves carbuncles, benefits the diaphragm, dissipates blood stasis, and induces abortion. When processed with ox bile, its drying property is reduced; when fire-pasted, its toxicity is mitigated; alternatively, it can be soaked in alum solution or soapberry juice for three days and nights, changing the water during soaking. After sun-drying, it is ready for use.
Raw Arisaema Rhizome (Nanxing) disperses traumatic injuries, coagulates blood stasis, treats aphasia due to stroke with thick phlegm, muscle spasms, trismus, benefits the chest and diaphragm, directs Qi downward, induces abortion, breaks hard accumulations, eliminates carbuncles and reduces swelling, treats facial paralysis, resolves phlegm confusing the heart orifices, and is generally a key herb for overcoming dampness, eliminating saliva, treating wind, and driving out blood stasis. When processed with gallbladder (bile), its efficacy and harsh/drying nature are both moderated.
Indications (Reference combined with Smallpox/Rash diseases): Eliminates wind-phlegm, benefits the chest and diaphragm, breaks hard accumulations, reduces swelling. The bile-processed variety is chosen because its bitter-cold nature enters the Liver Meridian to calm fright.
Commentary: Nanxing has a warm temperature and draining action, a tight nature, and is toxic, enabling it to attack hardness and dispel dampness. Banxia is acrid yet retains its central position, whereas Nanxing is acrid but does not retain; its nature is more fierce than Banxia. Nanxing specifically targets wind-phlegm, while Banxia specifically targets damp-phlegm; although their functions are similar, their applications differ. It is contraindicated in cases of Yin deficiency with dry phlegm.
Moutan Cortex (Danpi) inherits the qi of late spring and combines the nature of Water, representing slight Yang within Yin. Its taste is bitter and slightly acrid, its temperature is cold and non-toxic, and its red color symbolizes Fire. Leaves represent Yang and growth, flowers represent Yin and fruition, and "Dan" (red/cinnabar) symbolizes Li Fire. Thus, it can drain fire from the Yin womb (uterus/yin compartments). It is a primary herb entering the Heart Meridian and also enters the Yin aspects of the Liver and Kidney. Acridity promotes blood circulation, and bitterness drains heat; therefore, it clears pathogenic heat from the Yin-blood level, resolves hard blood stasis, and cleanses Heat in the Yangming Meridian. For excess heat patterns, raw usage is appropriate; if stomach Qi is slightly deficient, wine-fried usage is recommended.
Powdered Moutan Cortex is essential for bone-steaming fever without sweat, stopping hematemesis and epistaxis, breaking hard blood stasis lodged in the intestines and stomach, dispersing cold and hot blood qi, attacking postpartum blood stasis, treating insufficiency of spirit and mind, regulating irregular menstruation, treating wind epilepsy, calming fright and stopping convulsions, treating carbuncles by discharging pus and relieving pain. It not only removes latent heat from the blood but also possesses the miraculous power of cooling ministerial fire. Using Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) to treat ministerial fire is inferior to the efficacy of Moutan Cortex. However, it should not be taken by those with deficient-cold stomach Qi or prolonged menstrual bleeding after delay.
Indications (Reference combined with Smallpox/Rash diseases): Treats smallpox/rashes by cooling blood, clearing heat, and resolving macules; intestinal and gastric accumulated blood; hematemesis and epistaxis. It drains fire in the Yin, with effects greater in clearing heat and even longer-lasting in promoting blood circulation. Therefore, it is contraindicated in women with continuous uterine bleeding and pregnant women with spontaneous bleeding.
Commentary: Clearing East Wood Thunder-Fire is Danpi's fundamental function, causing North Water Dragon-Fire to subside, which represents the treatment principle of "Yi-Gui Tong Yuan" (Liver-Kidney sharing the same source). Ancients used this herb alone to treat ministerial fire, hence its inclusion in Liuwei Dihuang Wan. Later practitioners exclusively used Huangbai, unaware that Danpi's red color symbolizes Li Fire, capable of draining fire in the Yin, allowing fire to retreat and Yin to generate, thus entering the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian to assist tonification. Huangbai, on the other hand, is merely bitter-cold and drying; it damages the Stomach and, over time, destroys Yang Qi, leaving only bitter-drying properties without any Yin-tonifying merit. This difference is as vast as heaven and earth. It should only be used temporarily when ministerial fire is excessively strong and damp-heat is severe, merely to slightly reduce its momentum.