典藏书目

[Di Yu from Jiangning Prefecture]
[Di Yu from Hengzhou]
Taste: bitter, sweet, sour. Nature: slightly cold. The flavor and nature are both light and thin. It belongs to the category of Yin containing Yang. Non-toxic. Grows in all valleys. Roots are harvested in August and dried in the sun. Incompatible with Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong). Suitable for treating hair conditions. Although it regulates blood disorders, it is primarily used for Lower Jiao diseases. It stops leukorrhea and metrorrhagia (sudden heavy uterine bleeding) in women, as well as continuous menstruation; it clears heat from infant malnutrition (Gan syndrome) causing diarrhea and dysentery, expels accumulated stasis and epidemic pathogens. It stops hemorrhoids bleeding, prevents wind-intestinal bleeding. It disperses breast lumps and heals metallic weapon wounds. Due to its sinking and cold nature, it can be used for various blood-heat syndromes. However, if there is water-like diarrhea or cold dysentery due to deficiency-cold, it must strictly be avoided.
After the entry for Wu Jia Pi in Volume One, (Author Chen Jiamo) notes: Please refer to this section for comparison.

[Zi Cao]
Taste: bitter. Nature: cold. Non-toxic. Often planted in household gardens. Roots are harvested in March and can be boiled to dye purple. For medicinal use, remove the root core and take only the fibrous part. It benefits Qi and tonifies the Middle Jiao, opens orifices, and promotes urination. Treats yellow eyes developing into jaundice; treats abdominal fullness and pain. Applied externally as a paste for scabies, tinea, sores, and ulcers; decocted alone and applied externally to promote eruption of smallpox or chickenpox rashes.

[Xian Cao]
[Xian Gen]
Taste: bitter. Nature: cold. Yin containing slight Yang. Non-toxic. Abundant in suburbs and plains. Also known as Di Xue (Earth Blood). The stems trail and spread over other grasses; roots are purple and harvested in early spring. Decoction can dye crimson red. When used medicinally, avoid contact with copper and iron utensils. Treats poisoning by Gu toxins, vomiting and defecating blood resembling rotten liver; treats chronic traumatic injuries where stagnant blood forms clots. Treats continuous metrorrhagia due to deficiency-heat; hematemesis and epistaxis due to overwork and injury occurring frequently; menstrual stagnation not flowing in women; postpartum blood syncope in women. For all kinds of blood disorders, it achieves miraculous results. Resolves breast nodules turning into carbuncles; regulates body yellowing developing into jaundice.

[Mabian Cao]
Taste: sweet, bitter. Nature: slightly cold. Slightly toxic. Abundant in Jianghuai prefectures; found in villages and along field paths. Leaves resemble chrysanthemum and wild wolf's tooth. Stems are two to three chi high, round, producing four or five spikes of purple flowers. (Blooms with fine purple flowers in spring, blooms again in autumn.) The spikes resemble whip tassels, hence the name Ma Bian (Horse Whip). Primarily treats lower body sores and pain caused by accumulated blood in metallic weapon wounds; powdered and applied externally is excellent. (Once treated Yaws [Yangmei Chu]; decocted this herb, fumigated first then washed with the liquid; upon contact with the vapor, immediate relief was felt; washed when warm, swelling and pain decreased accordingly.) Promotes menstruation and resolves blood-Qi stagnation forming masses (Zheng Jia); fresh and crushed for decoction is effective. (Decocted with pure wine for oral administration.) Relieves sudden severe lower abdominal pain that is unbearable; prevents persistent fever in chronic malaria. Immediately effective for intestinal cramping colic (Jiaochang Sha); extremely potent for peripatetic throat obstruction (Chanhoubi). Kills various Zhu parasites (infectious pathogenic factors);消 dissipates five types of PI masses (subcutaneous nodules).