（别录下品）
如泡亦如幻，如影亦如电。
【气味】辛平，无毒。
【主治】主喉痹重舌，失声久嗽，头面卒肿，崩淋吐衄，除侵淫马疥，疗痈疽。久败疮
疡
【核】曰∶生湿地，及腐木上。五六月卒然而发，紫褐虚浮，宛如丸鞠，大者如斗，重
不过钱许，弹之即有尘出。一名灰菰。修事∶密室中，置筐帏纸，如洒金箱式，张布衬盘，
缓
【 】曰∶马勃之生也奇甚，宛若野马尘埃，生物之以息相吹也。如暗乱晦蒙之眚，孛
孛有
【气味】苦寒，有毒。
【主治】主下气，疗脚满水肿，除风毒，利小便。
【核】曰∶处处有之。黑白两种，黑多野生，白多种莳。二月生苗引蔓，缠绕篱落，高
二三丈。黑蔓有白毛，断之出白汁；叶作三棱，如枫树叶；花不成瓣，微红带碧，如旋复、
鼓子花状，日出则开，日西则萎；实有蒂裹，生青枯白；核与棠 子核一样，但色深黑耳。
白蔓无毛，有柔刺，微红色，断之出浓汁；叶圆无棱，有斜尖，如薯蓣、何首乌叶，花小于
黑，浅碧带红，开萎亦同；实蒂长寸许，生青枯白，核大色白耳。其实嫩时，蜜煎为果，呼
作天茄，谓其蒂如茄也。多食损人脾，泄人气。修事∶晒干，淘去枯浮者；再晒干，酒润蒸
之，从巳至未，缓火焙燥，舂去皮用。
缪仲淳先生云∶黑白牵牛子，自宋以后，北人尝以取快。李明之着有传，极力辟除。若
果水气射肺，致喘满大腹，及大肠风秘，下焦郁遏者，卓有殊功。倘属血分，或脾胃薄弱，
虽有痞积，切勿取快一时也。
【 】曰∶牵牛子，星名也。何鼓谓之牵牛。何鼓，儋荷也。故楚人呼牵牛曰儋鼓。又
星纪斗牵牛也。牵牛斗者，日月五星之所终始，故曰星纪。牵牛子者，十二子丑为牛，牛隐
语也。盖天开子，地辟丑，黑白气分为两，人生寅而三才具。然则牵牛子者，以开以辟，以
生之为功用也。故祭星曰布，布者，取其象之布散也。经云∶阳气者，若天与日，失其所，
则因于气为肿，四维相代，形气乃绝。是以气上则升不布，气下则布不升。牵牛子儋荷布散
以为功，故可待越升以为眚。第性偏陨堕，但可施于形气之阳有余。不可加诸藏神之阴不足，
为
（花萼日出开，日西萎，即日散为星之为象。昼呼夜吸之为用，四维相代，形气乃绝。
为水为肿者，此以风毒为因，水亦风水为水矣。仍使之升而布，布而升，互为制节，无偏废
矣。）
【别录下品】
像水泡一样虚幻，像幻影一样短暂，像影子一样随形，像闪电一样迅疾。
【气味】辛味，平性，无毒。
【主治】主要治疗喉痹（咽喉肿痛闭塞）、重舌（舌下肿胀如生第二舌）、失声、久咳不愈；头面部突然肿胀；崩漏带下及吐血衄血；去除浸淫疮和疥癣；治疗痈疽恶疮及经久不愈的溃烂疮疡。
【核证】曰：生长在潮湿之地以及腐烂的木头上。五六月间突然生长，紫褐色，中空而浮松，宛如球状，大的像斗一样大，重量不过一两许，弹击它就有粉尘飞出。又名灰菰。炮制方法：在密室中，放置筐子、帷帐和纸张，像洒金箱子的样式，铺好衬盘，缓慢……
【 】曰：马勃的生长非常奇特，宛若野马扬起的尘埃，是生物的气息相互吹拂而成。如同昏暗混乱蒙昧的灾祸，孛星出现般……
【气味】苦味，寒性，有毒。
【核证】曰：到处都有。有黑、白两种，黑色的多野生，白色的多种植。二月生出苗并蔓延藤蔓，缠绕篱笆，高达二三丈。黑色藤蔓上有白色绒毛，折断后流出白色汁液；叶子呈三棱形，像枫树叶；花朵不成瓣状，微红带绿，像旋覆花、鼓子花的形状，太阳出来就开放，太阳西下就枯萎；果实有蒂包裹，初生时青色，干枯后变白；种子与棠梨子核一样，只是颜色深黑而已。
白色藤蔓无毛，有柔刺，微红色，折断后流出浓稠汁液；叶子圆形无棱，有斜尖，像薯蓣、何首乌的叶子，花比黑色的小，浅碧色带红，开闭情况也相同；果蒂长约一寸许，初生时青色，干枯后变白，种子大而色白。其果实嫩的时候，用蜜煎煮作为果品，称为“天茄”，说是因为它的蒂像茄子。多吃会损伤人的脾气，耗泄人气。炮制方法：晒干，淘去枯浮者；再晒干，用酒润湿蒸之，从巳时到未时，用慢火焙干，捣去外皮使用。
