\r芦根\pq34.bmp\r
性入阳明。甘寒清热。功除烦呕。润降和阴。茎则清肃上焦。肺痈可愈。笋乃解消鱼
毒。膈热能清。（芦根甘寒。入胃清热。热则胃气逆而不顺。呕吐反胃等证作矣。至于解毒
。亦甘寒入胃之功。但芦根主降。茎与笋有上升之意。故肺痈肺痿皆用之。芦根寒能清热。
甘可养阴。故胃阴不足。而有火邪上逆为患者。最宜。胃寒便溏呕吐者禁用。）
\r旱莲草\pq35a1.bmp\r
甘酸化阴。凉血有功于肾脏。沉寒色黑。乌须兼固夫齿牙。（旱莲草甘酸而寒。折
之中有汁出。其色黑。故入肾。能凉血补阴。敛营止血。然沉寒之性。阳虚便滑者。仍宜禁
之。）
\r大青\pq35a.bmp\r
治伤寒阳毒斑疹。入心胃与肝。兼行肌表。疗瘟疫时行热病。味咸寒微苦。直入营中
。（大青咸苦大寒。色青。专入心肝胃三经血分。治时行温热斑疹丹毒等病。皆因大热入胃
。扰乱营血所致。散血分邪热。是其所长。方药中亦不常用耳。）
排脓消肿。肠痈藉辛苦之功。达胃行肝。瘀热仗咸寒之力。（败酱辛苦咸微寒。一名
苦菜。叶如芥。其色青紫。能入血分。散血中瘀留结热。入手足阳明厥阴。金匮用之治肠痈
。亦取其排脓破血之意。）
\r马勃\pq35.bmp\r
辛平利肺部之邪。治咽痛喉疮。功能散血。轻淡解上焦之热。除口疳面肿。力可疗瘟
。（马勃此亦菌类。由地上湿热之气。熏蒸蕴结而成。虽有轻清解散上焦邪热之功。然湿热
熏蒸之毒。虫虺之气亦所难免耳。）
芦根
药性归于阳明经。味甘、性寒，能清除热邪。功效在于消除烦闷和呕吐，具有滋润、降逆、调和阴液的作用。其茎部则能清肃上焦（胸膈以上部位），肺痈（肺部化脓性疾病）可因此痊愈。笋部能够解除鱼毒，清泄膈间热邪。（芦根味甘性寒，入胃经以清热。热邪会导致胃气上逆而不顺畅，从而引发呕吐、反胃等症状。至于解毒作用，也是甘寒入胃的功效体现。但芦根主要作用是下降，而茎和笋有上升的趋向，所以肺痈、肺痿都使用它。芦根寒性能清热，甘味能滋养阴液，所以对于胃阴不足且有火邪上逆为患者最为适宜。胃寒导致大便溏薄、呕吐者禁用。）
旱莲草
味甘、酸，能化生阴液。凉血功效显著，作用于肾脏。性质沉寒，颜色黑，既能乌发又能坚固牙齿。（旱莲草味甘、酸且性寒，折断后有汁液流出，颜色为黑色，故入肾经。能凉血补阴，收敛营血并止血。然而因其性质沉寒，阳气虚弱、大便滑泄者仍应禁用。）
大青
治疗伤寒阳毒引起的斑疹，入心、胃、肝经，兼行于肌表。治疗瘟疫及时行热病，味咸、寒、微苦，直入营分。（大青味咸、苦，性大寒，颜色青，专入心、肝、胃三经的血分。治疗时行温热病引起的斑疹、丹毒等疾病，这些都是因大热入胃，扰乱营血所致。散除血分中的邪热是其特长，但在方药中不常用。）
败酱
排出脓液，消肿，肠痈（肠道化脓性疾病）借助其辛苦之功。通达胃经，运行肝经，瘀热依靠其咸寒之力。（败酱味辛、苦、咸，性微寒，又名苦菜，叶子像芥菜，颜色青紫，能入血分，散除血中瘀滞结聚的热邪，入手足阳明经和厥阴经。《金匮要略》用它治疗肠痈，也是取其排脓破血的意思。）
马勃
味辛、性平，能利肺部之邪，治疗咽痛喉疮。功能在于散血，质地轻淡，能解上焦之热，消除口疳和面部肿胀，力量可治疗瘟病。（马勃属于菌类，由地上湿热之气熏蒸蕴结而成。虽然具有轻清解散上焦邪热的功效，但湿热熏蒸产生的毒气，以及虫虺之气也难以避免。）
Lugen (Rhizoma Phragmitis Communis)
The medicinal property enters the Yangming channel. It is sweet and cold, clearing heat. Its function removes irritability and vomiting, moistening, descending, and harmonizing Yin. The stem clears and purifies the Upper Jiao (upper burner), curing Lung Abscess (a suppurative disease of the lung). The shoot resolves fish toxicity and clears heat in the Diaphragm. (Lugen is sweet and cold, entering the Stomach to clear heat. Heat causes Stomach Qi to rebel and become unsmooth, leading to symptoms such as vomiting and regurgitation. Regarding detoxification, it is also a function of its sweet and cold nature entering the Stomach. However, Lugen primarily descends, while the stem and shoot have an ascending tendency, hence they are used for Lung Abscess and Lung Atrophy. Lugen's coldness clears heat, and its sweetness nourishes Yin; thus, it is most suitable for patients with insufficient Stomach Yin and rebellious Fire Evil. It is contraindicated for those with Cold Stomach, loose stools, and vomiting.)
Hanliancao (Herba Ecliptae)
