白芷，味辛，气温，升也，阳也，无毒。入手足阳明二经，又入手太阴之经。治头痛，
解寒
热中风，止崩漏、赤白带，血闭能通，散目中痒，止痢消瘕，治风通用，定心腹血痛，尤可
外治各疮痈痔漏，消毒生肌，杀蛇虫，此药可为臣使，未可恃之为君，只外治可以为君耳。
盖白芷辛散，多服恐耗散元阳也。
或问白芷散气，外治独不惧其坏事乎？子之何虑之深也。此药修合之时，便可验其有无
之效
。我有一法辨之尤佳。凡买白芷治病，其色皆白，持回家中修合，忽变为黑色者，不必修合
之也；变为微黄色者，半效；变为老黄色者，效少；变为黄黯色者，无效也。辨其色之白者
，多用之即愈。否则，降序用药，又何至外治散人真气哉。此药尤灵，故善变色。老医自有
知之者，非创说也。
细辛，味大辛，气温，升也，阳也，无毒。入手足少阴。止头痛如神，治诸风湿痹，尤
益肝
、胆之经。肾得之而温。利窍清痰，止迎风泪眼，疗妇人血闭，祛在里之寒邪。口臭齿肿，
含漱亦良。但只可少用，而不可多用，亦只可共用，而不能独用。多用则气耗而病增，独用
则气尽而命丧。可不慎欤。
或问细辛既能温肾，自是补剂，何故又散气耶？夫细辛，阳药也，升而不沉，虽下而温
肾中
之火，而非温肾中之水也。火之性炎上，细辛温火，而即引火上升，此所以不可多用耳。
或问细辛散人真气，何以头痛能取效？盖头为太阳之首，清气升而浊气降，则头目清爽。惟
浊气升而清气降，则头目沉沉欲痛矣，细辛气清而不浊，故善降浊气而升清气，所以治头痛
如神也。但味辛而性散，必须佐之以补血之药，使气得血而不散也。
白芷，味道辛，药性温，具有升浮的特性，属于阳药，没有毒性。它归入手足阳明经，又归入手太阴经。用于治疗头痛，解除寒热中风，止住崩漏、赤白带下，血闭能够疏通，消散眼睛发痒，止痢疾消除癥瘕，是治疗风病的通用药，能安定心腹部的血痛，尤其可以外用治疗各种疮疡痈肿、痔疮瘘管，消毒并促进肌肉生长，杀灭蛇虫，这种药可以作为臣药或使药使用，不能倚仗它作为君药，只有在外用时才可以作为君药。因为白芷辛散，多服恐怕会耗散元阳。
有人问：白芷会耗散气机，外用难道就不怕它坏事吗？您何必考虑得这么深远呢。这种药在炮制配合的时候，就可以验证其是否有疗效。我有一种辨别方法特别好。凡是购买白芷治病，它的颜色都是白色的，拿回家中配合药物时，忽然变成黑色的，不需要再配合使用了；变成微黄色的，有一半的疗效；变成老黄色的，疗效很少；变成黄暗色的，就没有疗效了。辨别出颜色白的，多用就能痊愈。否则，按照等级顺序用药，又怎么会到外用耗散人体真气的地步呢。这种药特别灵验，所以善于变色。老练的医生自然有知道的，这不是独创的说法。
细辛，味道大辛，药性温，具有升浮的特性，属于阳药，没有毒性。归入手足少阴经。止头痛效果如神，治疗各种风湿痹症，尤其对肝、胆经有益。肾得到它而温暖。通利窍道清除痰浊，止住迎风流泪，治疗妇女血闭，祛除在里的寒邪。口臭牙齿肿胀，含漱也良好。但只能少量使用，不可大量使用，也只能配合使用，不能单独使用。大量使用则气耗损而病情加重，单独使用则气耗尽而丧命。能不谨慎吗？
有人问：细辛既然能温肾，自然是补剂，为什么又会散气呢？细辛是阳药，升而不沉，虽然下行温补肾中的火，而不是温补肾中的水。火的性质是炎上，细辛温火，随即引导火上升，这就是不可多用的原因。
有人问：细辛散人真气，为什么头痛能取效？盖头部为太阳之首，清气上升而浊气下降，则头目清爽。只有浊气上升而清气下降，则头目沉沉欲痛，细辛气味清而不浊，所以善于降浊气而升清气，因此治疗头痛如神。但味道辛而性质散，必须佐以补血之药，使气得到血而不散。
Bai Zhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix), with a pungent flavor and warm temperature, is ascending and yang in nature, and non-toxic. It enters the Foot-Yangming and Hand-Yangming meridians, and also the Hand-Taiyin meridian. It treats headache, resolves wind-stroke due to cold-heat, stops metrorrhagia and metrorrhagia (abnormal uterine bleeding) and leukorrhea (red and white vaginal discharge), unblocks blood obstruction, disperses itching in the eyes, stops dysentery, eliminates mass (zhijia), serves as a general medicine for treating wind disorders, stabilizes blood pain in the heart and abdomen, and is especially effective for external treatment of various sores, carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and fistulas; it detoxifies and generates flesh, kills snakes and insects. This herb can serve as a minister or guide drug but should not be relied upon as a sovereign drug; only in external use can it serve as a sovereign drug. Since Bai Zhi is pungent and dispersing, excessive consumption may deplete primordial Yang.
