气寒，味苦辛，阴中微阳也，无毒。凉骨蒸灵丹，止吐衄神方。惟其苦也，故除症坚瘀
血留舍于肠胃之中。惟其辛也，故散冷热血气收作于生产之后。月水欠匀者，服之即调。风
痫时搐者，用之可定。痈疽用之，消肿住痛。痘家用之，行血排脓。清胃汤中止牙疚，快斑
饮内散血热，何也？为其养真血，而攻坏血，固真气，而行结气耳。又治手少阴神不足，足
少阴志不足，故仲景八味丸用之。孕妇所忌。
气寒，味苦酸，无毒。可升可降，阳中阴也。酸苦能补虚，故主伤中五劳羸瘦，补虚益
气也。气寒能利水，故主除肺中水气，止唾血，消水肿，利水道也。蜜炙用之，又主理肺气，
而止咳嗽。与阿胶同用，又能治血嗽，盖阿胶补血，所忌者在敛肺耳，今得此剂以泻之，则
血得补而不患其为敛也。桑白皮乃监制阿胶之妙剂也，用之者，其可少乎。
气温味辛，可升可降，阳也。惟入血分，专治女科。下胎死腹中，为未生圣药。疗口噤
血晕，诚已产佳品。多用破血，少用养血。大都辛温则能和血，故少用养血。若过于辛温，
则血又走散，故多用破血。此通经药中宜用之，必须酒煮。东垣以为补血虚者，为其兼血药
用之，斯能行血养血，而有补血之功也。苗捣敷游毒殊功，胭脂滴 耳立效。
牡丹皮：气味寒，味苦、辛，属于阴中略带阳性的药物，无毒。它是治疗骨蒸劳热的灵丹妙药，也是止住吐血、鼻衄的神方。正因为它的苦味，所以能消除积聚在肠胃中的症坚（腹内结块）和瘀血停留；正因为它的辛味，所以能散除产后因冷热血气收敛而导致的病证。月经不规律的，服用后就能调和；患有风痫且时常抽搐的，使用后便可安定。治疗痈疽时使用它，可以消肿止痛；痘医使用它，可以行血排脓。在清胃汤中用它来缓解牙痛，在快斑饮中用它来消散血热，为什么呢？是因为它能滋养真血而攻逐坏血，固护真气而行散郁结之气。另外还用于治疗手少阴心经神气不足、足少阴肾经志气不足，所以张仲景在八味丸中使用了它。孕妇忌用。
桑白皮：气味寒，味苦、酸，无毒。药性可升可降，属于阳中兼阴。酸苦味能补虚，所以主治因五劳七伤导致的身体虚弱消瘦，起到补虚益气的作用。气味寒能利水，所以主治清除肺中的水气，止住唾血，消除水肿，通利水道。如果用蜜炙过再使用，又主治调理肺气，止住咳嗽。与阿胶同用时，又能治疗血嗽（咳血），因为阿胶补血，其禁忌在于收敛肺气，现在得到桑白皮的泻降作用，那么血得到补益而不必担心其收敛之弊。桑白皮是监制阿胶的巧妙配伍，使用者怎能轻视它呢？
红花：气温，味辛，药性可升可降，属于阳性药物。只入血分，专门治疗妇科病。对于胎死腹中，是未生产前的圣药。治疗口噤（牙关紧闭）和产后血晕，确实是已生产后的佳品。多用则破血，少用则养血。大抵辛温能和血，所以少用能养血。如果过于辛温，血液又会走散，所以多用则破血。这是通经药中应当使用的，必须用酒煮。李东垣认为它能补补血虚，是因为将其作为血药配合使用时，才能行血养血，从而发挥补血的功效。苗叶捣碎外敷，对游走性毒疮有殊效；胭脂滴耳，立见成效。
Mudanpi (Cortex Moutan): The qi is cold, the taste is bitter and acrid. It belongs to yin with slight yang, and is non-toxic. It is a spiritual elixir for cooling bone-steaming heat and a divine prescription for stopping hematemesis and epistaxis. Due to its bitterness, it eliminates hard accumulations (zheng) and stagnant blood retained within the intestines and stomach. Due to its acridity, it disperses pathological conditions arising from the contraction of cold and hot blood and qi after childbirth. For irregular menstruation, taking it will regulate the flow. For wind-phlegm epilepsy with frequent convulsions, using it can stabilize the condition. When used for carbuncles and sores, it reduces swelling and stops pain. When used by physicians treating smallpox, it promotes blood circulation and expels pus. In Qingwei Tang (Stomach-Clearing Decoction), it alleviates toothache; in Kuaiban Yin (Rash-Swiftness Drink), it dissipates blood-heat. Why? Because it nourishes true blood while attacking damaged blood, consolidates true qi while moving stagnant qi. It also treats insufficiency of Shen (Spirit) in the Hand-Shaoyin Heart Meridian and insufficiency of Zhi (Will) in the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian; therefore, Zhang Zhongjing included it in Bawei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill). Pregnant women should avoid it.
Sangbaipi (Cortex Mori): The qi is cold, the taste is bitter and sour, and it is non-toxic. Its action can ascend and descend, belonging to yang with yin. Sour and bitter flavors can tonify deficiency; thus, it primarily treats emaciation and weakness caused by the five labors (chronic overwork), providing tonification and qi supplementation. Cold qi promotes diuresis; thus, it clears water-dampness in the lungs, stops hemoptysis, reduces edema, and benefits the water passages. When honey-fried, it regulates Lung qi and stops coughing. When used together with Ejiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin), it treats hemoptysis. Since Ejiao tonifies blood but has the contraindication of astringing Lung qi, obtaining the draining action of Sangbaipi ensures that blood is tonified without worrying about excessive astringency. Sangbaipi is an ingenious agent for controlling the properties of Ejiao; how could users neglect it?
Honghua (Flos Carthami): The qi is warm, the taste is acrid. Its action can ascend and descend, belonging to yang. It enters the blood level and specializes in treating gynecological diseases. For fetal death retained in the uterus, it is a sacred medicine before birth. For treating trismus and postpartum blood syncope, it is indeed an excellent product for after birth. Large doses break blood; small doses nourish blood. Generally, acrid-warm herbs harmonize blood, so small doses nourish blood. If excessively acrid-warm, blood may scatter, so large doses break blood. It should be used among blood-invigorating medicines for unblocking menses and must be decocted with wine. Li Dongyuan considered it capable of tonifying blood deficiency because when used in conjunction with other blood herbs, it can move and nourish blood, thereby achieving the effect of tonifying blood. Crushed seedlings applied externally are highly effective for wandering toxins; red dye drops into the ear produce immediate results.