软坚具介类之功。且润燥化痰。兼能利水。入肾备咸寒之性。并清金开胃。尚可行瘀
。（蛤壳性味咸寒。入肾经血分。软坚痰。消宿血。清热利水。皆取咸寒润下之意。至于养
金开胃之功。亦以热清痰降。肺胃受益耳。大抵与瓦楞子同功。 粉用。又能燥湿。与 牡
蛎之用亦相似。）
\r田螺\pq147.bmp\r
甘寒降热能明目。利水通淋解酒酲。治香港脚之上攻。点痔疮而止痛。（田螺甘寒无毒
。生于水中。故功专清热利水。性能引热下行。治香港脚上冲。疗目热赤痛。解酒治痔。外敷
内服。均有神功。皆取肉用耳。）
（李时珍曰。虫者其类甚繁。生物之至微者也。虽不能与麟凤龟龙为伍。而亦各具胎卵
湿化之形。蠢动含灵。各具性气。录其功。明其过。故圣人辨之。是以蜩 蚁 。可供馈食
者。载于礼记。蛊蠹狐蜮。职令驱除者。见于周官。然则圣人且慎于微。学人可不究其物理
而察其良毒乎。）
\r五倍子\pq148.bmp\r
酸涩轻浮。能敛肺化痰。须白还乌有染法。咸寒苦降。可固肠治痢。汗多能止出良
方。擦痔漏与金疮。或调或掺。治癞风之疳蚀。收热收脓。百药煎又经造酿。清心肺而味带
余甘。化痰嗽。亦可生津。入上焦而功兼降火。（五倍子乃虫所造也。生盐肤木上。因虫食
树汁。老则结球于枝叶间。遗种于内。其形圆长不一。味酸涩。微咸。性寒。入肺肾大肠。
专主收敛。化痰者亦敛极则化之意。退热者亦是虚热。其余内外诸治。皆是酸咸敛涩之功
。可
以推想。○百药煎用五倍子粗末一斤。好茶叶一两。煎浓汁入酵糟四两。拌和。置糠缸中窨
之。待发起如发面状。即成矣。其性味与五倍子相仿。但经造酿后。体质轻虚。而味带甘。
故能治上焦心肺咳嗽痰饮热渴等证。亦皆取其收肃之意耳。）
具有介壳类药物软化坚硬结块的功效。并且能滋润燥邪、化解痰浊，同时还能通利水道。它进入肾经，具备咸寒的药性，并能清肃肺气、开胃气，还可以行散瘀血。（蛤壳药性味咸寒，入肾经的血分，能软化坚硬的痰结，消除积久的瘀血，清热并通利水湿，都是取其咸寒润下的作用。至于滋养肺金、开胃气的功效，也是因为热清痰降，使肺和胃受益罢了。大体上与瓦楞子功效相同。用其粉末时，又能燥湿，与牡蛎的用法也相似。）
田螺
味甘性寒，能下降火热从而明目，通利水道、治疗淋证并解除酒醉后的不适。治疗香港脚（足部肿胀疼痛）向上攻冲的症状，点涂痔疮可止痛。（田螺味甘性寒且无毒，生长在水中，所以功效专于清热利水。其性能引导热邪下行，治疗香港脚上冲，治疗眼睛因热引起的红肿疼痛，解酒毒并治疗痔疮，无论是外敷还是内服，都有神奇的疗效，都是取用其肉。）
（李时珍说：虫类种类繁多，是生物中最微小的存在。虽然不能与麒麟、凤凰、乌龟、龙相提并论，但也各自具备胎生、卵生、湿生、化生的形态。它们蠢动而有灵性，各自具有特定的性味和气机。记录它们的功效，阐明它们的过失，所以圣人对此进行辨别。因此，《礼记》中记载了蝉、蚂蚁等可供食用的种类；《周官》中记载了蛊、蠹、狐、蜮等由官府负责驱除的种类。既然圣人对细微之物都如此谨慎，学习中医的人难道可以不探究事物的物理规律而考察其良毒吗？）
五倍子
味酸涩，质地轻浮，能收敛肺气、化解痰浊，染须发变黑有特定的方法。味咸寒苦降，能固涩肠道、治疗痢疾，汗多不止时有良好的止汗方剂。擦拭痔疮瘘管和金属创伤，或调敷或掺粉，治疗癞风引起的疳蚀，能收敛热邪、收束脓液。百药煎又是经过酿造而成的，能清心肺且味道带有回甘，化痰止咳，也可以生津液，作用于上焦且功效兼有降火。（五倍子是虫子制造的，生长在盐肤木上，因为虫子食用树木汁液，老熟后在枝叶间结成球状，在内里留下种子。它的形状圆长不一，味道酸涩，微咸，性寒，入肺、肾、大肠经。专门主司收敛。所谓化痰，也是收敛至极则化的意思。退热针对的也是虚热。其余内外各种治疗，都是酸咸收敛涩滞的功效，可以由此推想。○百药煎是用一斤五倍子粗末，一两好茶叶，煎成浓汁，加入四两酵糟，拌和后，放在糠缸中密封发酵，等到发起像发面一样，就制成了。其性味与五倍子相似，但经过酿造后，体质变得轻虚，且味道带甘，所以能治疗上焦心肺咳嗽、痰饮、热渴等证候，也都是取其收肃的意思罢了。）
Possesses the efficacy of mollusk-shell substances in softening hardness. Moreover, it moistens dryness and resolves phlegm, while also promoting diuresis. It enters the Kidney channel, possessing a salty and cold nature, clears Metal (Lung) and benefits the Stomach, and can also move blood stasis. (Geke [Arca Shell] has a salty and cold nature, enters the Blood aspect of the Kidney channel, softens hard phlegm, eliminates old blood stasis, clears heat and promotes water metabolism, all taking advantage of the descending and moistening properties of salty and cold flavors. As for its functions of nourishing Metal and benefiting the Stomach, these arise because clearing heat and descending phlegm benefit both the Lung and Stomach. Generally, its efficacy is similar to Walengzi [Arca Relicta Shell]. When used as powder, it can also dry dampness, and its application is similar to that of Muli [Oyster Shell].)
Tianluo [River Snail]
Sweet and cold in nature, it descends heat to brighten the eyes, promotes urination to treat strangury, and relieves hangovers. It treats the upward attack of Hongkong leg (podagra/edema of the lower limbs), and applying it to hemorrhoids alleviates pain. (Tianluo is sweet, cold, non-toxic, and grows in water; thus, its function specializes in clearing heat and promoting diuresis. Its nature guides heat downward, treating the upward rush of Hongkong leg, curing red and painful eyes due to heat, resolving alcohol toxicity, and treating hemorrhoids. Whether applied externally or taken internally, it yields miraculous results, utilizing its meat.)
