〔害〕其性温燥偏补，凝正阳之气，能助人筋脉。肾家多火，强阳不痿，大便燥结者忌
之。
〔利〕甘辛温，入肝、肾、脾，续绝伤，益气力，强阴茎，坚筋骨。溺有余沥，寒精自
出，
劳损口苦渴，煎汤任意饮之。寒血为积，为调元上品，得酒良，山药松枝为使。
〔修治〕九月采实曝干，凡用以温水淘去沙，酒浸一宿，曝干捣之，不尽者再浸捣，须
臾悉
作饼，焙干用。
〔害〕此为益血之物，相恶与莱菔同食，令人须发早白。忌与附子、仙茅、姜、桂等诸
燥热
药同用，若犯铁器损人。
〔利〕苦甘涩微温，入肝肾，收精气，补真阴，强筋益髓，壮阳事，为滋补良药。养血
祛风
，虚劳瘦、痿弱、瘰 ，补肝，疟家要药，补益肝肾，调和气血，涩气化虚痰。白云苓为使
。
〔修治〕秋冬取根，大者如拳，竹刀刮皮，米泔浸一夜，切片，用黑大豆拌蒸晒干，如
此九
蒸九晒乃用。或生用。
〔害〕性能固精，若阳道数举，媾精难出者勿服，反成淋浊。
〔利〕甘温，补肾益肝，强阴益精，虚劳腰痛，遗精带下。
〔修治〕以酒拌蒸，或盐水炒用。今肆中所卖者，俱是花草子，真者绝无。出潼关，状
如肾
子带绿色。
〔害〕其性阴寒，肝虚无热者忌用。鳖肉凉血补阴，阴冷而难消，脾虚者大忌。恶矾石，
忌
苋菜、鸡子。
〔利〕咸寒平属阴，色青入肝，补阴退热而散结，治厥阴血分之病。劳瘦骨蒸寒热温疟
母，
及经阻难产，肠痈疮肿，惊痫斑痘，元气虚羸，邪陷中焦，鳖甲能益阴热。鳖色青治皆肝症
，龟色黑，主治皆肾症。同归补阴，实有分别。龟板以自败，大者为佳。鳖肉凉血补阴，亦
治疟痢，加生姜砂糖，煮作羹食，名鳖糖汤。鳖血如用柴胡加入数匙，而不过表。
〔修治〕色绿，九肋九重七雨者为上。醋炙或酒炙黄，或生用。刮白，除其腥气，恐有
倒胃
之弊。治劳，童便炙亦可，熬膏良。
【危害】菟丝子的药性温燥且偏于补益，会凝滞正阳之气，能够助长筋脉的亢盛。肾中火旺、阳气强盛而不痿软、大便干燥结秘的人忌用。
【功效】味甘、辛，性温，归肝、肾、脾经。能接续绝伤，益气力，强壮阴茎，坚固筋骨。用于小便淋漓不尽、寒精自出、因劳损导致的口苦口渴，煎汤任意饮用。对于寒血积聚，是调理元气的上品，配合酒使用效果良好，以山药、松枝为引经药。
【炮制】九月采集果实曝晒干燥。凡是用时，先用温水淘洗去沙，用酒浸泡一夜，再曝晒干燥后捣碎。未捣碎的再次浸泡捣碎，片刻间全部变成饼状，焙干后使用。
【危害】这是补血之物，与莱菔（萝卜）同食会产生相恶作用，使人须发早白。忌与附子、仙茅、姜、桂等诸燥热药物同用，若接触铁器会损害人体。
【功效】味苦、甘、涩，微温，入肝、肾经。能收敛精气，补真阴，强筋益髓，壮阳事，是滋补良药。能养血祛风，治疗虚劳消瘦、痿弱、瘰疬，补肝，是疟疾患者的要药，能补益肝肾，调和气血，涩气化除虚痰。以白云苓为引经药。
【炮制】秋冬季节采挖根部，大的如拳头大小，用竹刀刮去外皮，米泔水浸泡一夜，切片，用黑大豆拌蒸晒干，如此九蒸九晒后才可使用。也可以生用。
【危害】性能固精，如果阳道频繁举泄、交媾时精液难以排出者勿服，否则反成淋浊之症。
【功效】味甘，性温，补肾益肝，强阴益精。治疗虚劳腰痛、遗精带下。
【炮制】用酒拌蒸，或用盐水炒用。现在市场上售卖的，都是花草种子，真正的菟丝子绝无仅有。产自潼关，形状像肾脏，带有绿色。
【危害】鳖甲性阴寒，肝虚无热者忌用。鳖肉凉血补阴，性质阴冷且难消化，脾虚者大忌。畏忌矾石，忌食苋菜、鸡蛋。
【功效】味咸，性寒平，属阴，色青入肝。能补阴退热而散结，治疗厥阴血分之病。治疗劳瘦骨蒸、寒热温疟母、经阻难产、肠痈疮肿、惊痫斑痘、元气虚羸、邪陷中焦，鳖甲能益阴清热。鳖色青，主治皆属肝病；龟色黑，主治皆属肾病。同归补阴，实有分别。龟板以自然死亡者为佳，个头大的更好。鳖肉凉血补阴，也治疗疟痢，加生姜砂糖，煮作羹食，名为鳖糖汤。鳖血如果用柴胡加入数匙，则不过于发散表邪。
【炮制】色绿，九肋九重七雨者为上品。醋炙或酒炙至黄色，或生用。刮去白色部分，去除腥气，恐怕有伤胃的弊端。治疗劳损，用童便炙也可，熬膏效果好。
[Harm] Its nature is warm, dry, and predominantly tonifying; it condenses the Qi of True Yang and can assist in hyperactivity of the sinews and vessels. It is contraindicated for those with excessive fire in the Kidney, strong Yang without flaccidity, or dry and constipated stools.
