味甘。入手足阳明经。功专清风热。得麦冬治劳热。得生地、阿胶、石膏、枇杷叶
治肺燥咳血。得黑芝麻炼蜜为丸。除湿祛风明目。以之代茶。采取经霜者。常服治盗汗。洗
眼去风泪。以木作面盆洗面。去面上游风。
味甘苦。入足少阴经。功专坚肾。助筋骨。固齿长发。益血止崩。下乳安胎。和
血除痹。外科散疮疡。追风湿。得阿胶、艾叶治胎动腹痛。以之捣汁服。治膈气。忌火。
味苦。入手太阴经。功专除烦泻火。得滑石治血淋溺闭。得川乌治冷热腹痛。得
香豉治肾燥。并吐虚烦客热。得茵陈治五黄。生用泻火。炒黑止血。姜汁炒止烦呕。内热用
仁。表热用皮。
味苦甘。入足少阴太阳经。功专利水渗湿。得鸡矢白治小儿溺闭。四苓散五苓散多
用之。用宜去皮。
味苦。入足少阴经。功专去湿热。得肉桂治咽痛。得苍术治湿痿。加牛膝治湿热上
行。得细辛泻膀胱火。得蛤粉治赤浊白淫。得参、术、草、姜、附、桂治中气不足。虚火上
炎。致生口疮。引火归元。得知母滋阴降火。得竹沥浸涂小儿重舌。尺脉弱者忌服。生用降
实火。蜜炙则不伤胃。炒黑止崩带。酒制治上。蜜制治中。盐制治下。恶干漆。得知母良。
味苦。入手太阴阳明经。功专破积下痰。得白术去痰饮。得栝蒌消痞结。得皂角通
大便。得参、术、干姜则益气。得硝、黄、牵牛则破气。孕妇及气虚人忌。陈者良。麸炒用
。
味甘。归入手足阳明经。功效专于清散风热。配伍麦冬可治疗虚劳发热。配伍生地、阿胶、石膏、枇杷叶可治疗肺燥咳嗽咯血。配伍黑芝麻，炼蜜为丸，可祛除湿邪、驱散风邪、明目。用它代替茶饮，需选用经霜后采收的桑叶，常服可治疗盗汗。煎汤洗眼可去除因风邪引起的流泪。用桑叶煮水作为木面盆洗脸，可去除面部游风（风邪）。
味苦甘。归入足少阴经。功效专于坚固肾脏。辅助筋骨。固齿生发。补血止崩漏。下乳安胎。调和血液祛除痹证。外科用于消散疮疡。驱逐风湿。配伍阿胶、艾叶可治疗胎动腹痛。捣汁服用，可治疗膈气。忌用火制。
味苦。归入手太阴经。功效专于除烦泻火。配伍滑石可治疗血淋小便闭塞。配伍川乌可治疗冷痛或热痛引起的腹痛。配伍香豉可治疗肾燥，以及呕吐虚烦和客热。配伍茵陈可治疗五黄病。生用可泻火，炒黑可止血，姜汁炒可止烦呕。内热用仁，表热用皮。
味苦甘。归入足少阴太阳经。功效专于利水渗湿。配伍鸡矢白可治疗小儿小便闭塞。四苓散、五苓散中多用此药。使用时宜去皮。
味苦。归入足少阴经。功效专于清除湿热。配伍肉桂可治疗咽痛。配伍苍术可治疗湿痿。加牛膝可治疗湿热上行。配伍细辛可泻膀胱之火。配伍蛤粉可治疗赤浊和白淫。配伍人参、白术、甘草、干姜、附子、肉桂可治疗中气不足，虚火上炎导致的口疮，引火归元。配伍知母可滋阴降火。用竹沥浸泡涂抹可治疗小儿重舌。尺脉弱者忌服。生用可降实火，蜜炙则不伤胃，炒黑可止崩漏带下，酒制治上部病证，蜜制治中部病证，盐制治下部病证。畏干漆。与知母配伍效果良好。
味苦。归入手太阴阳明经。功效专于破积滞、下痰涎。配伍白术可去痰饮。配伍栝蒌可消痞结。配伍皂角可通大便。配伍人参、白术、干姜则可益气。配伍芒硝、大黄、牵牛子则可破气。孕妇及气虚之人忌用。陈久者良。麸炒后用。
Sweet. Enters the Hand and Foot Yangming meridians. Its function is specifically to clear and disperse wind-heat. When combined with Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), it treats consumptive fever. When combined with Rehmanniae Radix (Shengdi), Donkey-hide Gelatin (Ejiao), Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao), and Loquat Leaf (Pipaye), it treats lung dryness with coughing and hemoptysis. When combined with Sesamum indicum seed (Heizhima) and refined honey into pills, it dispels dampness, expels wind, and brightens the eyes. Used as a tea substitute, select leaves harvested after frost; regular consumption treats nocturnal sweating. Washing the eyes with decoction removes wind-induced tearing. Using mulberry leaf decoction in a wooden basin for facial washing removes "wandering wind" (pathogenic wind on the face).
