（隰草）冬葵子润燥利窍滑胎
冬葵子（专入胃大小肠）。甘寒淡滑。润燥利窍。通营活卫。消肿利水。凡妇人难产不
下。专
取一味炒香为末。芎归汤下三钱则易生。（芎归力专行血。）取其晨夕向日转动灵活耳。妇人
乳房胀痛。同砂仁等分为末。热酒服三钱。其肿即消。（砂仁温胃消胀。）且能破五肿利小便
。并脏腑寒热羸瘦。同榆皮等分煎服亦效。十剂方云。滑可去着。冬葵子榆白皮之属是也。
故涩则去着。宜滑剂以利之。经冬至春作子者。名冬葵子。春葵子亦滑。不堪入药。蜀葵赤
者治血燥。白者治气燥。亦治血淋。皆取其寒润滑利之功。
（隰草）引入下部经络血分
牛膝（专入肝肾）。苦酸而平。按据诸书。虽载酒蒸温补肝肾。强健筋骨。凡足痿筋挛。
阴痿
失溺。久疟下痢。伤中少气。治皆有效。又载生用则能活血。破瘀消肿。治痛通淋。引药
下行。（淋属热。至其茎痛不可忍。手按热如火烁。血出鲜红不黯。淋出如砂如石。脐下妨
闷。烦燥热渴。六脉沉数有力。淋属虚致。其茎多不见痛。即痛或喜手按。或于溺后才痛。
稍久则止。或登厕小便涩痛。大便牵痛。面色痿黄。饮食少思。语言懒怯。六脉虚浮无力。
淋属虚实兼致。其茎或见痛极。六脉弦数而按不甚有力。饮食少思而神不见昏倦。溺即滴点
不断。而出则无砂石膏血。脉即虚软无力。而血反见鲜润。腹即胀硬不消。而气短结。牛膝
虽淋症要药。然亦须审虚实权衡。不可尽以牛膝治也。）然味薄气浓。性沉。炙滑。用于下
部经络血分舒气则可。若使肺分气薄遗脱泄泻。则又当知忌戒。不可因其气虚而概用之。（
时珍曰。牛膝乃足厥阴少阴所主之病。大抵得酒则能补肝肾。生用则能去恶血。二者而已。
其治腰膝骨痛足痿阴消失溺久疟伤中少气诸病。非取其补肝肾之功欤！其治症瘕心腹诸痛痈
肿
恶疮金疮折伤喉齿淋痛尿血经候胎产诸病。非取其去恶血之功欤！）出于川者性味形质虽与
续断相似。服之可无精滑之弊。然肝主司疏泄。肾主闭藏。此则疏泄独具而鲜固蛰。书云益
肾。殊觉未是。杜牛膝气味更凉。嚼之味甘而不苦。主治多是解毒破血。泻热吐痰。（如溺
闭症见气喘面赤有斑。用杜牛膝浓煎膏饮。下血一桶。小便通而愈。又不省人事。绞汁入好
酒。灌之即苏。以醋拌渣敷项下。惊风痰疟。服汁能吐痰涎。喉痹用杜牛膝捣汁。和米醋半
盏。用鸡翅毛蘸搅喉中以通其气。）较之川牛膝。微觉有别。牛膝出西川及怀庆府。长大肥
润者良。下行生用。入滋补药酒蒸。恶龟甲。畏白前。忌牛肉。
（隰草）冬葵子具有润燥、通利窍道和滑胎的功效。
冬葵子（专门入胃、大肠和小肠经）。味甘、性寒、味淡、质滑。能润燥、通利窍道，调和营卫，消除肿胀，通利小便。
凡是妇女难产胎儿不下，专门取一味冬葵子炒香研成粉末，用芎归汤送服三钱，则容易分娩。（芎归汤的力量专于行血。）这是取其像早晨太阳升起时葵花转动那样灵活的特性。
妇女乳房胀痛，将冬葵子与砂仁等分研成粉末，用热酒送服三钱，肿胀即刻消退。（砂仁能温胃消胀。）
并且冬葵子还能破除五种水肿，通利小便。对于脏腑寒热交替导致的身体消瘦，将冬葵子与榆白皮等分煎服也有效。《十剂方》说：滑可去着（指解除因津液干枯或瘀滞导致的气机阻滞），冬葵子和榆白皮就属于这类药物。所以涩滞则导致气机阻滞，应当用滑利之剂来通利它。经过冬至到春天结籽的，称为冬葵子。春天的葵子虽然也滑利，但不堪入药。蜀葵中红色的治疗血燥，白色的治疗气燥，也能治疗血淋，都是取其寒润滑利的功效。
（隰草）引入下部经络血分
牛膝（专门入肝、肾经）。味苦、酸，性平。根据各种书籍记载，虽然提到酒蒸后能温补肝肾，强健筋骨，对于足部痿软、筋脉拘挛、阳痿、遗尿、久疟、下痢、内伤少气等症状，治疗都有效。又记载生用则能活血，破除瘀血，消除肿胀，治疗疼痛，通利淋证。引药下行。（淋证属热，表现为尿道疼痛难以忍受，手按感觉如火烧灼，尿液鲜红不暗，排尿如砂石，脐下憋闷烦躁，口渴发热，六脉沉数有力；淋证属虚，尿道多不痛，即使痛也喜欢用手按压，或者在排尿后才痛，稍久即止，或者上厕所时小便涩痛，大便牵引疼痛，面色萎黄，饮食减少，语言懒弱怯懦，六脉虚浮无力；淋证属虚实夹杂，尿道可能极度疼痛，六脉弦数但按压不太有力，饮食减少但精神不见昏倦，排尿滴沥不断，但排出物无砂石石膏血，脉象虚软无力，但血液反而鲜润，腹部胀硬不消，但气短结聚。牛膝虽然是治疗淋证的要药，但也必须审察虚实权衡利弊，不能一概都用牛膝治疗。）然而牛膝味道淡薄而气味浓厚，性质沉降，炙后滑利，用于下部经络血分行气是可以的。如果用于肺分气薄、遗脱泄泻的情况，则应当知道禁忌，不可因为其气虚而一概使用。（李时珍说：牛膝是足厥阴肝经和足少阴肾经所主疾病的药物，大致得酒则能补肝肾，生用则能去除恶血，仅此两点而已。它治疗腰膝骨痛、足痿、阳痿、遗尿、久疟、内伤少气等各种疾病，难道不是取其补肝肾的功效吗！它治疗症瘕、心腹诸痛、痈肿、恶疮、金疮、折伤、喉齿痛、淋痛、尿血、月经及胎产等各种疾病，难道不是取其去除恶血的功效吗！）产于四川的牛膝，其性味形质虽然与续断相似，服用它可以避免精液滑泄的弊端。然而肝主司疏泄，肾主闭藏，牛膝则疏泄功能独特而固蛰（封藏）功能很少。书上说它能益肾，我觉得并不准确。杜牛膝的气味更凉，嚼起来味甘而不苦，主治多是解毒破血，泻热吐痰。（例如尿闭症出现气喘、面赤、有斑疹，用杜牛膝浓煎成膏饮用，排出一桶血，小便通畅而痊愈，病人不省人事，绞汁加入好酒灌服即苏醒，用醋拌渣敷在项下。惊风痰疟，服用汁液能吐出痰涎。喉痹用杜牛膝捣汁，和米醋半盏，用鸡翅毛蘸着搅动喉咙以通气。）与川牛膝相比，略微有所不同。牛膝产于西川及怀庆府，长大肥润的为良。下行宜生用，入滋补药酒蒸用。忌与龟甲同用，畏白前，忌食牛肉。
