气温,味辛,无毒。治时行热病,浴遍身痒疮。消水肿而利小便,去暴燥而止消渴。同
艾叶发汗骤来,驱风速退。蜜丸弹大为度,面青背紫方真。采萍歌曰,天生灵草无根干,不
在山弓不在岸,采伐之时七月半,紫小微风都不算,豆淋酒内下三丸,铁 头上也出汗。
气寒,味苦,属火善走,有治水肿之功,破症瘕痰癖,除壅滞气急,通十二水道。有黑
白二种,黑者属水力速,白者属金力缓,非病形与症俱实者,勿用也。以气药引之,则入
气分,以血药引之,则入血分。气用枳壳,血用大黄,此其法也。如气药用之,必须用白术
茯苓白芍为主,而后用牵牛为良。盖苓术本补气药也,而有淡渗之功,兼以芍药之酸,以收
真气,则泻之者,仅泻其气分之邪耳,于真气竟何损哉。如血家用之,必须当归川芎白芍
为主,而后用牵牛为佳。盖芎归本补血药也,而有荣养之妙,兼以芍药之敛,以固真血,则
泻之者,仅泻其血分之邪耳。于真血有何伤哉。畏巴豆。
气平,味甘,无毒。疗跌扑抑损,理风肿痈疮。女人月水不匀,非此莫调。产后儿枕,
非此莫去。炒则补血而且止,生则破血而兼消。佐黄柏、君故纸,崩漏殊功。同槐花、使条
芩,肠风立效。吐衄唾咯者,血热妄行也,用之立验。凝积症瘕者,血瘀乱聚也,投之即去。
(浮萍)气性温,味道辛,无毒。治疗时行热病,洗浴可治遍身瘙痒疮疡。消除水肿并通利小便,去除突发燥热并止住消渴症。与艾叶同用能迅速发汗,驱散风邪速度极快。(服用方法:)制成蜜丸,大小如弹子为宜,表面青色背面紫色才是真品。采集浮萍的歌谣说:“天生灵草无根干,不在山弓不在岸,采伐之时七月半,紫小微风都不算,豆淋酒内下三丸,铁 头上也出汗。”
(牵牛子)气性寒,味道苦,属火且善于走窜,有治疗水肿的功效,能破除症瘕痰癖,消除壅滞引起的气急,疏通十二水道。有黑色和白色两种,黑色的属水,药力迅猛;白色的属金,药力缓和。如果不是病症与体质都实盛的病人,不要使用。如果用理气药作为引经药,则进入气分;如果用理血药作为引经药,则进入血分。入气分用枳壳,入血分用大黄,这是其用法。如果使用气分药配伍,必须以白术、茯苓、白芍为主药,然后再用牵牛子才良好。因为茯苓、白术本是补气药,但有淡渗利湿的功效,再加上白芍的酸味,以收敛真气,那么泻下的只是气分的邪气罢了,对真气有什么损害呢?如果使用血分药配伍,必须以当归、川芎、白芍为主药,然后再用牵牛子才佳。因为川芎、当归本是补血药,但有荣养的精妙之处,再加上白芍的收敛作用,以固守真血,那么泻下的只是血分的邪气罢了。对真血又有什么伤害呢?畏忌巴豆。
(蒲黄)气性平,味道甘,无毒。治疗跌打损伤,调理风肿痈疮。妇女月经不调,不用此药无法调治。产后儿枕痛,不用此药无法去除。炒熟后能补血而且止血,生用能破血而且消散瘀血。佐以黄柏,以故纸(补骨脂)为君药,对崩漏有特殊功效。同槐花、使条芩(黄芩)配合,对肠风便血立即见效。吐血、衄血、唾血、咯血者,是血热妄行所致,使用它立即见效。凝结成积症瘕者,是血瘀乱聚所致,投用它即能消除。
(Floating Duckweed) Its nature is warm, its taste is pungent, and it is non-toxic. It treats epidemic febrile diseases; bathing with it can treat generalized pruritic sores. It reduces edema and promotes urination, removes sudden dryness-heat, and stops polydipsia. When combined with Artemisia argyi (Mugwort), it induces sweating rapidly and expels wind quickly. Prepared as honey pills, sized like a bullet, those with a green surface and purple back are authentic. The song for harvesting floating duckweed says: "Heaven-born spiritual herb without roots or stems, neither on mountain slopes nor on banks, harvested at the midpoint of the seventh month, small purple ones are not considered [inferior], three pills in bean-lei wine will cause sweat even on an iron head."
(Pharbitidis Semen) Its nature is cold, its taste is bitter, it belongs to Fire and is good at moving freely. It has the efficacy of treating edema, breaking masses (Zheng Jia) and phlegm-stagnation, removing obstruction causing shortness of breath, and unblocking the twelve water passages. There are two types: black and white. The black type belongs to Water and acts swiftly; the white type belongs to Metal and acts slowly. It should not be used unless both the pathogenic factor and the patient's constitution are excess patterns. If guided by Qi-regulating herbs, it enters the Qi level; if guided by Blood-regulating herbs, it enters the Blood level. For entering the Qi level, use Zhiqiao (Aurantii Fructus); for entering the Blood level, use Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma). This is the method. When used in Qi-level formulas, it must be combined primarily with Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Fuling (Poria), and Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), followed by Pharbitidis Semen for optimal effect. Since Poria and Atractylodes are essentially Qi-tonifying herbs but possess mild diuretic properties, combined with the sour nature of Paeonia to consolidate true Qi, the purging action only eliminates pathogens in the Qi level, causing no harm to true Qi. When used in Blood-level formulas, it must be combined primarily with Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), and Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), followed by Pharbitidis Semen for best results. Since Chuanxiong and Angelica are essentially Blood-nourishing herbs with excellent nourishing virtues, combined with the astringent nature of Paeonia to secure true Blood, the purging action only eliminates pathogens in the Blood level, causing no injury to true Blood. It is incompatible with Crotonis Fructus (Badou).
(Corylus Pollen / Typhae Pollen - Puhuang) Its nature is neutral, its taste is sweet, and it is non-toxic. It treats contusions and injuries, and manages wind-swelling and carbuncles. For women with irregular menstruation, no other herb can regulate it as effectively. For postpartum uterine masses (Erzhen), no other herb can dispel them as effectively. Stir-fried, it tonifies Blood and stops bleeding; raw, it breaks Blood and dissipates stasis. Assisted by Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) and with Psoraleae Fructus (Guzhi) as the sovereign herb, it achieves remarkable results in metrorrhagia and metrostaxis. Combined with Sophorae Flavescentis Flos (Huaihua) and Scutellariae Radix (Tiaohuangqin), it produces immediate effects in intestinal wind bleeding. For hematemesis, epistaxis, spitting blood, or coughing up blood caused by reckless movement due to Blood-heat, its use yields immediate verification. For coagulated masses and tumors caused by chaotic aggregation of Blood-stasis, administering it leads to their elimination.