缪仲淳先生说：黑白牵牛子，自宋代以后，北方人曾用来取快意（指泻下通便以图痛快）。李东垣著有专论，极力辟除其弊。如果确实是水气射肺，导致喘满大腹，以及大肠风秘，下焦郁遏的情况，它有卓绝的特殊功效。倘若属于血分病，或者脾胃薄弱，虽然有痞积，切勿为了暂时的一时痛快而使用。
【 】曰：牵牛子是星名。何鼓被称为牵牛。何鼓，即担荷之意。所以楚人称牵牛为儋鼓。又是星纪斗中的牵牛星。牵牛斗，是日月五星运行的终始点，所以叫星纪。牵牛子，十二地支中丑为牛，牛是隐语。大概天开于子，地辟于丑，黑白二气分为两仪，人生于寅时则三才具备。那么牵牛子，是以开启和开辟，以生成作为功用。所以祭星叫做布，布，取其形象散布的意思。经云：阳气，就像天空和太阳，失去其所，就会因气滞而为肿，四维交替，形体之气就会断绝。因此气上逆则升而不布散，气下陷则布散而不升提。牵牛子担荷布散作为功用，所以可以等待超越升提而成为灾祸。只是性质偏于陨堕，只能施用于形气阳有余的人。不可加诸藏神之阴不足的人，为……
（花萼日出开，日西萎，即日散为星的形象。昼呼夜吸作为功用，四维交替，形体之气就会断绝。
成为水、成为肿的，这是以风毒为病因，水也是风水所致的水了。仍然使它升而布散，布散而升提，互为制约节制，没有偏废。）
[Recorded in the Lower Grade of the Bie Lu]
Like a bubble, illusory; like a phantom, fleeting; like a shadow, following form; like lightning, swift.
[Flavor and Nature] Pungent, Neutral, Non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats Hou Bi (sore throat with swelling and obstruction), Chong She (swelling of the tongue resembling a second tongue), aphonia, chronic cough; sudden swelling of the head and face; metrorrhagia and metrostaxis (uterine bleeding and nosebleeds); removes impetigo and tinea corporis; treats carbuncles, sores, and chronic non-healing ulcers.
[Verification] Says: Grows in damp places and on rotting wood. It appears suddenly in the fifth and sixth lunar months, purple-brown, hollow and buoyant, resembling a ball. The large ones are as big as a dou (a unit of volume), weighing no more than one qian (approx. 3-4 grams). When flicked, dust comes out. Also known as Hui Gu. Processing: In a sealed room, place baskets, curtains, and paper, similar to a gold-sprinkling box setup, spread out a lining tray, slowly...
