古名通草
〔害〕苦降淡渗利窍。凡精滑不固，梦遗及阳虚气弱，内无湿热者均忌，妊娠尤忌。
〔利〕辛甘淡平，入心肺小肠膀胱，泻湿热，降心火，清肺热，化津液，下通大小肠，
导诸
湿热由小便出。通血脉，下乳行经，催生坠胎。防己苦寒，泻血分湿热；木通甘淡，泻气分
湿热。君火为邪，宜用木通；相火为邪，宜用泽泻；利水虽同，所用各别。又治胸中烦热，
大渴引饮，淋沥不通，脾热好眠。
〔修治〕正二月采枝阴干，洗切片用，又与琥珀同功，但能泄热，不能通瘀。
〔害〕镇养心神，但宜生使，若经伏火，及一切烹炼，则毒等砒 ，服之必毙，戒之。
独用
多用，令人呆闷。畏盐水，恶磁石，忌一切血。若火炼，则有毒，服饵常杀人。须细水飞三
次。
〔利〕甘凉、体阳性阴，泻心经热邪，镇心定惊，辟邪，清肝明目，祛风，解毒。胎毒
痘毒
宜之，色赤属火，性反凉者，离中虚有阴也。味甘者，火中有土也。
〔修治〕辰产明如箭镞者良，研末。
〔害〕大寒之性，非大热者不可滥用。凡痘疮气虚，无火热者，不宜用。伤寒斑疹，阴
症发
躁，因阴寒在内，逼其浮阳外越，失守之火，聚于胸中，上冲咽嗌，故面赤、手温、烦呕，
喜饮凉物，下食良久后出；惟脉沉细、足冷，虽渴而饮水不多，且复吐出，为异于阳症耳，
不宜误用。犀角凉剂，孕妇服之，能消胎气。忌盐，升麻为使。
〔利〕苦酸咸寒凉心、泻肝、清胃中大热，祛风、利痰，凉血、辟邪解毒、明目、定惊，
治吐血下血畜血，发狂发斑，痘疮黑陷，消痈化脓。又云∶犀食百草之毒，故能解毒。
〔修治〕犀角有黑白二种，以西番生犀黑者，锉屑绵包，或磨汁，用入丸散，乌而光润
者良
。角尖尤胜。鹿取茸，犀取角尖，现成器物，多已被蒸煮，不堪入药。入汤剂当以绵薄纸裹
，于怀中蒸燥乘热捣之，应手如粉，又云∶人气粉犀。
【木通】
古时候称为通草。
〔危害〕其性味苦降、淡渗，能通利窍道。凡是精气滑脱不固、梦遗以及阳虚气弱、体内没有湿热的人均忌用，孕妇尤其忌讳。
〔功效〕其性辛甘淡平，归心、肺、小肠、膀胱经，能泻除湿热，降心火，清肺热，化生津液，向下通达大小肠，引导各种湿热之邪从小便排出。它能疏通血脉，下乳，调经，催生，堕胎。防己性苦寒，泻血分中的湿热；木通性甘淡，泻气分中的湿热。如果是君火为邪，适宜使用木通；如果是相火为邪，适宜使用泽泻；虽然两者都能利水，但所适用的情况各不相同。另外还能治疗胸中烦热，极度口渴想喝水，小便淋沥不通，脾热嗜睡。
〔炮制〕在正二月采集枝条阴干，洗净切片使用。它又与琥珀功效相似，但只能泄热，不能通瘀。
【辰砂】
〔危害〕能镇养心神，但只宜生用。如果经过伏火煅烧，以及一切烹炼加工，则毒性如同砒霜，服用必死，务必戒慎。单独大量使用，会使人呆滞闷乱。畏盐水，恶磁石，忌食一切血类食物。如果经过火炼，则有毒，服用常致人死亡。必须用细水飞研三次。
〔功效〕味甘凉，体阳性阴，能泻心经热邪，镇心安神定惊，辟除邪气，清肝明目，祛风，解毒。胎毒、痘毒适宜使用。颜色赤红属火，性质却反凉，是因为离卦中虚含有阴气。味甘，是因为火中有土。
〔炮制〕产自辰州、色泽明亮如箭镞者为佳，研成粉末使用。
【犀角】
〔危害〕大寒的性质，如果不是大热证不可滥用。凡是痘疮气虚，没有火热症状的，不宜使用。伤寒斑疹，阴症出现烦躁，是因为阴寒在内，逼迫浮阳外越，失守之火聚于胸中，上冲咽喉，所以面赤、手温、烦呕，喜欢喝凉物，吃下的食物很久后才吐出；只有脉象沉细、脚冷，虽然口渴但饮水不多，且饮后复吐，这是与阳症不同的地方，不宜误用。犀角是凉药，孕妇服用，能消损胎气。忌盐，升麻为使药。
〔功效〕味苦酸咸寒，能凉心、泻肝、清胃中大热，祛风，利痰，凉血，辟邪解毒，明目，定惊，治疗吐血、下血、蓄血，发狂发斑，痘疮黑陷，消痈化脓。又说：犀牛吃百草之毒，所以能解毒。
〔炮制〕犀角有黑白两种，以西番产的生犀黑色者为佳，锉成屑用绵包裹，或磨汁，用于丸散，乌黑光润者佳。角尖部分效果尤胜。鹿取茸，犀取角尖，现成的器物，大多已被蒸煮过，不堪入药。入汤剂时应当用薄绵纸包裹，放在怀中蒸燥后趁热捣碎，应手即成粉状，又说：人气能使犀角成粉。
[Mutong (Akebiae Caulis)]
In ancient times, it was called Tongcao.
