\r土茯苓\pq45.bmp\r
利湿分消。皆谓邪留下部。舒筋定痛。多因毒伏经中。以能制轻粉之留邪。入胃通
肝及肾。故为治下疳之良剂。性平味淡而甘。可助土以强脾。藉遗粮而当谷。（土茯苓一名
仙遗粮。味甘淡而平。益脾胃。化湿邪。服之可当谷不饥。故有遗粮之名。今人概以治杨梅
恶疮。毒窜筋骨。肌肉溃烂等证。亦不过因土茯苓之味甘淡。甘能解毒。淡可分消。又能益
脾胃。使土旺湿除。肌肉自愈之意。非土茯苓可以治疮也。）
\r茜草\pq46.bmp\r
质禀咸温。入肝破血。味兼辛苦。行滞通经。（茜草。辛苦咸温。色赤性燥。入心肝
血分。长于破血行血。本经称其治黄瘅。别录言其治蛊毒。无不皆因瘀血而成。故又一名血
见愁。即此义也。）
\r木鳖子\pq47a1.bmp\r
苦寒有毒。外治为多。散血热以消痈。追风毒而达络。塞鼻则拳毛顿起。吹耳则痘
眼能移。点痛痔而即平。搽火疮而立效。（木鳖子有番土两种。皆属苦寒。而番者为尤甚。
其寒毒之性。服之使人筋脉拘急。身体振动。瞑眩之药。不可妄投。或风毒窜入经络。或痈
疽欲其解散。必须配制得宜。酌量多寡而用。土木鳖虽能治疳积痞块黄瘅等证。究竟二鳖长
于外治。非服食所宜也。）
土茯苓
具有利湿并分消邪气的功效。人们常说，下部留滞的邪气，是因为舒筋定痛的作用，多因毒邪潜伏在经络之中。因为它能够制约轻粉所遗留的邪气，药物进入胃后通达肝和肾，所以它是治疗下疳（一种发生于外生殖器的慢性溃疡性疾病）的良好药剂。其药性平和，味道淡而甘，可以辅助“土”气以强健脾胃，借用它作为“遗粮”来代替谷物充饥。（土茯苓又名仙遗粮，味甘、淡，性平，能补益脾胃，化解湿邪，服用它可以像吃粮食一样不感到饥饿，因此得名“遗粮”。现在的人一概用它来治疗杨梅疮等恶疮，以及毒邪窜入筋骨、肌肉溃烂等证候，也不过是认为土茯苓味甘淡，甘味能解毒，淡味可分消邪气，又能补益脾胃，使脾气旺盛而湿气去除，肌肉自然愈合的意思，并非土茯苓本身可以直接治愈疮疡。）
茜草
禀受咸温之质，入肝经而破血行瘀。味道兼有辛和苦，能行气滞、通经脉。（茜草，味辛、苦，性咸、温，颜色赤红，性质燥烈，入心、肝二经的血分，擅长破除瘀血、运行血液。《神农本草经》称它能治疗黄疸，《名医别录》说它能治疗蛊毒，这些无不都是因为瘀血引起的。所以它又有一个名字叫“血见愁”，正是这个意思。）
木鳖子
味苦，性寒，有毒，外用治疗的情况较多。能散血热以消除痈肿，追逐风毒而通达络脉。塞入鼻孔则鼻毛竖起，吹入耳中则痘疹眼症能移动位置。点涂于痛痔上即可平复，搽抹于火烫伤处立即见效。（木鳖子有番木鳖和土木鳖两种，都属于苦寒之性，其中番木鳖的性质更为猛烈。其寒毒之性，服用会导致人的筋脉拘挛紧急，身体震颤，属于引起瞑眩反应的猛药，不可随意投用。或者是风毒窜入经络，或者是痈疽想要解散，必须配制得当，斟酌用量多少而使用。土木鳖虽然也能治疗疳积、痞块、黄疸等证候，但终究这两种木鳖长于外用治疗，并不适宜内服食用。）
Tu Ling Feng (Smilax Glabra Rhizome)
Promotes diuresis and disperses dampness. It is generally believed that pathogens lingering in the lower part of the body are relieved by its ability to relax tendons and alleviate pain, which often arises from toxins latent within the meridians. Because it can restrain pathogens left behind by Calomelas (Calomel), and upon entering the stomach, it communicates with the Liver and Kidney, it serves as an excellent remedy for Chancre (a chronic ulcerative disease occurring on the external genitalia). Its nature is neutral, and its flavor is bland and sweet. It can assist the Earth element to strengthen the Spleen, and acting as a "remnant grain," it can substitute for staple food. (Tu Ling Feng is also known as Xian Yi Liang (Immortal Remnant Grain). With a sweet and bland flavor and neutral nature, it benefits the Spleen and Stomach and transforms damp-evil. Taking it can satiate hunger like eating grains, hence the name "Remnant Grain." Nowadays, people generally use it to treat severe sores such as Lues Cutis (Syphilitic Sores), and conditions where toxins invade bones and tendons or muscles ulcerate. This is merely based on the idea that Tu Ling Feng's sweet and bland flavor allows sweetness to detoxify and blandness to disperse pathogens, while also benefiting the Spleen and Stomach, making the Earth Qi robust to eliminate dampness so muscles heal naturally; it does not mean Tu Ling Feng itself directly cures sores.)
Qian Cao (Rubia Cordifolia Root)
Endowed with salty and warm qualities, it enters the Liver to break blood stasis. Its flavor includes pungent and bitter properties, promoting stagnation resolution and meridian unblocking. (Qian Cao has a pungent, bitter, salty, and warm nature. Its red color and drying property allow it to enter the Blood aspect of the Heart and Liver. It excels at breaking blood stasis and moving blood. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats Jaundice, and the *Mingyi Bielu* says it treats Gu Poison. All these are due to blood stasis formation. Hence, it is also named "Xue Jian Chou" (Blood Sees Sorrow), reflecting this meaning.)
Mu Bie Zi (Strychnos Nux-vomica Seed)
Bitter and cold, toxic, used mostly for external treatment. It dissipates blood heat to消 (eliminate) carbuncles, pursues wind toxins to reach the collaterals. Inserted into the nose, it causes nasal hairs to stand erect; blown into the ear, it can shift the position of pockmark eyes. Applied to painful hemorrhoids, they flatten immediately; smeared on thermal burns, it takes effect instantly. (There are two types of Mu Bie Zi: Fan Mu Bie and Tu Mu Bie. Both are bitter and cold, but Fan Mu Bie is more intense. Its cold toxicity, if ingested, causes muscle spasms and body tremors. It is a drug causing Mingxuan reactions (severe adverse reactions leading to recovery) and must not be administered recklessly. Whether for wind toxins invading collaterals or abscesses needing resolution, proper compounding and dosage adjustment are essential. Although Tu Mu Bie can treat conditions like Gan Accumulation, Pi Masses, and Jaundice, ultimately both types of Mu Bie Zi are suited for external treatment and are not appropriate for internal consumption.)