(Li Shizhen said: Insects are numerous in variety and represent the most minute forms of life. Although they cannot be ranked with Qilin, Fenghuang, Gui, and Long, they each possess forms of viviparity, oviparity, humidity-generation, and transformation. They move clumsily yet contain spirit, each having specific natures and qi. Recording their merits and clarifying their faults, the Sages distinguished them. Thus, species like cicadas and ants, which are suitable for food, are recorded in the *Book of Rites*; creatures like gu, du, foxes, and yu, which are ordered to be expelled by officials, appear in the *Rites of Zhou*. Since the Sages were cautious even regarding the minute, how can scholars fail to investigate the physical principles of things and discern their beneficial and toxic properties?)
Wubeizi [Gallnut]
Sour and astringent, lightly floating, it can astringe the Lung and resolve phlegm; there are dyeing methods to restore white hair to black. Salty, cold, and bitter in descent, it can secure the Intestines and treat dysentery; for excessive sweating, there are excellent formulas to stop it. Rubbing it on hemorrhoidal fistulas and metal wounds, either mixed into a paste or sprinkled as powder, treats gan erosion caused by leprosy-like wind syndromes; it collects heat and consolidates pus. Baiyaojian [Hundred Medication Decoction] is further processed through fermentation; it clears the Heart and Lungs and carries a lingering sweetness, resolves phlegm and cough, and can also generate fluids. Entering the Upper Jiao, its function includes descending fire. (Wubeizi is created by insects. It grows on *Rhus chinensis* trees; when insects feed on tree sap, they form galls on branches and leaves in maturity, leaving seeds inside. Their shapes vary from round to long, tasting sour and astringent with a slight saltiness, and are cold in nature. They enter the Lung, Kidney, and Large Intestine channels, specializing in astringency. The phrase "resolving phlegm" implies that extreme astringency leads to transformation. Reducing heat addresses deficiency heat. All other internal and external treatments rely on the astringent and binding powers of sour and salty flavors, which can be inferred. ○ Baiyaojian is made using one jin of coarse Wubeizi powder and one liang of good tea leaves, boiled into a concentrated decoction, mixed with four liang of yeast dregs, stirred together, placed in a bran vat to ferment, and sealed until it rises like dough. Its nature and flavor resemble Wubeizi, but after fermentation, its texture becomes light and void, and its taste turns sweet. Thus, it treats syndromes such as cough, phlegm-fluids, heat, and thirst involving the Heart and Lungs in the Upper Jiao, again taking advantage of its astringent and肃 (descending/clearing) qualities.)