补肾固精。味苦多甘能摄下。益阴明目。性温滋水却生肝。（沙苑出陕西潼关等处。
一名潼蒺藜。其形如豆。其色青绿。嚼之微有腥气。味甘带苦。其性微温。故为补肾之药。
能治腰痛泄精等证。虽然力薄之品。而命门火炽。湿热淋浊等证。仍不可用。以其性温固摄
也。）
\r旋覆花\pq24a1.bmp\r
咸以软坚。蠲饮化痰都有效。苦能下达。通肠导水悉皆能。具宣行肺胃之功。噫气
不除。赖其辛散。有斡旋胸中之力。肝邪痹着。借以温通。（旋覆花一名金沸草。六月开细
黄花。其香如菊。中有白毛。宜绢包用。咸温辛苦之性。能利大肠。软坚痰。散结气。搜肝
泻肺。由胃及肠。旋覆之功。皆在咸润而已。旋覆花本为肺药。以其散结气。软坚痰。金令
下行。而能及肝与肠也。）
\r红花\pq24a.bmp\r
色赤而温。心肝皆及。味甘且苦。辛散俱优。调血脉可去瘀生新。治折伤理胎前产后
。（红花行散之品。专入心肝血分。破瘀活血。是其所长。至于消肿治风。理伤疗产等法。
亦在人之善用耳。红花开于盛夏。其味虽有辛甘。然毕竟苦温色赤。为心之正药。少用和血。
多用行血。治风者亦凡花皆散。又血行风自灭也。）
\r小蓟\pq25.bmp\r
破血行瘀。入心肝苦凉无毒。通淋治浊。走太阳分利有功。\r大蓟\pq24.bmp\r则散力
较优。消痈则功能为胜。（小蓟功专破血治淋。心与小肠膀胱之药。大蓟则略带辛味。虽能
消痈。亦不过因其散血之用。苦凉之性皆同。所用之根亦一。惟茎叶之大小有异耳。大小蓟
两种花叶皆相似。叶皆有刺。大蓟生山谷高阜处。小蓟生平泽低洼处。以此推想。则小蓟之
破血利水。又胜于大蓟矣。）
补肾固精。味苦多甘能摄下。益阴明目。性温滋水却生肝。（沙苑子产于陕西潼关等地。又名潼蒺藜。形状像豆子。颜色青绿。咀嚼时微有腥味。味道甘甜带苦。药性微温。因此是补肾的药物。能治疗腰痛、遗精等证候。虽然属于药力较薄的品种，但对于命门火旺、湿热淋浊等证候，仍然不可使用。因为其药性温和且具有固摄作用。）
旋覆花
咸味能软坚散结。消除饮邪、化痰都非常有效。苦味能通降下行。通畅肠道、引导水湿排泄都能做到。具有宣发肃降肺胃的功效。呃逆不止。依赖其辛散之力。有斡旋胸中气机的力量。肝邪痹阻留着。借助其温通之性。（旋覆花又名金沸草。六月开细小的黄花。香气像菊花。中间有白色绒毛。适宜用绢布包裹煎煮。具有咸、温、辛、苦的药性。能利大肠。软化坚硬之痰。消散结聚之气。疏泻肝脏、清泻肺热。由胃及肠。旋覆花的功效，都在于咸润而已。旋覆花本是入肺经的药物，因为它能消散结聚之气，软化坚硬之痰，使肺气肃降下行，从而能波及肝脏与肠道。）
红花
颜色赤红且药性温。心经和肝经都能顾及。味道甘甜且苦。辛散的作用都很优越。调和血脉可去除瘀血、生成新血。治疗跌打损伤、调理胎前产后诸疾。（红花属于行散类药物。专门进入心和肝的血分。破瘀活血是它的长处。至于消肿治风、调理伤科和产科等方法，也在于医生善于运用罢了。红花盛开于盛夏。其味道虽有辛甘。但终究是苦温色赤。是入心经的正药。少量使用能和血。大量使用能行血。治疗风证者也是凡花皆能发散。又是血行则风自灭的道理。）
小蓟
破血行瘀。入心、肝二经，味苦凉，无毒。通淋治浊。走太阳经分利水道有功。大蓟则散邪的力量较为优越。消痈肿则功能更为胜出。（小蓟功效专于破血治疗淋证。是入心与小肠、膀胱经的药物。大蓟则略带辛味。虽然也能消痈，也不过是因为其散血的作用。苦凉的药性都一样。所用的根部也是一样的。只有茎叶的大小有所不同。大蓟和小蓟两种的花叶都很相似。叶子都有刺。大蓟生长在山谷高燥处。小蓟生长在平原沼泽低洼处。由此推想。那么小蓟的破血利水功效，又胜过的大蓟了。）
Tonifies the Kidney and secures essence. Bitter with much sweetness, it can restrain downward leakage. Nourishes Yin and brightens the eyes. Warm in nature, it nourishes Water (Kidney) to generate Liver Wood. (Shayuanzi is produced in Tongguan and other places in Shaanxi Province. Also known as Tongjili. Its shape resembles a bean. Its color is greenish-blue. Chewing it reveals a slight fishy odor. The taste is sweet with bitterness. Its nature is slightly warm. Therefore, it is a herb for tonifying the Kidney. It can treat syndromes such as lower back pain and seminal emission. Although it is a product of weak potency, it should still not be used for syndromes of blazing Fire at the Gate of Life (Mingmen), damp-heat strangury, or turbid urine, due to its warm and astringent nature.)
Xuanfuhua (Inulae Flos)
