平补肝肾，养血滋阴
甘而微温。入手足少阴、厥阴经。滋肾水，补真阴，填骨髓，生精血，聪耳明目（耳为
肾窍，目为肝窍。目得血而能视。耳得血而能聪），黑发乌髭。治劳伤风痹，胎产百病，为
补血之上剂（丹溪曰∶产前当清热养血为主，产后宜大补气血为主，虽有杂证，从未治之。
昂按∶丹溪产后大补气血一语，诚至当不易之论。后人不善用之，多有风寒未解，瘀血未尽
，妄施峻补，反致大害者，不可不察。王硕云∶男子多阴虚，宜熟地；女子多血热，宜生地
）。
以好酒拌砂仁末，浸蒸晒九次用（地黄性寒，得酒与火与日则温。性泥，得砂仁则和气
，且能引入丹田。六味丸用之为君，尺脉弱者加桂、附，所谓益火之原，以消阴翳也。尺脉
旺者加知、柏，所谓壮水之主，以制阳光也）。
平补肝肾，涩精
苦坚肾，温补肝，甘益血，涩收敛精气。添精益髓，养血祛风（治风先治血，血活则风
散），强筋骨，乌髭发（故名首乌），令人有子，为滋补良药。气血太和，则劳瘦风虚、崩带
疮痔、瘰 痈肿诸病自已（营血调则痈肿消。赤者，外科呼为疮帚）止恶疟（益阴补肝，疟
疾要药，而本草不言治疟。时珍曰∶不寒不燥功在地黄、天冬诸药之上）。
有赤、白二种。夜则藤交，一名六藤，有阴阳交合之象。赤雄入血分，白雌入气分。以
大如拳、五瓣者良，三百年者大如栲栳，服之成地仙。凡使赤、白各半泔浸，竹刀刮皮切片
，用黑豆与首乌拌匀，铺柳甑，入砂锅，九蒸九晒用。茯苓为使。忌诸血、无鳞鱼、莱菔、
葱、蒜、铁器（唐时有何首乌者，祖名能嗣，父名延秀。能嗣五十八，尚无妻子，服此药七
日，而思人道，娶妻连生数子。延秀服之，寿百六十岁。首乌又服之，寿百三十岁，发犹乌
黑，李翱为立何首乌传。然流传虽久，服者尚少。明嘉靖初，方士邵应节进七宝美髯丹，世
宗服之，连生皇子，遂盛行于世。方用赤、何首乌各一斤，黑豆拌，九蒸晒。茯苓半斤，乳
拌。当归、枸杞、菟丝各半斤，俱酒浸。牛膝半斤，酒浸。同首乌第七次蒸至第九次。破故
纸四两，黑芝麻炒，蜜丸。并忌铁器。昂按∶地黄、何首乌皆君药也，故六味丸以地黄为君
，七宝丹以何首乌为君，各有配合，未可同类而共施也。即有加减，当各依本方随病而施损
益。今人多以何首乌加入地黄丸中，合两方而为一方，是一药二君，安所适从乎？失制方之
本义也）。
味甘而性微温。归入手少阴心经、足少阴肾经以及手厥阴心包经、足厥阴肝经。能滋补肾水，补益真阴，填充骨髓，化生精血，使耳聪目明（耳朵是肾的窍道，眼睛是肝的窍道。眼睛得到血的滋养才能视物，耳朵得到血的滋养才能听觉灵敏），使头发和胡须变黑。治疗劳损伤风及风湿痹痛，妇女胎前产后各种疾病，是补血的上等药剂（朱丹溪说：产前应当以清热养血为主，产后应当以大补气血为主，即使有其他杂病，也不去直接治疗它们。汪昂按语：朱丹溪关于产后大补气血的说法，确实是极其恰当且不可更改的论断。后人未能善于运用这一原则，多有风寒邪气尚未解除、瘀血尚未排尽时，就妄用峻猛的补药，反而导致严重危害的情况，这一点不可不仔细考察。王硕说：男子多阴虚，适宜用熟地黄；女子多血热，适宜用地黄）。
用优质酒拌入砂仁末，浸泡后蒸晒九次使用（地黄本性寒凉，遇到酒、火和阳光则变为温性。质地黏腻，遇到砂仁则能调和气机，并且能引导药力进入丹田。六味地黄丸中将其作为主药，尺脉虚弱者加入肉桂、附子，这就是所说的“益火之原，以消阴翳”；尺脉旺盛者加入知母、黄柏，这就是所说的“壮水之主，以制阳光”）。
味苦能坚肾，性温能补肝，味甘能益血，味涩能收敛精气。增添精益髓，养血祛风（治疗风证先要治血，血液运行通畅则风邪自散），强健筋骨，使胡须头发变黑（因此名叫首乌），使人能够生育子女，是滋补的良药。气血调和，那么劳损消瘦、风虚、崩漏带下、疮疡痔疮、瘰疬痈肿等各种疾病自然痊愈（营血调和则痈肿消退。发红的，外科称为疮帚）。止住恶性疟疾（益阴补肝，是治疗疟疾的要药，但本草书中未提及治疗疟疾。李时珍说：其药性不寒不燥，功效在地黄、天冬等药物之上）。
