冬瓜仁
瓜甘寒，子甘平无毒。
《本经》令人悦泽好颜色，益气不饥，轻身耐老。
发明 冬瓜利大小肠，压丹石毒。其子治肠痈，去面 黑，润肌肤。及作面脂，即《本
经》悦泽好颜色之用也。瓜练绞汁服，治五淋，压丹石毒。
即菜瓜，俗名生瓜，长可尺余，有青白二色，青者尤胜
甘平小毒。
发明 越瓜生于越中，今湖州等处最多，仅供菜蔬，故名菜瓜。生食动气，令人心痛，
脐下症结，脚弱不能行。天行病后不可食。惟解酒毒，利小便宜之。烧灰敷口疮及阴茎热疮
，以其能解热毒，收湿气也。
今名黄瓜，张骞使西域得种，故名胡瓜。隋时避石勒，名改呼黄瓜，至今因之
甘寒小毒。
发明 黄瓜甘寒，故能清热利水，善解火毒。北人坐卧炕床，以此为珍品。南人以之供
蔬，甚不益人，多食动气，发寒热，发疮疥，发香港脚，令人虚热上逆。天行后不可食，小儿
切忌，作泻生疳。其治咽喉肿痛，用老黄瓜去子，以芒硝填满，阴干为末，每以少许吹之。
杖疮 肿，取黄瓜入磁瓶中，河水浸之，每以水扫疮上立效。火眼赤痛，老黄瓜挖去瓤，入
芒硝令满，悬阴处待硝出刮下，磁罐收贮，留点眼甚效。汤火伤灼，五月五日以黄瓜捣碎入
瓶内封，挂檐下，取水刷之，皆取其甘寒以解毒也。
冬瓜仁
瓜肉味甘性寒，瓜子味甘性平，无毒。
《神农本草经》记载其能使人面色红润光泽，补气抗饥，身体轻盈并能延缓衰老。
发明：冬瓜能通利大、小肠，压制丹石类药物（矿物药）的毒性。其种子可治疗肠痈，去除面部黑斑，滋润肌肤。若制成面脂（护肤膏），即体现了《神农本草经》中“悦泽好颜色”的功效。将瓜瓤绞汁服用，可治疗五种淋证（小便淋漓涩痛），并压制丹石毒。
越瓜
即菜瓜，俗称生瓜，长度可达一尺多，有青色和白色两种，青色的品质更佳。
味甘性平，有小毒。
发明：越瓜产于越地，如今在湖州等地最多，仅作为蔬菜食用，因此得名菜瓜。生吃会扰动气机，导致心痛，脐下形成积块，腿脚无力无法行走。流行病痊愈后不可食用。只有它能解酒毒，利尿通便，仅此一点值得称道。将其烧成灰敷于口疮及阴茎热疮上，是因为它能解热毒、收湿气。
黄瓜
现在的名称叫黄瓜，张骞出使西域时引入种植，所以名叫胡瓜。隋朝时为避讳石勒的名字，改称为黄瓜，沿用至今。
味甘性寒，有小毒。
发明：黄瓜味甘性寒，因此能清热利水，善于解除火毒。北方人坐在炕床上，视其为珍品。南方人将其作为蔬菜食用，对人大无益处，多吃会扰动气机，引发寒热症状，诱发疮疥，引发香港脚（足癣或下肢水肿），使人虚热上逆。流行病后不可食用，小儿尤其禁忌，会导致腹泻和疳积。治疗咽喉肿痛，用老黄瓜去掉籽，用芒硝填满，阴干研末，每次取少许吹入患处。杖疮肿胀，取黄瓜放入磁瓶中，用河水浸泡，经常用此水擦拭疮面，立即见效。火眼赤痛（急性结膜炎），挖去老黄瓜的瓤，填入芒硝使其充满，悬挂在阴凉处待硝析出后刮下，用磁罐收藏，留点少量滴眼，效果很好。汤火烫伤灼伤，五月五日将黄瓜捣碎装入瓶内密封，挂在屋檐下收集渗出的水液，用来刷洗伤口，都是取其甘寒之性以解毒。
Donggua Zi (Benincasa Seed)
The flesh of the melon is sweet and cold in nature; the seeds are sweet, neutral in nature, and non-toxic.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) records that it makes the complexion lustrous and beautiful, tonifies Qi, relieves hunger, lightens the body, and delays aging.
Invention: Donggua (Winter Melon) promotes urination and bowel movements in both the Large Intestine and Small Intestine channels, and suppresses the toxicity of Dan Shi (mineral drugs). Its seeds treat Chang Yong (Intestinal Abscess), remove facial hyperpigmentation, and moisten the skin. When prepared as Mian Zhi (facial cosmetic paste), it embodies the effect of "making the complexion lustrous and beautiful" described in *Shennong Bencao Jing*. Squeezing the juice from the pulp and drinking it treats Wu Lin (Five Types of Dysuria) and suppresses Dan Shi toxicity.
Yue Gua (Yue Melon)
It is Cai Gua (Vegetable Melon), commonly known as Sheng Gua (Raw Melon), can grow over a chi (approx. 33 cm) long, comes in green and white varieties, with the green variety being superior.
Sweet, neutral in nature, slightly toxic.
Invention: Yue Gua originates from the Yue region and is now most abundant in places like Huzhou; it is used only as a vegetable, hence the name Cai Gua. Eating it raw disturbs Qi, causing heart pain, accumulation below the umbilicus, weakness in the legs making walking difficult, and should not be consumed after recovery from epidemic febrile diseases. It is only useful for resolving alcohol toxicity and promoting urination and bowel movements. Burning it to ash and applying it to mouth ulcers or hot sores on the penis works because it resolves heat toxicity and absorbs dampness.
Huang Gua (Cucumber)
Currently named Huang Gua. Zhang Qian introduced the seeds when he traveled to the Western Regions, hence it was originally called Hu Gua (Barbarian Melon). During the Sui Dynasty, to avoid the taboo of Shi Le's name, it was renamed Huang Gua, a usage that continues to this day.
Sweet, cold in nature, slightly toxic.
Invention: Because Huang Gua is sweet and cold, it can clear heat and promote diuresis, and is good at resolving Fire Toxicity. People in the North regard it as a delicacy while sitting on heated kang beds. In the South, people eat it as a vegetable, which is not beneficial to humans; excessive consumption disturbs Qi, triggers chills and fever, induces sores and scabies, causes Hong Jiao Jiao (Hong Kong Foot/athlete's foot or lower limb edema), and leads to upward reversal of deficiency heat. It should not be eaten after an epidemic illness, and children must strictly avoid it, as it causes diarrhea and Gan Accumulation (pediatric malnutrition syndrome). To treat sore throat and swelling, use old Huang Gua, remove the seeds, fill it with Mang Xiao (Mirabilite), dry it in the shade, grind it into powder, and blow a small amount into the affected area. For swelling from beating injuries, place Huang Gua in a porcelain bottle, soak it in river water, and frequently wipe the wound with this water for immediate effect. For Huo Yan Chi Tong (red and painful eyes/acute conjunctivitis), hollow out the interior of old Huang Gua, fill it completely with Mang Xiao, hang it in a cool place until the salt effloresces, scrape it off, store it in a porcelain jar, and leave a few drops for eye application, which is very effective. For scalds and burns, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, crush Huang Gua, seal it in a bottle, hang it under the eaves to collect the exuded liquid, and brush it onto the wounds. All these uses rely on its sweet and cold nature to resolve toxicity.