Salty flavor softens hardness. Eliminating fluid retention and resolving phlegm are both effective. Bitter flavor directs downward. Unblocking the intestines and guiding water out are all achievable. It possesses the merit of disseminating and descending Lung and Stomach Qi. Intractable belching. Relies on its acrid dispersing action. It has the power to mediate the chest region. Liver pathogenic factors lodged and obstructed. Borrowing its warming and unblocking properties. (Xuanfuhua is also known as Jinfeicao. It blooms small yellow flowers in June. Its fragrance resembles chrysanthemum. There is white fuzz inside. It is suitable for use wrapped in silk. With salty, warm, acrid, and bitter properties, it can benefit the Large Intestine, soften hard phlegm, dissipate knotted Qi, purge the Liver, and drain the Lung. From the Stomach to the Intestines, the merits of Xuanfuhua all lie in salty moistening. Xuanfuhua is originally a Lung herb. Because it dissipates knotted Qi and softens hard phlegm, causing Metal Qi to descend, it can extend to the Liver and Intestines.)
Honghua (Carthami Flos)
Red in color and warm in nature. Reaches both the Heart and Liver. Sweet and bitter in taste. Acrid dispersing actions are excellent. Regulating blood vessels can remove stasis and generate new blood. Treating traumatic injuries and regulating pre- and postpartum conditions. (Honghua is a circulating and dispersing product. It specifically enters the Blood aspect of the Heart and Liver. Breaking stasis and invigorating blood are its strengths. As for methods like reducing swelling, treating wind, managing injuries, and healing obstetric/gynecological conditions, it depends on the skilled application by the practitioner. Honghua blooms in midsummer. Although its taste has acrid and sweet qualities, ultimately it is bitter, warm, and red in color, making it a primary herb for the Heart. Used in small amounts, it harmonizes blood; used in large amounts, it moves blood. Those treating wind disorders note that all flowers disperse. Furthermore, when blood moves, wind extinguishes itself.)
Xiaoji (Cephalanoplis Herba)
Breaks blood and promotes circulation. Enters the Heart and Liver meridians, bitter and cool in nature, non-toxic. Promotes urination and treats turbidity. Effective in the Taiyang division for promoting diuresis. Daji (Cirsii Japonici Herba) then has superior dispersing power. For eliminating abscesses, its function is more outstanding. (Xiaoji’s efficacy specializes in breaking blood and treating strangury. It is an herb for the Heart, Small Intestine, and Bladder. Daji has a slight acrid flavor. Although it can eliminate abscesses, it is merely due to its blood-dispersing effect. Both share bitter and cool natures. The roots used are identical. Only the stems and leaves differ in size. The flowers and leaves of both Daji and Xiaoji are similar. The leaves have thorns. Daji grows in high, dry places in valleys. Xiaoji grows in low, swampy places in plains. Inferring from this, Xiaoji’s ability to break blood and promote water metabolism surpasses that of Daji.)