气味苦、微温，无毒。主伤寒，补不足，金疮痈疡折跌，续筋骨，妇人乳难。久
服益气力。
【参】 此以形为治。续断有肉有筋，如人筋在肉中之象；而色带紫、带黑，为肝肾
之象。气味苦温，为少阴、阳明火土之气化；故寒伤于经络而能散之，痈疡络于经络而能疗
之
，折跌筋骨有伤，而能补不足、续其断绝；以及妇人乳难，而能通其滞而为乳。益气力者，
亦能强筋骨之功也。
气味苦酸、平，无毒。主寒湿痿痹，四肢拘挛，膝痛不可屈伸，逐血气，伤热火
烂，堕胎。久服轻身耐老。
陈修园曰∶牛膝气平，禀金气而入肺；味苦，得火味而入心包；味酸，得木味而入肝。
唯其入肺，则能通调水道而寒湿行，胃热清而痿愈矣。唯其入肝，肝藏血而养筋，则拘挛可
愈，膝亦不痛而能屈伸矣。唯其入心包，苦能泄实，则血因气凝之病可逐也。苦能泻火，则
热汤之伤与火伤之烂可完也。苦味本伐生生之气，而又合以酸味，而遂大申其涌泄之权，则
胎无不堕矣。久服轻身耐老者，又统言其流通血脉之功也。
气味甘、微温，无毒。主大风邪气，阴痿不起，强筋骨，安五脏，补中增志益
气。（酒焙。）
陈修园曰∶巴戟天气微温，禀天春升之木气而入足厥阴肝；味辛甘无毒，得地金土二味
入足阳明燥金胃。虽气味有木土之分，而其用则统归于温肝之内。《佛经》以风轮主持大地
，即是此义。《本经》以“主大风”三字提纲两见∶一见于巴戟天，一见于防风。阴阳造化
之机，一言逗出。《金匮》云∶“风能生万物，亦能害万物。”防风主除风之害，巴戟天主
得风之益，不得滑口读去。盖人居大块之中，乘气以行，鼻息呼吸不能顷刻去风。风即是气
，风气通于肝，和风生人，疾风杀人。其主大风者，谓其能化疾风为和风也。邪气者，五行
正气不得风而失其和。木无风则无以遂其条达之情，火无风则无以遂炎上之性，金无风则无
以成其坚劲之体，水无风则潮不上，土无风则植不蕃。一得巴戟天之用，则到处皆春而邪气
去矣。邪气去而五脏安，自不待言也。况肝之为言敢也，肝阳之气，行于宗筋而阴痿起；行
于肾脏，肾存志而志增，肾主骨而骨强；行于脾脏，则震坤合德，土木不害而中可补。益气
二
即风也，逐而散之；风散则为气散，生而亦死；益而和之，气和即
为风和，死可回生。非明于生杀消长之道者，不可以语此也。
叶天士云∶淫羊藿治阴虚阴痿，巴戟天治阳虚阴痿。
【续断】
气味：苦，微温，无毒。主治：伤寒，补益不足，金创、痈疡、骨折跌伤，接续筋骨，妇人乳汁不通。长期服用可益气力。
【参】这是以形治病的原理。续断既有肉质部分又有筋络部分，就像人的筋在肉中的形态；而且颜色带紫、带黑，这是肝肾的象征。其气味苦温，对应少阴和阳明火土之气化；所以寒邪损伤经络时能发散它，痈疡连及经络时能治疗它，骨折跌伤导致筋骨受损时，能补益不足、接续断裂之处；以及妇人乳汁不通时，能疏通滞涩从而促进泌乳。所谓“益气力”，也是它能强健筋骨的功效体现。
【牛膝】
气味：苦、酸，平，无毒。主治：寒湿引起的痿证痹症，四肢拘挛，膝盖疼痛无法屈伸，驱逐血气，热毒灼伤导致的皮肤溃烂，堕胎。长期服用可使身体轻便、延缓衰老。
陈修园说：牛膝气平，禀受金气而进入肺经；味苦，得火味而进入心包经；味酸，得木味而进入肝经。正因为入肺，所以能通调水道，使寒湿得以运行，胃热清除而痿证痊愈。正因为入肝，肝藏血而滋养筋脉，那么拘挛可以痊愈，膝盖也不痛且能屈伸了。正因为入心包，苦味能泄实邪，那么因气凝滞导致的血病可以被驱逐。苦味能泻火，那么被热汤或火邪灼伤的溃烂可以愈合。苦味本会伐害生生之气，但又配合酸味，于是大大发挥其涌吐泄下的权力，所以胎儿没有不堕落的。长期服用身体轻便、延缓衰老，是总括而言其流通血脉的功效。
【巴戟天】
气味：甘、微温，无毒。主治：大风邪气，阳痿不起，强健筋骨，安定五脏，补中气、增强意志、益气。（用酒焙干。）
陈修园说：巴戟天气微温，禀受春天升发的木气而进入足厥阴肝经；味辛甘无毒，得地之金土二味而进入足阳明燥金胃经。虽然气味有木土之分，但其作用则统归于温养肝脏之内。《佛经》中以风轮主持大地，就是这个道理。《神农本草经》中“主大风”三个字作为提纲出现了两次：一次见于巴戟天，一次见于防风。阴阳造化的机理，一句话就点出来了。《金匮要略》说：“风能生万物，亦能害万物。”防风主要去除风的危害，巴戟天主要获取风的益处，不要滑口读过。大概人生活在天地之间，乘着气而行，鼻息呼吸不能片刻离开风。风就是气，风气通于肝，和风（温和的风）养育人，疾风（猛烈的风）伤害人。所谓“主大风”，是指它能将疾风化为和风。所谓的“邪气”，是指五行正气如果没有风来调和就会失去和谐。木没有风就无法实现其条达的情志，火没有风就无法实现其炎上的本性，金没有风就无法形成其坚劲的体态，水没有风则潮气不上升，土没有风则植物不繁茂。一旦得到巴戟天的作用，到处都如春天般温暖而邪气去除。邪气去除而五脏安宁，自然不必再说了。况且“肝”字的含义是“敢”，肝阳之气，行于宗筋则阳痿起效；行于肾脏，肾藏志则意志增强，肾主骨则骨骼强壮；行于脾脏，则震（木）坤（土）合德，土木不相害而中气可补。“益气”二字，即指风也，驱逐并消散它；风散则为气散，生也就变成了死；如果补益并调和它，气和即为风和，死也可回生。不是明白生死消长之道的人，不可以跟他谈论这个。
[Duanyin / Dipsacus]
Odor and Flavor: Bitter, slightly warm, non-toxic. Indications: Treats Shanghan (Cold Damage), tonifies deficiencies, treats metal wounds, sores, fractures, and dislocations; reconnects sinews and bones; treats difficulty in lactation in women. Long-term use benefits Qi and strengthens physical power.