(Xi Cao) Dong Kui Zi (Malva Seed) moistens dryness, unblocks orifices, and facilitates childbirth.
Dong Kui Zi (specifically enters the Stomach, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine meridians). Sweet, cold, bland, and slippery. It moistens dryness, unblocks orifices, regulates Ying (Nutrient) and Wei (Defensive) Qi, reduces swelling, and promotes urination.
For women suffering from difficult labor where the fetus does not descend, specifically take one ingredient: stir-fry Dong Kui Zi until fragrant, grind into powder, and take 3 qian with Xiong Gui Tang (Szechwan Lovage and Angelica Decoction) for easier delivery. (Xiong Gui Tang's power is specifically in moving blood.) This is to utilize its flexibility, akin to the sunflower turning towards the sun morning and evening.
For breast distension and pain in women, mix Dong Kui Zi with Sha Ren (Amomum Fruit) in equal parts, grind into powder, and take 3 qian with hot wine; the swelling will immediately subside. (Sha Ren warms the stomach and resolves distension.)
Furthermore, it can break five types of edema and promote urination. For alternating cold and heat in the Zang-Fu organs leading to emaciation, decoct Dong Kui Zi with Yu Bai Pi (Elm Bark) in equal parts; this is also effective. The "Ten Formulas" states: "Slippery agents remove adherence." Dong Kui Zi and Yu Bai Pi belong to this category. Therefore, astringency leads to adherence, so one should use slippery agents to facilitate flow. Those that seed between Winter Solstice and Spring are named Dong Kui Zi. Spring Kuaizi (Malva) is also slippery but is unsuitable for medicinal use. Red Shu Kui Zi (Hollyhock Seed) treats Blood dryness, white Shu Kui Zi treats Qi dryness, and both treat Blood Lin (dysuria with blood); all derive their efficacy from their cold, slippery, and lubricating properties.