[ ] Says: The growth of Ma Bo is very strange, resembling dust raised by wild horses, generated by the breath of living things blowing against each other. Like the disaster of darkness and confusion, appearing like the Bei star (comet)...
[Flavor and Nature] Bitter, Cold, Toxic.
[Indications] Primarily directs Qi downward, treats fullness and edema of the feet, dispels wind toxicity, promotes urination.
[Verification] Says: Found everywhere. There are black and white varieties. Black ones are mostly wild, while white ones are cultivated. Seedlings emerge in the second lunar month, sending out vines that entangle fences, growing two to three zhang high. Black vines have white hairs; when broken, they exude white juice; leaves are triangular-prismatic, resembling maple leaves; flowers do not form distinct petals, are slightly red with green tints, resembling flowers of Inula japonica (Xuan Fu Hua) or Convolvulus arvensis (Gu Zi Hua); they open at sunrise and wither at sunset; fruits have a calyx wrapper, green when fresh and white when dry; seeds resemble those of Pyrus betulaefolia (Tang Zi) but are darker.
White vines have no hair but have soft thorns, are slightly red, and exude thick juice when broken; leaves are round without edges, with oblique tips, resembling leaves of Dioscorea opposita (Shu Yu) or Polygonum multiflorum (He Shou Wu); flowers are smaller than the black variety, pale green with red, opening and withering similarly; fruit stalks are about one cun long, green when fresh and white when dry, with larger, whiter seeds. When young, the fruit can be candied with honey as a snack, called "Tian Qia" (Heavenly Eggplant), because its stalk resembles an eggplant. Excessive consumption damages Spleen Qi and depletes vital energy. Processing: Sun-dry, wash away floating and withered parts; sun-dry again, moisten with wine, steam from Si hour to Wei hour, dry with slow fire, pound off the skin, and use.
Mr. Miu Zhongchun said: Black and white Qian Niu Zi were used by northerners after the Song Dynasty for quick relief (referring to purgation). Li Dongyuan wrote a treatise refuting their misuse. If there is indeed water qi attacking the Lung, causing wheezing, chest fullness, abdominal distension, as well as intestinal wind constipation and lower jiao stagnation, it has remarkable efficacy. However, if it belongs to the Blood level, or if the Spleen and Stomach are weak, even if there are masses and accumulations, one must not use it merely for temporary relief.
[ ] Says: Qian Niu Zi is a star name. He Gu is called Qian Niu. He Gu means carrying on the shoulder. Thus, people of Chu called Qian Niu Dan Gu. It is also the Ox Star in the Dou constellation. Qian Niu and Dou are the starting and ending points of the sun, moon, and five planets, hence called Xing Ji (Star Era). Qian Niu Zi: Among the twelve Earthly Branches, Chou corresponds to the Ox; Ox is a hidden reference. Heaven opens at Zi, Earth expands at Chou, black and white Qi divide into two, and humans are born at Yin, completing the Three Powers. Thus, Qian Niu Zi functions by opening and expanding, by generating. Hence, sacrificing to stars is called Bu (spreading), taking its image of scattering. The Classic says: Yang Qi is like the sky and the sun; if it loses its proper position, it becomes swelling due to Qi stagnation. If the four dimensions alternate improperly, the form and Qi will be severed. Therefore, if Qi rises, it ascends but does not scatter; if Qi sinks, it scatters but does not ascend. Qian Niu Zi functions by carrying and scattering, so it can wait to transcend ascent and become a disaster. Its nature is biased towards falling and descending; it can only be applied to those with excess Yang in form and Qi. It must not be added to those with deficiency of Yin storing the Spirit...
(The calyx opens at sunrise and withers at sunset, symbolizing the scattering of stars. Inhaling by day and exhaling by night constitutes its function. If the four dimensions alternate improperly, form and Qi will be severed.
Regarding water and swelling: this is caused by wind toxicity; water is also wind-water. Still, make it ascend and scatter, scatter and ascend, mutually regulating each other, without bias.)