[Harm] Its nature is bitter in descending and bland in percolating, benefiting the orifices. It is contraindicated for anyone with seminal emission due to insecurity, nocturnal emission, yang deficiency with qi weakness, or those lacking damp-heat internally; pregnant women are especially cautioned against its use.
[Benefits] Its nature is pungent, sweet, bland, and neutral. It enters the Heart, Lung, Small Intestine, and Bladder meridians. It drains damp-heat, descends Heart fire, clears Lung heat, transforms body fluids, and unblocks the Large and Small Intestines downwards. It guides various damp-heat pathogens out through urination. It unblocks blood vessels, promotes lactation, regulates menstruation, induces labor, and aborts fetuses. Fangji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Rhizoma) is bitter and cold, draining damp-heat from the Blood level; Mutong is sweet and bland, draining damp-heat from the Qi level. If the Ministerial Fire (Xianghuo) is pathogenic, Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma) is appropriate; if the Sovereign Fire (Junhuo) is pathogenic, Mutong is appropriate. Although both promote diuresis, their applications differ. Additionally, it treats vexing heat in the chest, extreme thirst with desire to drink, dribbling dysuria, and somnolence due to Spleen heat.
[Processing] Branches are harvested in the first and second lunar months, dried in the shade, washed, sliced, and used. It shares similar functions with Hupo (Succinum), but can only drain heat and cannot resolve stasis.
[Chensha (Cinnabaris)]
[Harm] It calms and nourishes the Shen (Spirit). It should only be used raw. If calcined by "hidden fire" or subjected to any cooking/refining processes, its toxicity becomes equivalent to Pishuang (Arsenic Trioxide); ingestion will cause death. Caution is advised. Independent use in large doses causes mental dullness and oppression. It fears saline water, clashes with Cishi (Magnetitum), and is incompatible with all blood products. Calcination renders it toxic, and ingestion often leads to death. It must be levigated three times with fine water.
[Benefits] Its taste is sweet and cool. Its substance is Yang in nature but Yin in function. It drains Heat pathogens from the Heart meridian, calms the Heart, settles fright, expels evil influences, clears the Liver, brightens the eyes, dispels wind, and resolves toxicity. It is suitable for fetal toxins and smallpox toxins. Its red color belongs to Fire, yet its nature is cool, indicating Yin within the Li trigram (Fire). Its sweet taste indicates Earth within Fire.
[Processing] Those produced in Chenzhou that are bright like arrowheads are superior; they are ground into powder.
[Xijiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu)]
[Harm] Its nature is extremely cold; it must not be used indiscriminately unless there is severe Heat. It is unsuitable for cases of chickenpox/smallpox with Qi deficiency and no signs of Fire/Heat. In Shanghan (Cold Damage) with macules and papules, irritability arising from Yin syndromes occurs because internal Yin-Cold forces floating Yang outward. The unanchored Fire gathers in the chest, rushes up to the throat, causing red face, warm hands, vexation, vomiting, and a preference for cold drinks, with food remaining undigested for a long time before being vomited. Only when the pulse is deep and thin, feet are cold, thirst is present but drinking is limited, and vomitus follows shortly after drinking—indicating a deviation from Yang syndromes—should one avoid misusing this herb. As a cooling agent, Xijiao consumed by pregnant women can dissipate fetal Qi. Salt is contraindicated; Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) acts as an guiding drug.
[Benefits] Its taste is bitter, sour, salty, and cold. It cools the Heart, drains the Liver, clears excessive Heat in the Stomach, dispels wind, benefits phlegm resolution, cools blood, expels evil influences, resolves toxicity, brightens the eyes, and settles fright. It treats hematemesis, hematochezia, blood stasis, mania, rash eruption, blackening and involution of smallpox lesions, and reduces carbuncles while resolving pus. It is also said: Rhinoceros consumes the toxins of hundreds of herbs, thus it can resolve toxicity.
[Processing] There are two types: black and white. Black rhino horn from Western Regions (Xifan) is best. It is shaved into flakes, wrapped in silk, or ground into juice for use in pills and powders. Those that are black and lustrous are preferred. The tip of the horn is particularly effective. Deer antlers are taken for their velvet, while rhino horns take the tip. Ready-made artifacts are mostly steamed or boiled and are unsuitable for medicinal use. When decocting, wrap the horn in thin silk paper, steam it dry in one's bosom, and crush it while hot until it turns to powder easily. It is also said: Human breath/qi can turn rhino horn into powder.