三棱∶气味俱淡，微有辛意。莪术∶味微苦，气微香，亦微有辛意。性皆微温，为化瘀血之要药。以治
男子 癖，女子 瘕，月闭不通，性非猛烈而建功甚速。其行气之力，又能治心腹疼痛，胁下胀疼，一切血凝
气滞之证。若与参、术、 诸药并用，大能开胃进食，调血和血。若细核二药之区别，化血之力三棱优于莪术，
理气之力莪术优于三棱。
药物恒有独具良能，不能从气味中窥测者，如三棱、莪术性近和平，而以治女子瘀血，虽坚如铁石亦能徐
徐消除，而猛烈开
破之品转不能建此奇功，此三棱、莪术独具之良能也。而耳食者流，恒以其能消坚开瘀，转疑为猛烈之品而不
敢轻用，几何不埋没良药哉。
三棱、莪术，若治陡然腹胁疼痛，由于气血凝滞者，可但用三棱、莪术，不必以补药佐之；若治瘀血积久
过坚硬者，原非数剂所能愈，必以补药佐之，方能久服无弊。或用黄 六钱，三棱、莪术各三钱，或减黄 三
钱，加野台参三钱，其补破之力皆可相敌，不但气血不受伤损，瘀血之化亦较速，盖人之气血壮旺，愈能驾驭
药力以胜病也。
乳香∶气香窜，味淡，故善透窍以理气。没药∶气则淡薄，味则辛而微酸，故善化瘀以理血。其性皆微温，
二药并用为宣通脏腑流通经络之要药。故凡心胃胁腹肢体关节诸疼痛皆能治之。又善治女子行经腹疼，产后瘀
血作疼，月事不以时下。其通气活血之力，又善治风寒湿痹，周身麻木，四肢不遂及一切疮疡肿疼，或其疮硬
不疼。外用为粉以敷疮疡，能解毒、消肿、生肌、止疼，虽为开通之品，不至耗伤气血，诚良药也。
乳香、没药不但流通经络之气血，诸凡脏腑中，有气血凝滞，二药皆能流通之。医者但知其善入经络，用
之以消疮疡，或外敷疮疡，而不知用之以调脏腑之气血，斯岂知乳香、没药者哉。
乳香、没药，最宜生用，若炒用之则其流通之力顿减，至用于丸散中者，生轧作粗渣入锅内，隔纸烘至半
熔，候冷轧之即成细末，此乳香、没药去油之法。
三棱：气味都很淡，略带一点辛味。莪术：味道微苦，气味微香，也略带一点辛味。两者的药性都微温，是消除瘀血的重要药物。用来治疗男子腹中结块（癖积），女子腹部肿块（瘕聚），月经闭止不通，药性并不猛烈但见效很快。它们行气的作用，还能治疗心腹疼痛，胁肋下胀痛，以及一切因血凝气滞引起的病证。如果与人参、白术等补益药一起使用，能大大增强开胃进食、调和血液的功效。如果仔细考察这两种药物的区别，在化瘀血方面，三棱优于莝术；在调理气机方面，莪术优于三棱。
药物往往有独特的功效，不能仅从气味中推测出来。例如三棱、莪术药性接近平和，但用于治疗女子的瘀血病，即使瘀血坚硬如铁石，也能慢慢消除，而那些药性猛烈、攻破力强的药物反而不能建立这种奇功，这是三棱、莪术独有的良好功效。而道听途说的人，常常因为知道它们能消除坚积、破开瘀血，就误以为它们是猛烈的药物而不敢轻易使用，这岂不是埋没了良药吗？
三棱、莪术，如果是治疗突然发生的腹胁疼痛，由于气血凝滞引起的，可以单独使用三棱、莪术，不必用补药辅助；如果是治疗瘀血积聚已久、过于坚硬的情况，本来就不是几剂药就能治愈的，必须用补药辅助，才能长期服用而没有弊端。或者使用黄芪六钱，三棱、莪术各三钱，或者减少黄芪至三钱，加入野台参三钱，这样补气与破瘀的力量就可以相互平衡，不仅气血不会受到损伤，瘀血的化解也会比较快，大概是因为人的气血壮旺，越能驾驭药力以战胜疾病。
乳香：气味香窜，味道淡，所以善于透达孔窍以调理气机。没药：气味淡薄，味道辛而微酸，所以善于化瘀以调理血液。两者的药性都微温，这两味药合用是宣通脏腑、流通经络的重要药物。所以凡是心、胃、胁、腹、肢体、关节等各处的疼痛都能治疗。又善于治疗女子经期腹痛，产后瘀血引起的疼痛，月经不按正常时间到来。它们的通气活血之力，又善于治疗风寒湿痹，全身麻木，四肢不能随意活动以及一切疮疡肿痛，或者疮疡坚硬但不疼痛。外用研成粉末敷在疮疡上，能解毒、消肿、生肌、止痛，虽然属于开通散结的药物，却不至于耗伤气血，确实是良药。
乳香、没药不但能流通经络中的气血，凡是在脏腑中有气血凝滞的地方，这两味药都能使其流通。医生只知道它们善于进入经络，用来消除疮疡，或者外敷疮疡，却不知道用它们来调理脏腑的气血，这哪里是真正了解乳香、没药的人呢？
乳香、没药，最适合生用，如果炒制使用，那么它们流通的力量就会立刻减弱。至于用于丸药或散剂中的，将生药轧成粗渣放入锅内，隔纸烘烤至半熔化状态，等待冷却后再轧碎即成为细末，这就是乳香、没药去油的方法。
Sanleng (Rhizoma Sparganii): Its flavor and odor are both faint, with a slight pungent quality. Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae): It has a slightly bitter taste and a faint fragrance, also possessing a slight pungent quality. Both have a slightly warm nature and are essential herbs for resolving blood stasis. They are used to treat male abdominal masses (Pi accumulation) and female abdominal growths (Jia accumulation), as well as amenorrhea due to obstruction. Their nature is not fierce, yet they achieve results rapidly. Their ability to move Qi can also treat pain in the heart and abdomen, distending pain under the hypochondrium, and all conditions characterized by blood coagulation and Qi stagnation. If used together with tonifying herbs such as Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), they can greatly stimulate appetite and harmonize the blood. Upon careful examination of the differences between these two herbs, Sanleng is superior to Ezhu in resolving blood stasis, whereas Ezhu is superior to Sanleng in regulating Qi.