Sweet and sour, generating Yin. Cooling blood benefits the Kidney. Deeply cold and black in color, it darkens hair and strengthens teeth. (Hanliancao is sweet, sour, and cold. When broken, juice exudes, and its color is black, so it enters the Kidney. It cools blood, nourishes Yin, consolidates Ying (Nutritive Qi), and stops bleeding. However, due to its deeply cold nature, it is still contraindicated for those with Yang deficiency and loose stools.)
Daqing (Radix Isatidis)
Treats macules and rashes caused by Yang Toxin in Shanghan (Cold Damage). Enters the Heart, Stomach, and Liver, extending to the muscle surface. Treats epidemic febrile diseases and seasonal heat illnesses. Salty, cold, and slightly bitter, it directly enters the Ying (Nutritive) level. (Daqing is salty, bitter, and greatly cold, with a green color. It specifically enters the Blood aspect of the Heart, Liver, and Stomach channels. It treats epidemic warm-heat diseases causing macules, rashes, and erysipelas, which result from great heat entering the Stomach and disturbing Ying and Blood. Scattering pathogenic heat from the Blood aspect is its strength, though it is not commonly used in prescriptions.)
Baijiang (Herba Patriniae)
Drains pus and reduces swelling; Intestinal Abscess (suppurative inflammation of the intestine) relies on its acrid and bitter efficacy. Reaches the Stomach and moves the Liver; stasis-heat depends on its salty and cold power. (Baijiang is acrid, bitter, and salty, slightly cold. Also known as Kucai, its leaves resemble mustard greens, and its color is greenish-purple. It enters the Blood aspect, scattering stasis and accumulated heat in the blood. It enters the Hand and Foot Yangming and Jueyin channels. *Jin Gui Yao Lue* uses it to treat Intestinal Abscess, taking advantage of its intent to drain pus and break up blood stasis.)
Mabo (Sporocarpia Typhei)
Acrid and neutral, benefiting the Lung by dispersing pathogenic factors. Treats sore throat and throat ulcers. Its function scatters blood; light and bland, it resolves heat in the Upper Jiao, eliminating mouth canker and facial swelling. Its power can treat plague/epidemic diseases. (Mabo is a type of fungus formed by the steaming and condensation of damp-heat qi on the ground. Although it has the merit of lightly and clearly resolving pathogenic heat in the Upper Jiao, the toxins generated by damp-heat steaming and the qi of insects/snakes are unavoidable.)