有赤、白两种。夜晚藤蔓相互交缠，又名六藤，有阴阳交合的象征。赤首乌入血分，白首乌入气分。以大小如拳头、呈五瓣形状的为优良品，三百年的长得像盛粮食的器具那么大，服用它可以成仙成为地仙。凡使用赤、白两种各半，用淘米水浸泡，用竹刀刮去外皮切片，用黑豆与首乌拌匀，铺在柳木蒸笼里，放入砂锅中，经过九次蒸煮和九次晾晒后使用。茯苓作为引经药。禁忌食用各种肉类、无鳞鱼、莱菔（萝卜）、葱、蒜以及铁器（唐代有何首乌这个人，祖父名能嗣，父亲名延秀。能嗣五十八岁时，还没有妻室，服用此药七日后，产生了房事欲望，娶妻并接连生了几个儿子。延秀服用此药，活了一百六十岁。何首乌又服用此药，活了一百三十岁，头发依然乌黑，李翱为此写了《何首乌传》。然而流传虽久，服用的人仍然很少。明朝嘉靖初年，方士邵应节进献七宝美髯丹，世宗皇帝服用后，接连生下皇子，于是此药在世间盛行起来。该方剂用赤、白何首乌各一斤，用黑豆拌，九蒸九晒。茯苓半斤，用乳汁拌。当归、枸杞、菟丝子各半斤，都用酒浸泡。牛膝半斤，用酒浸泡。同首乌一起从第七次蒸到第九次。破故纸四两，黑芝麻炒过，制成蜜丸。同样禁忌铁器。汪昂按语：地黄、何首乌都是君药，所以六味地黄丸以地黄为君药，七宝美髯丹以何首乌为君药，各有配伍，不可以将同类药物混合施用。即使有加减变化，也应当各自依据本方随病症进行损益调整。现在很多人将何首乌加入地黄丸中，把两个方子合并为一个方子，这就是一药二君，让人无所适从？这失去了制定方剂的本义）。
Tonifies the Liver and Kidneys mildly, nourishes Blood and Yin.
Sweet in flavor and slightly warm in nature. Enters the Foot-Shaoyin (Kidney), Hand-Shaoyin (Heart), Foot-Jueyin (Liver), and Hand-Jueyin (Pericardium) meridians. Nourishes Kidney Water, tonifies True Yin, fills the Marrow, generates Essence and Blood, improves hearing and vision (The ears are the orifices of the Kidney; the eyes are the orifices of the Liver. The eyes can see when nourished by Blood; the ears can hear when nourished by Blood). Darkens hair and beard. Treats labor injuries, wind-bi syndrome, and various diseases during pregnancy and postpartum periods; it is the premier agent for tonifying Blood (Zhu Danxi stated: "During pregnancy, one should primarily clear heat and nourish Blood; during postpartum, one should primarily greatly tonify Qi and Blood. Even if other miscellaneous syndromes exist, they should not be treated directly." Wang Ang notes: Zhu Danxi's statement regarding the great tonification of Qi and Blood after childbirth is indeed an unchangeable truth. Later practitioners failed to apply this well; many cases occurred where external wind-cold had not been resolved or blood stasis was not fully cleared, yet harsh tonics were recklessly administered, causing severe harm. This must be carefully observed. Wang Shuo stated: "Men often suffer from Yin deficiency and should use Prepared Rehmannia Root (Shu Dihuang); women often suffer from Blood heat and should use Raw Rehmannia Root (Sheng Dihuang)").