Medicinal substances often possess unique therapeutic potentials that cannot be deduced merely from their flavors and odors. For instance, although Sanleng and Ezhu have relatively mild natures, when used to treat blood stasis in women, they can gradually eliminate even hard masses like iron or stone, whereas harsher purgative or breaking agents fail to achieve this remarkable effect. This unique efficacy is the distinctive merit of Sanleng and Ezhu. However, those who rely on hearsay often suspect them to be too fierce because of their ability to dissipate hardness and break stasis, thus daring not use them lightly, which amounts to burying good medicines.
When treating sudden onset of abdominal and hypochondriac pain caused by Qi and blood stagnation, Sanleng and Ezhu can be used alone without the assistance of tonifying herbs. However, when treating old, hardened blood stasis that cannot be cured in a few doses, it is necessary to combine them with tonifying herbs to allow for long-term administration without adverse effects. One may use Huangqi (Astragali Radix) 6 qian, along with Sanleng and Ezhu each 3 qian; or reduce Huangqi to 3 qian and add Yetaishen (Wild Panax Ginseng Radix) 3 qian. In this manner, the tonifying and breaking forces balance each other. Not only will Qi and blood remain undamaged, but the resolution of blood stasis will also be faster, as robust Qi and blood enable the body to better harness the medicinal power to overcome disease.
Ruxiang (Resina Draconis): Its aroma is penetrating and its taste is bland, making it effective at opening orifices and regulating Qi. Moyao (Resina Commiphorae): Its odor is faint, while its taste is pungent and slightly sour, making it effective at resolving blood stasis and regulating blood. Both have a slightly warm nature. When used together, they are essential herbs for promoting the free flow of organs and meridians. Therefore, they can treat pains in the heart, stomach, hypochondrium, abdomen, limbs, and joints. They are also particularly effective in treating dysmenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis, and irregular menstruation. Their ability to promote Qi circulation and invigorate blood makes them suitable for treating Bi syndrome caused by wind-cold-dampness, generalized numbness, paralysis of the four limbs, and various sores and swellings, whether painful or hard and painless. Applied externally as powder to sores, they can detoxify, reduce swelling, generate flesh, and relieve pain. Although they are dispersing agents, they do not consume Qi and blood, truly being excellent medicines.
Ruxiang and Moyao not only circulate Qi and blood in the meridians but can also resolve Qi and blood stagnation within the organs. Physicians who only know their ability to enter the meridians to eliminate sores, or use them topically for sores, but fail to utilize them to regulate organ Qi and blood, do not truly understand Ruxiang and Moyao.
Ruxiang and Moyao are best used raw. If stir-fried, their circulating power diminishes significantly. For use in pills and powders, crush the raw herbs into coarse fragments, place them in a pot, and heat over paper until half-melted. Allow to cool completely before grinding into fine powder. This is the method for removing oil from Ruxiang and Moyao.