One might ask: Bai Zhi dissipates Qi; is it not feared that external use will cause harm? Why do you worry so deeply? The efficacy of this herb can be verified during its preparation and combination. I have an excellent method to distinguish it. When purchasing Bai Zhi for medical treatment, its color is always white. Upon bringing it home for preparation, if it suddenly turns black, it should not be used; if it turns slightly yellow, it has half efficacy; if it turns old yellow, it has little efficacy; if it turns dark yellow, it has no efficacy. By identifying the white ones, using them in larger quantities will lead to recovery. Otherwise, following the order of inferior drugs, how could external use dissipate true Qi? This herb is particularly efficacious, hence its tendency to change color. Experienced physicians naturally know this; it is not a novel theory.
Xi Xin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma), with a strongly pungent flavor and warm temperature, is ascending and yang in nature, and non-toxic. It enters the Foot-Shaoyin and Hand-Shaoyin meridians. It stops headache with divine efficacy, treats various rheumatic bi-syndromes, and is especially beneficial to the Liver and Gallbladder meridians. The Kidney becomes warm upon receiving it. It opens orifices, clears phlegm, stops tearing caused by wind exposure, treats blood obstruction in women, and dispels interior cold pathogens. For bad breath and swollen teeth, gargling is also effective. However, it should only be used in small doses and not in large amounts; it can only be used in combination and not alone. Excessive use leads to Qi depletion and increased disease; solitary use leads to exhaustion of Qi and death. Can one not be cautious?
One might ask: Since Xi Xin can warm the Kidney, it is naturally a tonic; why does it dissipate Qi? Xi Xin is a Yang drug, ascending and not sinking. Although it descends to warm the Fire in the Kidney, it does not warm the Water in the Kidney. The nature of Fire is to flare upwards; Xi Xin warms the Fire and thereby guides the Fire to ascend. This is why it should not be used in large quantities.
One might ask: If Xi Xin dissipates true Qi, how can it be effective for headache? The head is the summit of the Taiyang; when clear Qi ascends and turbid Qi descends, the head and eyes feel refreshed. Only when turbid Qi ascends and clear Qi descends do the head and eyes feel heavy and prone to pain. Xi Xin has a clear, non-turbid aroma, thus it excels at descending turbid Qi and ascending clear Qi, which is why it treats headache with divine efficacy. However, since its flavor is pungent and its nature is dispersing, it must be assisted by blood-nourishing herbs to prevent the Qi from dispersing.