[Commentary] This applies the principle of treating by form. Duanyin has both fleshy parts and sinewy parts, resembling the image of human sinews within flesh; its color is purple-black, which corresponds to the Liver and Kidney. Its bitter-warm flavor corresponds to the Qi transformation of Shaoyin and Yangming Fire-Earth; thus, it can dissipate cold injuring the meridians, heal sores affecting the meridians, and tonify deficiencies while reconnecting broken sinews and bones from fractures and falls; it also treats lactation difficulties in women by unblocking stagnation to promote milk flow. The phrase "benefits Qi and strength" refers to its efficacy in strengthening sinews and bones.
[Niuxi / Achyranthes Root]
Odor and Flavor: Bitter, sour, neutral, non-toxic. Indications: Treats flaccidity and bi-syndrome caused by cold-dampness, spasms and contractures of the four limbs, knee pain with inability to flex or extend, expels blood stasis and Qi stagnation, treats skin ulceration due to heat-fire injury, and induces abortion. Long-term use makes the body light and delays aging.
Chen Xiuyuan said: Niuxi has a neutral Qi, inheriting Metal Qi to enter the Lung Meridian; its bitter flavor, deriving from Fire, enters the Pericardium; its sour flavor, deriving from Wood, enters the Liver. Because it enters the Lung, it can regulate water passages, allowing cold-dampness to move, clearing Stomach heat so that flaccidity heals. Because it enters the Liver, which stores Blood and nourishes sinews, spasms heal, knee pain ceases, and flexion/extension are restored. Because it enters the Pericardium, the bitter flavor drains excess, thereby expelling diseases where Blood is coagulated due to Qi stagnation. The bitter flavor clears Fire, healing ulcers caused by hot liquids or fire burns. Although bitter flavors generally damage vital Qi, combined with sour flavor, it greatly exerts its draining and purging power, causing abortion. Long-term use resulting in a light body and delayed aging summarizes its merit in circulating Blood and vessels.
[Bajitian / Morinda Root]
Odor and Flavor: Sweet, slightly warm, non-toxic. Indications: Treats severe Wind pathogenic factors, impotence, strengthens sinews and bones, calms the Five Zang organs, tonifies the Middle Jiao, enhances willpower, and benefits Qi. (Processed with wine.)
Chen Xiuyuan said: Bajitian has a slightly warm Qi, inheriting the ascending Wood Qi of Spring to enter the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian; its pungent-sweet flavor is non-toxic, receiving Earth's Metal and Earth flavors to enter the Foot-Yangming Dry-Metal Stomach Meridian. Although its odor and flavor differ between Wood and Earth, its function is unified under warming the Liver. The Buddhist Sutras state that the Wind Wheel governs the earth, which is this meaning. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* uses "Treats Great Wind" as a heading twice: once for Bajitian and once for Fangfeng. The mechanism of Yin-Yang creation is hinted at in one sentence. The *Jingui Yaolue* states: "Wind can generate all things, but also harm all things." Fangfeng primarily removes the harm of Wind, while Bajitian primarily gains the benefit of Wind; do not read through it superficially. Humans live within the great void, moving with Qi, and breathing cannot be without Wind for an instant. Wind is Qi; Wind Qi connects to the Liver. Gentle Wind nurtures humans, while violent Wind kills. To "treat Great Wind" means to transform violent Wind into gentle Wind. The term "pathogenic factor" refers to the fact that the righteous Qi of the Five Elements loses harmony without Wind. Without Wind, Wood cannot achieve its spreading nature; Fire cannot achieve its flaming-upward nature; Metal cannot form its firm structure; Water cannot rise as tide; Earth cannot make plants flourish. With the use of Bajitian, everywhere becomes like spring, and pathogenic factors are eliminated. Once pathogenic factors are gone, the Five Zang organs are calm, which goes without saying. Moreover, the character "Gan" (Liver) implies courage; Liver Yang Qi, when flowing to the Zongjin (sinews), cures impotence; when flowing to the Kidney, the Kidney stores Zhi (Will), enhancing willpower, and since the Kidney governs bones, bones become strong; when flowing to the Spleen, Zhen (Wood) and Kun (Earth) harmonize, preventing Wood-Earth conflict and tonifying the Middle. "Benefiting Qi" refers to Wind itself; expelling and dispersing it causes Qi to scatter, turning life into death; tonifying and harmonizing it makes Qi harmonious, becoming gentle Wind, bringing death back to life. Only those who understand the way of life, death, waxing, and waning can discuss this.
Ye Tianshi said: Yinyanghu (Epimedium) treats impotence due to Yin deficiency; Bajitian treats impotence due to Yang deficiency.