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[Cezi (Side Root of Aconitum)] Pungent in flavor, excessively hot in nature, possessing great toxicity. It primarily treats carbuncles and swellings, wind-bi syndrome, li-jie disease (painful obstruction with wandering joint pain), cold pain in the waist and legs alternating with fever, shu-lou (scrofula/lymph node tuberculosis), and can induce abortion. *Yao Xing Lun* states: It serves as a guiding drug (shi). It can treat cold-damp wind-bi, da-feng (severe wind diseases such as leprosy), and spasm/tightness of sinews and bones. Tao Hongjing said: Contemporary physicians use it to treat hong-gang-jiao (foot qi/podagra) with frequent efficacy. Chen Zangqi stated: It treats generalized wind-rash. It is taken mixed with cold wine. *Tu Jing* records: Wu-tou and Wu-hui grow in the valleys of Langling; Tian-xiong grows in the valleys of Shaoshi; Fu-zi and Ce-zi grow in the valleys of Qianwei and Guanghan; currently, all are produced in Shu territory. Mutual aversion and incompatibility: Same as Fu-zi.

[Fuzi (Lateral Root of Aconitum)] Pungent in flavor, slightly warm in nature, possessing great toxicity. It primarily treats wind-damp, scrotal itching due to kidney dampness in men, li-jie disease with alternating chills and fever, lumbar pain radiating that prevents walking, carbuncles and swellings with pus accumulation, and can induce abortion. *Yao Xing Lun* states: It serves as a guiding drug (shi). Contraindications: Dou chi juice (fermented soybean juice). Bitter and pungent in flavor, excessively hot in nature. It treats weakness of kidney qi in men, sweating in the genital area, wind-warmth, pain caused by damp pathogenic factors, and persistent carbuncles and swellings with alternating chills and fever. Mutual aversion and incompatibility: Same as Wu-tou.

[Shegan (Rhizome Belamcandae)] Pungent in flavor, neutral in nature. Raw form is slightly cold; cooked form is warm. Toxic. It primarily treats chills and fever from shang-han (cold damage), hardness below the heart, directs qi downward, sore throat and swelling, dizziness and chest distension, cough with rebellious qi, borborygmus, stops sweating, resolves phlegm-heat fullness and accumulation in the heart, abdomen, and diaphragm, cough with rebellious qi, acute pain and hard masses below the heart, vomiting and regurgitation from seasonal epidemics, reduces carbuncles and swellings, induces abortion, and treats wei-huang (sallow complexion/wasting-thirst). *Yao Xing Lun* states: It serves as a guiding drug (shi). It can resolve phlegm-saliva, open the stomach and strengthen the spleen, stop vomiting, remove fullness of phlegm in the chest, direct qi downward, and treat nodules under the chin. Fresh Shegan applied topically can eliminate persistent carbuncles and reduce tumors/goiters. For those with qi deficiency and phlegm-qi stagnation, it is added for use. Ri Huazi stated: Pungent in flavor. It treats projectile vomiting and reverse flow, hu-luan (cholera-like disorder) with muscle cramps, cold in intestines and abdomen, and phlegmatic malaria. The drug that acts as its guide is Shegan itself. Contraindications: Hai-zao (Sargassum), Yi-tang (malt sugar). Aversion: Zao-jia (Gleditsia sinensis fruit spine). Fear: Xiong-huang (Realgar), Sheng-jiang (Fresh Ginger), Gan-jiang (Dried Ginger), Qin-pi (Fraxinus bark), Gui-jia (Carapace Testudinis). Opposition: Wu-tou.

[Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei)] Bitter in flavor, cold in nature, non-toxic. It primarily treats blood stasis in the lower jiao, blood closure, chills and fever, breaks up zheng-jia accumulations (abdominal masses), expels retained fluids and old food retention, purges the stomach and intestines, pushes out the old to bring forth the new, promotes the passage of water and grain, harmonizes the middle jiao and transforms food, calms and harmonizes the five zang organs, levels the stomach and directs qi downward, removes phlegm-solidities, clears heat binding in the intestines, relieves abdominal fullness and distension, treats female blood closure and distension due to cold, hypogastric pain, and various forms of old blood retention and knotting. *Yao Xing Lun* states: It serves as a guiding drug (shi). It removes chills and fever, resolves accumulations and old food retention, benefits the large and small intestines, and is applied externally for heat-toxin diarrhea.