大凡用药，须要得法。或微水渗，或略用火烘，湿者候干，坚者待润，才无碎末好看，
仍忌锉多留久，恐走气味不灵，旋锉应人，方能取效。根梢各治，尤勿混淆，生苗向上者为
根，气脉上行。入土垂下者为梢，气脉下行。中截为身，气脉中守。上焦病者用根，中焦病
者用身，下焦病者用梢，盖根升梢降，中守不移故也。
大都制药要在适中，过与不及，其失则一。火制四∶有 有炮有炙有炒之不同。水制三∶
有渍有泡有洗之弗等。水火合制者二∶有蒸有煮之不同。余外制法虽多，总不离此二端，匪
故巧为异法，然皆各有意在。酒制升提。姜制发散。盐制走肾，仍仗软坚。用醋注肝经，且
资住痛。童便制、除劣性降下。米泔制、去燥性和中。乳制助生阴血，蜜制增益元阳，土制
补益中焦，麸制勿伤上膈。黑豆汤甘草汤渍曝，并能解毒。羊酥油猪脂油涂烧，容易脆研。
剜去瓤者免胀，抽去心者除烦。
治至高之病者，以酒煎。去湿以生姜引，补元气以大枣引，发散风寒以葱白引，去膈上
痰以蜜引，通秘结以铁锈水引，回胃气以陈壁土引。散者、细末也，不循经络，止去胃中及
脏腑之积气。去下部之疾者，其丸极大而光。中焦者丸如梧桐子大。上焦者丸如绿豆大。发
散用酒糊，收敛用醋糊，调理脾胃用神曲糊，去湿用姜汁糊。滴水丸者，取其易化也。炼蜜
丸者，取其缓化，而气循经络也。用蜡丸者，取其难化，而旋旋取效也。
大凡使用药物，必须掌握正确的方法。有的用少量水浸润，有的用微火烘烤，潮湿的药材需等待其干燥，坚硬的药材需等待其湿润，这样才能避免产生碎末而外观不佳。同时仍要忌讳锉研过多且存放过久，恐怕药气散失导致药效不灵，应当随用随锉，才能取得疗效。根部和梢部各有不同的治疗作用，尤其不要混淆。生长在地面以上向上生长的部分称为根，其气脉上行；深入泥土向下垂下的部分称为梢，其气脉下行；中间截取的部分称为身，其气脉居中守持。上焦的疾病使用根部，中焦的疾病使用中部，下焦的疾病使用梢部，这是因为根性升、梢性降、中部气机守中不变的道理。
大体上炮制药物关键在于适中，过度或不足，造成的失误是一样的。火制法有四种：有煅、有炮、有炙、有炒的不同。水制法有三种：有渍、有泡、有洗的区别。水火合制法有两种：有蒸、有煮的不同。其余的制药方法虽然很多，但总离不开这两类，并非故意标新立异，然而每一种都有其特定的用意。酒制能使药性升提。姜制能发散邪气。盐制使药力走肾经，并能软化坚硬之物。醋制引导药力注入肝经，并且有助于止痛。童便制能去除药物的劣性并使其药性下降。米泔水制能去除燥性并调和脾胃。乳汁制能助长生发阴血，蜂蜜制能增益元阳，土制能补益中焦，麸皮制能保护上膈不受损伤。用黑豆汤或甘草汤浸泡后曝晒，都能解毒。用羊酥油或猪脂油涂抹后烧制，容易研磨成细粉。挖去瓤部的可避免引起腹胀，抽去心部的可消除烦躁。
治疗位于人体最高部位（上焦）的疾病，用酒煎煮。祛湿用生姜作为引经药，补元气用大枣作为引经药，发散风寒用葱白作为引经药，去除膈上痰饮用蜜作为引经药，通利秘结用铁锈水作为引经药，恢复胃气用陈壁土作为引经药。散剂是细粉末，不循行经络，只用于去除胃中及脏腑内的积滞之气。治疗下部疾病的丸剂，体积极大且表面光滑。治疗中焦疾病的丸剂，大小如梧桐子。治疗上焦疾病的丸剂，大小如绿豆。发散表邪用酒糊为粘合剂，收敛固涩用醋糊为粘合剂，调理脾胃用神曲糊为粘合剂，祛湿用姜汁糊为粘合剂。滴水泛丸，取其易于化开的特性。炼蜜泛丸，取其缓慢化开，使药气循行经络的特性。用蜡为衣的丸剂，取其难以化开，从而缓缓取效的特性。
Generally, the use of medicinal materials requires proper methods. Some are moistened with a small amount of water, some are dried with slight fire heat; damp materials are waited until dry, and hard materials are waited until moistened, so as to avoid unsightly fragments. It is still advisable to avoid excessive chopping and long-term storage, lest the medicinal qi dissipate and efficacy be lost. Chopping immediately before use ensures therapeutic effect. The root and tip have distinct therapeutic actions and must not be confused. The part growing upward above ground is called the root (Gen), with medicinal qi moving upward. The part extending downward into the soil is called the tip (Shao), with medicinal qi moving downward. The middle section is called the body (Shen), with medicinal qi staying central. For diseases in the Upper Jiao (Upper Burner), the root is used; for diseases in the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner), the body is used; for diseases in the Lower Jiao (Lower Burner), the tip is used. This is because roots ascend, tips descend, and the center remains stable.
