辛甘大热，入肾命而通行十二经。生用暖肾脏，以祛寒湿；熟用补命火，以回元阳
水炒黑，专入肾脏；燥湿功胜，兼益元气。下寒上热、里寒外热之症最宜。
即附子之母。气味轻疏，善祛风寒湿痹；不能如附子有顷刻回阳之功，痹症气实者
姜汁炒或生用。寒疾宜附子，风疾宜乌头。乌附尖∶性专达利，用以涌吐湿痰最捷。
独颗无附，即雄附子。性味虽雄，但能温经逐冷，不能顷刻回阳，湿痹寒甚宜之。
辛苦大热，力能开顽痹以化痰，搜风毒以胜湿。非生姜汁炒透，令人麻闷，仍须以
汁解之。虚人不可轻用。乌啄∶两岐相合，性味不纯，不堪服食，远之可也。
辛甘性热，入阳明而善祛游走之风，能引药势上行，治头面百病。虚者忌之。
一名虎掌。辛苦性温，入肝、脾、肺而祛风燥湿，散结除痰。矾汤泡炒用。陈胆星
月取南星末，入黄牛胆中，和汁风干，专化风痰，以益肝胆，年久弥佳。
辛温性燥，入脾胃而化痰止呕，燥湿醒脾。生姜汁制透用。半夏曲∶以半夏末入面作
盒生黄衣，性稍和缓，能治血虚伏湿之痰。霞天曲∶以霞天膏渣入半夏末和造龛成，能
虚沉痼之痰。霞天膏∶以嫩黄牛肉煮取净汁煎炼成膏，大补中虚羸弱。按∶南星、半夏
燥药，但南星治风痰，半夏治湿痰，为不同。
（川附子）味辛、甘，性大热，入肾经与命门，通行于十二经脉。生用可温暖肾脏，以祛除寒湿；熟用可补益命门之火，以挽回元阳。用水炒至黑色，专入肾脏；其燥湿功效显著，兼能补益元气。对于下寒上热、里寒外热的病症最为适宜。
（乌头）即附子的母根。气味轻扬疏泄，善于祛除风寒湿邪所致的痹证；但不能像附子那样有顷刻间挽回元阳的功效，适用于痹证且正气充实的患者。用姜汁炒或生用。寒性疾病宜用附子，风性疾病宜用乌头。乌头尖：药性专一通达利窍，用于涌吐湿痰最为快捷。
（天雄）独颗无旁附的，即为天雄。药性虽雄烈，但只能温通经络、驱逐寒冷，不能顷刻回阳，适用于湿气重、寒气极盛的痹证。
（侧附子/旁生者）旁生的附子功力稍逊，能旁达四肢，仅可发散寒邪所致之痹证，没有附子那样的补益之力。
（小附子）初生未长成者，虽然也能治疗冷痹和恶疮，但若非寒毒深重顽固之症，不要使用。
（半夏）味辛、苦，性大热，力能开通顽固之痹证以化痰，搜剔风毒以胜湿。若非用生姜汁炒透，会令人感到麻木闷乱，仍须用……汁来解其毒性。体虚之人不可轻易使用。乌啄：指两岐相合者，性味不纯，不堪服用，应远离不用。
（白附子）味辛、甘，性热，入阳明经而善于祛除游走之风，能引导药势上行，治疗头面部各种疾病。体虚者忌用。
（天南星）又名虎掌。味辛、苦，性温，入肝、脾、肺经，能祛风燥湿，散结除痰。用矾汤泡制后炒用。陈胆星：每月取南星末，放入黄牛胆中，混合胆汁风干，专门化解风痰，以补益肝胆，存放越久效果越好。
（半夏）味辛、温，性燥，入脾胃经，能化痰止呕，燥湿醒脾。用生姜汁制透后使用。半夏曲：将半夏末加入面粉制作，在盒中生出黄衣，药性稍显和缓，能治疗血虚伏留之湿痰。霞天曲：将霞天膏的渣滓加入半夏末调和制成龛状，能治疗虚损沉疴顽固之痰。霞天膏：将嫩黄牛肉煮取纯净汁液煎炼成膏，大补中焦虚弱羸弱之症。按语：南星、半夏均为燥湿药，但南星主治风痰，半夏主治湿痰，二者不同。
(Chuan Fuzi, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) Pungent and sweet in flavor, extremely hot in nature. It enters the Kidney (Shen) and Mingmen (Gate of Vitality) meridians and circulates through the Twelve Primary Meridians. When used raw, it warms the Kidneys to dispel cold-dampness; when processed (cooked), it tonifies the Fire of the Mingmen to restore primordial Yang. Stir-fried with water until black, it specifically enters the Kidney meridian; its function in drying dampness is superior, and it also benefits Yuan Qi (Primal Qi). It is most suitable for syndromes characterized by cold below and heat above, or internal cold with external heat.