Bitter and sweet. Enters the Foot Shaoyin meridian. Its function is specifically to strengthen the Kidney. It assists the sinews and bones, strengthens teeth, promotes hair growth, nourishes blood, stops metrorrhagia, promotes lactation, calms the fetus, harmonizes blood, and removes bi-syndrome. In surgery, it disperses carbuncles and sores, and drives out wind-dampness. When combined with Ejiao and Artemisia argyi folium (Aiye), it treats fetal restlessness with abdominal pain. Taken as juice, it treats diaphragmatic qi stagnation. Avoid fire-processing.
Bitter. Enters the Hand Taiyin meridian. Its function is specifically to relieve irritability and purge fire. When combined with Talcum (Huashi), it treats bloody strangury with urinary retention. When combined with Aconitum carmichaelii radix preparata (Chuanwu), it treats abdominal pain due to cold or heat. When combined with Fermented Soybean (Xiangchi), it treats kidney dryness, vomiting with empty irritability, and external heat. When combined with Yinchenhao, it treats the "Five Yellows." Raw use purges fire; charred black use stops bleeding; ginger-juice processed use relieves irritability and vomiting. For internal heat, use the kernel; for exterior heat, use the peel.
Bitter and sweet. Enters the Foot Shaoyin and Taiyang meridians. Its function is specifically to promote urination and leach out dampness. When combined with Gallus gallus domesticus excrement (Jishibai), it treats pediatric urinary retention. Si Ling San and Wu Ling San frequently use this herb. It should be used peeled.
Bitter. Enters the Foot Shaoyin meridian. Its function is specifically to eliminate damp-heat. When combined with Cinnamomi Cortex (Rougui), it treats sore throat. When combined with Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu), it treats damp flaccidity. Adding Achyranthes bidentata root (Niuxi) treats upward-moving damp-heat. When combined with Asari Radix et Rhizoma (Xixin), it purges bladder fire. When combined with Mercurii Carbonas (Ge Fen), it treats red turbid urine and leukorrhea. When combined with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Shen), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Zhu), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao), Zingiberis Rhizoma (Jiang), Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (Fuzi), and Cinnamomi Cortex (Guizhi), it treats deficiency of middle qi leading to deficient fire flaming upward causing mouth ulcers, guiding fire back to its source. When combined with Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu), it nourishes yin and descends fire. Soaked in bamboo sap and applied externally, it treats double tongue in children. Contraindicated in cases of weak chi pulse at the cun position. Raw use reduces excess fire; honey-processed use does not injure the stomach; charred black use stops metrorrhagia and leukorrhea; wine-processed use treats upper jiao disorders; honey-processed use treats middle jiao disorders; salt-processed use treats lower jiao disorders. Hostile to Dry Lacquer (Ganqi). Harmonizes well with Zhimu.
Bitter. Enters the Hand Taiyin and Yangming meridians. Its function is specifically to break accumulations and descend phlegm. When combined with Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu), it eliminates phlegm-fluids. When combined with Trichosanthis Fructus (Gualou), it dissipates痞结 (痞块/结聚). When combined with Gleditsiae Sinensis Spina (Zaojiao), it unblocks bowels. When combined with Shen, Baizhu, and Ganjiang, it tonifies qi. When combined with Natrii Sulfas (Xiaofan), Rheum Palmatum Radix et Rhizoma (Dahuang), and Pharbitidis Semen (Qianniu), it breaks qi. Contraindicated for pregnant women and those with qi deficiency. The aged variety is superior. Use bran-fried.