In general, processing medicinal materials should be moderate; both excess and deficiency lead to similar failures. Fire processing includes four types: calcining (Duan), roasting (Pao), stir-frying with adjuvants (Zhi), and dry stir-frying (Chao). Water processing includes three types: soaking (Ze), steeping (Pao), and washing (Xi). Combined water-fire processing includes two types: steaming (Zheng) and boiling (Zhu). Although other processing methods exist, they generally fall into these two categories, not merely for novelty, but each has specific intent. Wine processing promotes ascending action. Ginger processing promotes dispersing action. Salt processing directs the drug to the Kidney channel and softens hardness. Vinegar processing guides the drug to the Liver channel and alleviates pain. Processing with human urine removes inferior properties and directs action downward. Processing with rice wash water removes dryness and harmonizes the Spleen and Stomach. Processing with milk assists in generating Yin blood. Processing with honey tonifies Original Yang. Earth processing tonifies the Middle Jiao. Bran processing protects the upper diaphragm from damage. Soaking in Black Bean Decoction or Licorice Root Decoction followed by sun-drying can detoxify. Coating with Sheep Butter or Pig Lard and then roasting makes them easy to grind finely. Removing the pith prevents abdominal distension. Removing the heart eliminates irritability.
For treating diseases in the highest part of the body, decoct with wine. To dispel dampness, use Fresh Ginger Rhizome as a guiding agent. To tonify Original Qi, use Jujube Fruit as a guiding agent. To disperse Wind-Cold, use Scallion White as a guiding agent. To remove phlegm from the diaphragm, use Honey as a guiding agent. To relieve constipation, use Rust Water as a guiding agent. To restore Stomach Qi, use Old Wall Soil as a guiding agent. Powders are fine particles that do not follow the meridians; they are used only to remove accumulated Qi in the Stomach and Zang-Fu organs. Pills for treating diseases in the lower part of the body are large and smooth. Pills for the Middle Jiao are the size of Sophora seeds. Pills for the Upper Jiao are the size of Mung beans. For dispersing actions, use Wine Paste as a binder. For astringent actions, use Vinegar Paste as a binder. For regulating Spleen and Stomach, use Medicated Leaven Paste as a binder. For dispelling dampness, use Ginger Juice Paste as a binder. Pill-making by dripping water utilizes the property of easy dissolution. Pill-making with refined honey utilizes the property of slow dissolution, allowing the medicinal qi to circulate through the meridians. Wax-coated pills utilize the property of difficult dissolution, ensuring a gradual therapeutic effect.