赤石脂味甘酸辛大温 涩可去脱以收敛，益神志五脏虚之主腹痛肠 下痢。
禹余粮汤止痢；
桃花汤固肠。
禹余粮甘寒 仲景治痢，在下焦用重去怯以禁固。
白头翁苦寒 主赤毒下痢，仲景用散热浓肠。
秦皮苦寒 主身热风寒湿痹，仲景治热痢下重，故以纯苦之剂坚之。
粳米味甘 益气止烦，止泄养脾，补胃补中，象西方色白入太阴脾经。
桃花汤养正气；
石膏汤益不足。
白粉 米粉也，故猪肤汤用以益气断痢。此非定粉化铅所作，止可涂面，不堪入药。
猪肤甘温 猪，水蓄，其气入肾，少阴客热，下痢咽痛者解之。
薤白辛苦性温 泄满气，入太阴经，性滑利，行阳明路，除寒热，去水散结
气温中。四逆散治泄痢下重，三焦气滞，故以引用。
代赭石苦甘性寒 重为镇固之剂，其气虚逆而上则噫，故仲景用重以镇虚逆。
旋复花咸甘 冷利有小毒，开结气行痰水，逐留饮，消痰结。仲景治痞硬则
气坚，用咸以 之。
生地黄甘苦大寒 手太阴益阴之剂，撤肾经虚热，导心膈虚烦，故炙甘草汤润经而复脉。
天门冬苦平 利小便泄而不收，通肾气冷而能补，保肺气止嗽、撤虚热、祛痰。故升
麻汤润肺而除热。
麦门冬甘平微寒 阳中有阴之药，消肺中伏火伤金。治口干烦渴，虚劳客热。
炙甘草汤益阴血；
石膏汤补不足。
麻子仁甘平 足太阴手阳明要药，汗多胃实便难，燥湿而亡津液，故脾约丸
通肠润燥。复脉汤益气润经。
通草辛甘 通阴窍，涩而不行；消水肿，闭而不去，闭涩用之，故名通草。
故当归四逆以缓阴血。
当归甘辛性温 属阳，可升可降，在气主气，在血主血，各有所归，故名当
归。除客血，补虚劳，滋养诸经。
四逆汤益血；
升麻汤补虚。
凡四方同用。
Chishizhi (Red Halloysite) has a sweet, sour, and acrid taste, and is extremely warm in nature. Its astringent property can consolidate leakage and stop discharge; it is the principal herb for treating abdominal pain and dysentery caused by deficiency of the five Zang organs.
Yuyuliang Tang (Halloysitum Rubrum Decoction) stops dysentery;
Taohua Tang (Peach Blossom Decoction) consolidates the intestines.
Yuyuliang (Halloysitum Rubrum) is sweet and cold in nature. Zhang Zhongjing treated dysentery by using heavy sedatives to dispel fearfulness and secure the lower Jiao (Lower Burner).
Baitouweng (Radix Pulsatillae) is bitter and cold. It primarily treats bloody toxic dysentery. Zhang Zhongjing used it to clear heat and thicken the intestinal fluids.
Qinpi (Cortex Fraxini) is bitter and cold. It treats fever, wind-cold-damp bi syndrome. Zhang Zhongjing used it to treat heat dysentery with tenesmus (heaviness in the anus), employing purely bitter agents to firm and secure.
Jingmi (Rice Grain) is sweet. It benefits Qi, relieves irritability, stops diarrhea, nourishes the Spleen, and tonifies Stomach and Middle Jiao Qi. Its white color corresponds to the West and enters the Taiyin Spleen Meridian.
Taohua Tang (Peach Blossom Decoction) nourishes righteous Qi;
Shigao Tang (Gypsum Decoction) supplements insufficiency.
Baifen (White Powder) refers to rice flour. Therefore, Zhufu Tang (Pig Skin Decoction) uses it to benefit Qi and stop dysentery. This is not Dingfen (Lead White) made from lead, which is only suitable for facial application and unfit for medicinal use.
Zhufu (Pig Skin) is sweet and warm. Pigs are water-harboring animals, and their qi enters the Kidney. It resolves Shaoyin (Lesser Yin) exogenous heat causing dysentery and sore throat.
Xiebai (Rhizoma Allii Macrostemonis) is acrid, bitter, and warm. It drains fullness and moves Qi, enters the Taiyin Meridian, has a slippery and lubricating nature, travels through the Yangming pathway, removes cold and heat, and disperses fluid retention. Its warmth warms the Middle Jiao. Si Ni San (Four Counterflow Powder) treats diarrhea/dysentery with tenesmus and Qi stagnation in the Three Jiao; thus, it is used as a guiding herb.
Daizheshi (Hematitum) is bitter, sweet, and cold. Being heavy, it is a sedative and consolidating agent. When Qi deficiency leads to rebellious upward movement, belching occurs; therefore, Zhang Zhongjing used heavy substances to calm rebellious Qi.
Xuanfuhua (Flos Inulae) is salty, sweet, cold, and slightly toxic. It opens knotting Qi, moves phlegm-fluids, expels retained fluid, and dissipates phlegm nodules. Zhang Zhongjing treated Pi (fullness/hardness) where Qi was hardened, using salty flavors to soften hardness.
Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Recens) is sweet, bitter, and extremely cold. It is an agent for nourishing Yin in the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, clearing deficient heat from the Kidney meridian, and directing away deficient irritability in the Heart and Diaphragm. Thus, Zhi Gancao Tang (Prepared Licorice Decoction) uses it to moisten meridians and restore the pulse.
Tianmendong (Radix Asparagi) is bitter and neutral. It promotes urination and drains without astringing, unblocks Kidney Qi (cold but capable of tonification), protects Lung Qi to stop coughing, clears deficient heat, and expels phlegm. Thus, Shengma Tang (Cimicifugae Decoction) uses it to moisten the Lungs and clear heat.
Maimendong (Radix Ophiopogonis) is sweet, neutral, and slightly cool. It is a drug containing Yin within Yang, clearing latent fire in the Lungs to prevent damage to Metal. It treats dry mouth, irritability, thirst, consumptive disease, and exogenous heat.
Zhi Gancao Tang (Prepared Licorice Decoction) benefits Yin and Blood;
Shigao Tang (Gypsum Decoction) supplements insufficiency.
Huozhiren (Semen Cannabis) is sweet and neutral. It is a key herb for the Foot-Taiyin Spleen and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine meridians. When excessive sweating leads to stomach excess and difficult defecation, drying dampness consumes body fluids, Pi Yue Wan (Spleen Restraint Pill) uses it to unblock intestines and moisten dryness. Fumai Tang (Restore the Pulse Decoction) uses it to benefit Qi and moisten meridians.
Tongcao (Medullia Tetrapanacis) is acrid and sweet. It unblocks yin orifices when obstructed; reduces edema when blocked. Because it treats obstruction and astringency, it is named Tongcao (Unblocking Grass).
Therefore, Danggui Sini Tang (Angelica Decoction for Reversal of Cold) uses it to soothe Yin blood.
Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) is sweet, acrid, and warm. It belongs to Yang, can ascend and descend. In the Qi level, it manages Qi; in the Blood level, it manages Blood. Each returns to its proper place, hence the name Danggui (Returning to the Proper Place). It expels stagnant blood, tonifies deficiency and consumption, and nourishes all meridians.
Si Ni Tang (Four Counterflow Decoction) benefits Blood;
Shengma Tang (Cimicifugae Decoction) tonifies deficiency.
These four formulas are often used together.