Mix with fine wine and Amomum fruit powder (Sharen), soak, steam, and sun-dry nine times before use (Rehmannia is naturally cold; with wine, fire, and sunlight, it becomes warm. Its texture is sticky/cloying; with Amomum, it harmonizes Qi and guides the medicinal power to the Dantian. In Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia), it serves as the Sovereign drug. If the Chi pulse is weak, add Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi) and Aconite Root (Fuzi), which is called "benefiting the source of Fire to dissipate Yin shadows." If the Chi pulse is vigorous, add Anemarrhena Rhizome (Zhimu) and Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai), which is called "strengthening the master of Water to control Yang brilliance").
Mildly tonifies the Liver and Kidneys, astringes Essence.
Bitter to firm the Kidney, warm to tonify the Liver, sweet to benefit Blood, astringent to consolidate Essence and Qi. Adds Essence and enriches Marrow, nourishes Blood and dispels Wind (To treat Wind, first treat Blood; when Blood moves freely, Wind disperses). Strengthens sinews and bones, darkens beard and hair (hence named Shouwu), enables procreation, and is an excellent tonic. When Qi and Blood are in great harmony, diseases such as emaciation from overwork, wind-deficiency, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea, sores, hemorrhoids, scrofula, and abscesses will resolve themselves (When Ying-Blood is regulated, abscesses subside. Those that are red are termed "Changzhi" in surgery). Stops malignant malaria (Nourishes Yin and tonifies the Liver; it is a key herb for malaria, though Materia Medica texts do not explicitly mention treating malaria. Li Shizhen said: "It is neither cold nor dry, and its efficacy surpasses that of Rehmannia, Ophiopogon Tuber, and other herbs").
There are two varieties: Red and White. At night, the vines intertwine, hence another name "Liuteng," symbolizing the union of Yin and Yang. Red Shouwu enters the Blood level; White Shouwu enters the Qi level. The best quality resembles a fist and has five lobes. One three hundred years old grows as large as a grain basket; consuming it allows one to become an Earth Immortal. For preparation, use equal parts of Red and White, soak in rice water, scrape off the skin with a bamboo knife, slice, mix with Black Soybeans (Heidou) and Shouwu, spread in a willow steamer, place in a clay pot, and process through nine steamings and nine sun-dryings. Poria (Fuling) is used as an assistant. Contraindications include all meats, scaleless fish, Radish (Laifu), green onion, garlic, and ironware (In the Tang Dynasty, there was a man named He Shouwu. His grandfather was named Nengsi, and his father Yanshou. Nengsi was fifty-eight and had no wife or children. After taking this medicine for seven days, he desired sexual intercourse, married, and fathered several sons. Yanshou took it and lived to 160. He Shouwu himself took it and lived to 130, his hair remaining black. Li Ao wrote the "Biography of He Shouwu." Although circulated for a long time, few actually consumed it. In the early Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, alchemist Shao Yingjiao presented Qibao Meiran Dan (Seven-Treasure Beard-Beautifying Pill) to Emperor Shizong. After the Emperor took it and fathered princes, it became popular. The formula uses one jin each of Red and White He Shouwu, mixed with Black Soybeans, steamed and dried nine times. Half a jin of Poria, mixed with milk. Three-quarters of a jin each of Angelica Sinensis Root (Danggui), Goji Berry (Gouqi), and Dodder Seed (Tusizi), all soaked in wine. Half a jin of Achyranthes Bidentata Root (Niuxi), soaked in wine. These are steamed together with Shouwu from the seventh to the ninth time. Four taels of Cistanche Stem (Pogu Zhi/Cistanche), stir-fried Black Sesame Seeds (Heima), processed into honey pills. Ironware is also contraindicated here. Wang Ang notes: Both Rehmannia and He Shouwu are Sovereign drugs. Therefore, Liuwei Dihuang Wan uses Rehmannia as the Sovereign, while Qibao Meiran Dan uses He Shouwu as the Sovereign. They have different combinations and should not be mixed indiscriminately. Even with modifications, one should adjust based on the original formula and specific disease. Nowadays, many people add He Shouwu to Rehmannia Pills, merging two formulas into one. This creates a situation of "two Sovereigns in one medicine," leaving patients unsure which path to follow. This loses the original intent of formula formulation).