[Efficacy] Sweet, acrid, and warm; enters the Liver, Kidney, and Spleen meridians. It repairs severe injuries, benefits Qi and strength, strengthens the penis, and solidifies sinews and bones. For dribbling urine, spontaneous emission of cold semen, and bitter taste in the mouth with thirst due to consumptive disease, decoct in water and drink as desired. For accumulation of cold blood, it is a superior herb for regulating Yuan Qi; taking it with wine is beneficial, using Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shanyao) and Pine Branches (Songzhi) as guiding herbs.
[Preparation] Harvest the fruits in the ninth lunar month and sun-dry them. When used, wash away sand with warm water, soak in wine overnight, sun-dry, and crush. Repeat soaking and crushing until it forms a paste-like consistency, then bake-dry for use.
[Harm] This is a substance that nourishes Blood. Consuming it with Raphani Fructus (Lai Fu Zi/Radish) creates a mutual antagonism, causing premature whitening of hair and beard. It is contraindicated to be used together with Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi), Curculiginis Rhizoma (Xianmao), Zingiberis Rhizoma (Jiang), and Cinnamomi Cortex (Guizhi) and other drying-hot drugs. Contact with iron vessels damages the human body.
[Efficacy] Bitter, sweet, and astringent, slightly warm; enters the Liver and Kidney. It consolidates Essence and Qi, tonifies True Yin, strengthens sinews and benefits marrow, enhances sexual function, and is an excellent tonic. It nourishes Blood and dispels Wind, treating consumptive emaciation, flaccidity, scrofula, tonifies the Liver, and is a key herb for malaria patients. It tonifies the Liver and Kidney, harmonizes Qi and Blood, and astringes to transform deficiency Phlegm. Use Poria (Bai Yunling) as a guiding herb.
[Preparation] Dig up the roots in autumn and winter. Those as large as a fist are scraped with a bamboo knife, soaked in rice washing water overnight, sliced, steamed with black soybeans, and sun-dried. This process of nine steamings and nine dryings is required before use. Alternatively, it may be used raw.
[Harm] Its property secures Essence. If there is frequent erection and difficulty in ejaculation during intercourse, it should not be taken, as it may instead cause strangury and turbid urine.
[Efficacy] Sweet and warm; tonifies the Kidney and benefits the Liver, strengthens Yin and benefits Essence. Treats consumptive lower back pain, spermatorrhea, and leukorrhea.
[Preparation] Steam with wine or stir-fry with salt water. What is sold in markets today are all seeds of flowering plants; genuine seeds are extremely rare. Produced in Tongguan, they resemble kidneys and have a green color.
[Harm] Its nature is Yin-cold; it is contraindicated for those with Liver deficiency without heat. Turtle meat cools Blood and nourishes Yin, but its nature is Yin-cold and difficult to digest, making it strictly contraindicated for those with Spleen deficiency. It is incompatible with Alum (Fanshi) and contraindicated with Amaranth (Xiancai) and Chicken Egg (Jizi).
[Efficacy] Salty, cold, and neutral, belonging to Yin; green in color entering the Liver. It nourishes Yin, reduces fever, and dissipates nodules, treating diseases of the Jueyin Blood level. It treats consumptive emaciation with bone-steaming fever, alternating chills and fever, warm malaria, maternal conditions, dysmenorrhea and difficult labor, appendiceal abscess, sores and swellings, convulsions, epilepsy, and smallpox/rubella eruptions, weak Yuan Qi, and pathogenic factors sinking into the Middle Jiao. Tortoise shell benefits Yin and clears deficiency heat. The green color of turtle shell indicates treatment of Liver syndromes; the black color of tortoise shell indicates treatment of Kidney syndromes. Although both nourish Yin, there is a distinct difference. Tortoise plastron from naturally deceased animals is preferred, with larger ones being better. Turtle meat cools Blood and nourishes Yin, also treating malaria and dysentery; cooked with ginger and sugar as a soup, it is named "Turtle Sugar Soup". If Turtle Blood is used with a few spoons of Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu), it does not overly disperse the exterior.
[Preparation] Green-colored shells with nine ribs, nine layers, and seven rain marks are considered superior. Scorch with vinegar or wine until yellow, or use raw. Scrape off the white part to remove the fishy odor, fearing it may cause stomach upset. For treating consumption, scorching with child's urine is also acceptable; making a paste is effective.