(Xi Cao) Guides to the lower meridians and blood level.
Niu Xi (Achyranthes Root) (specifically enters the Liver and Kidney meridians). Bitter, sour, and neutral. According to various texts, although it records that wine-steamed Niu Xi can warm-tonify the Liver and Kidneys and strengthen sinews and bones, effectively treating foot weakness, tendon spasms, impotence, urinary incontinence, chronic malaria, dysentery, internal injury with shortness of breath, etc. It is also recorded that raw Niu Xi can invigorate blood, break stasis, reduce swelling, treat pain, and unblock Lin syndrome, guiding medicine downward. (Lin syndrome due to Heat presents with unbearable urethral pain, feeling like fire burning upon touch, bright red urine without darkness, discharge resembling sand or stones, oppression and irritability below the umbilicus, thirst, fever, and deep, rapid, forceful pulses throughout the six positions. Lin syndrome due to Deficiency presents with little or no urethral pain, or pain preferred by touch, or pain only after urination, which subsides after a while, or涩 painful urination when using the toilet, dragging pain in defecation, sallow complexion, poor appetite, lazy and timid speech, and empty, floating, and weak pulses. Lin syndrome due to mixed Excess and Deficiency presents with extreme urethral pain, wiry and rapid pulses that are not very forceful upon pressure, poor appetite but without mental fatigue, continuous dripping urine but without sand, stones, or blood in the discharge, soft and weak pulses but with fresh-ruddy blood, abdominal distension and hardness that does not resolve, yet with shortness of breath and Qi knotting. Although Niu Xi is an essential herb for treating Lin syndrome, one must examine Excess and Deficiency and weigh the pros and cons; it cannot be used indiscriminately for all cases.) However, its taste is light while its aroma is strong, its nature is sinking, and it becomes slippery when roasted. It is suitable for regulating Qi in the lower meridians and blood level. If used for Lung Qi deficiency leading to leakage or diarrhea, one must know the contraindications and avoid it; do not use it generally just because of Qi deficiency. (Li Shizhen said: Niu Xi governs diseases of the Foot Jueyin Liver and Foot Shaoyin Kidney meridians. Generally, with wine, it tonifies the Liver and Kidneys; raw, it removes evil blood. These are the two main functions. Does it not treat waist and knee bone pain, foot weakness, impotence, incontinence, chronic malaria, internal injury with shortness of breath, etc., by virtue of its ability to tonify the Liver and Kidneys! Does it not treat masses, heart and abdominal pains, carbuncles, malignant sores, metal wounds, fractures, throat and tooth pain, Lin pain, hematuria, menstruation, and pregnancy/birth disorders, by virtue of its ability to remove evil blood!) Niu Xi produced in Sichuan resembles Xu Duan (Teasel Root) in nature, flavor, shape, and quality; taking it avoids the drawback of seminal emission. However, the Liver governs dispersion and drainage, while the Kidney governs closure and storage. Niu Xi has unique dispersion and drainage functions but lacks consolidation and storage. Books claim it benefits the Kidney, which I find inaccurate. Du Niu Xi (Cyathula Root) has a cooler nature and flavor; it tastes sweet and not bitter when chewed. Its main actions are detoxification, breaking blood, clearing heat, and expelling phlegm. (For example, in cases of urinary retention presenting with panting, red face, and macules, decoct Du Niu Xi thickly into a paste and drink; if one bucket of blood is discharged and urination becomes smooth, the patient recovers. If the patient loses consciousness, squeeze the juice, mix with good wine, and administer orally to restore consciousness; apply vinegar-mixed dregs to the neck. For convulsive wind with phlegm and malaria, drinking the juice can induce vomiting of phlegm and saliva. For throat obstruction, crush Du Niu Xi to extract juice, mix with half a cup of rice vinegar, dip chicken wing feathers in it, and stir the throat to open the airway.) Compared to Chuan Niu Xi, there is a slight difference. Niu Xi is produced in Western Sichuan and Huaqing Prefecture; those that are large, long, and plump are superior. Use raw for descending actions; wine-steamed for tonic formulas. It is incompatible with Gui Jia (Tortoise Shell), fears Bai Qian (Cynanchum Stem), and forbids beef consumption.