(Wutou, Aconiti Radix) This is the mother root of Fuzi. Its aroma is light and dispersing, making it good at expelling wind-cold-damp bi-syndrome (painful obstruction syndrome); however, it lacks the instantaneous ability to restore Yang like Fuzi. It is indicated for bi-syndromes where Qi is excess. Use stir-fried with ginger juice or raw. For cold diseases, use Fuzi; for wind diseases, use Wutou. The tip of Wutou: Its action is specifically penetrating and unblocking, making it most effective for inducing vomiting to expel damp-phlegm.
(Tianxiong, Aconiti Radix Cum Processu) A single tuber without lateral buds is called Tianxiong. Although its nature is potent, it can only warm the meridians and drive out cold, but cannot instantly restore Yang. It is suitable for bi-syndromes with severe dampness and extreme cold.
(Lateral Fuzi) Laterally growing Fuzi has slightly inferior efficacy. It can reach the limbs laterally and can only disperse cold-bi, lacking the tonifying power of the main Fuzi.
(Xiao Fuzi, Immature Fuzi) Newly sprouted and not yet mature, although it can treat cold-bi and malignant sores, it should not be used unless the cold-toxin is deep-seated and stubborn.
(Banxia, Pinelliae Rhizoma) Pungent and bitter in flavor, extremely hot in nature. Its strength lies in opening stubborn bi-syndromes to resolve phlegm and searching out wind-toxins to overcome dampness. If not thoroughly stir-fried with ginger juice, it causes numbness and stuffiness; one must still use [ginger juice] to counteract its toxicity. It should not be used lightly in deficient persons. Wu Zhuo (Union of two corms): Where two lobes merge, the nature and flavor are impure, making it unfit for consumption; it should be avoided.
(Baifubai, Typhonii Rhizoma) Pungent and sweet in flavor, hot in nature. It enters the Yangming Stomach meridian and is good at expelling wandering wind. It can guide the therapeutic effect upward, treating various diseases of the head and face. It is contraindicated in deficiency patterns.
(Nanxing, Arisaematis Rhizoma) Also known as Huzhang. Pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature. It enters the Liver (Gan), Spleen (Pi), and Lung (Fei) meridians to dispel wind, dry dampness, dissipate nodules, and eliminate phlegm. Use after soaking in alum water and stir-frying. Chen Dansheng (Aged Dansheng): Take Nanxing powder monthly, place it inside a yellow ox gallbladder, mix with bile, and air-dry. It specializes in resolving wind-phlegm and benefiting the Liver and Gallbladder; the older it is, the better.
(Banxia, Pinelliae Rhizoma) Pungent and warm in nature, drying in property. It enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians to resolve phlegm, stop vomiting, dry dampness, and awaken the Spleen. Use after being thoroughly processed with ginger juice. Banxia Qu (Pinellia Fermented Cake): Mix Pinellia powder with flour, ferment in a box until yellow mold grows. Its nature is slightly milder and it can treat damp-phlegm latent due to Blood deficiency. Xiatian Qu: Mix the residue of Xiatian Gao with Pinellia powder and shape into blocks. It can treat chronic, stubborn phlegm due to deficiency and sinking. Xiatian Gao: Boil tender yellow beef, extract the clear juice, and simmer into a paste. It greatly tonifies middle-jiao deficiency and emaciation. Note: Nanxing and Banxia are both drying herbs. However, Nanxing treats wind-phlegm, while Banxia treats damp-phlegm; they differ in application.