味苦,微寒,无毒。主心腹邪气,肠鸣幽幽如走水,寒热,积聚,破症,除瘕,止烦满,
益气。养血,去心腹痼疾
结气,腰脊强脚痹,除风邪留热。久服利人。一名 蝉草,一名赤参,一名木羊乳。生桐柏
山川谷及太山。五月采根,
曝干。
畏咸水,反藜芦。 此桐柏山,是淮水源所出之山,在义阳,非江东临海之桐柏也。今
近道处处有,茎方有毛,紫
花,时人呼为逐马。酒渍饮之,疗风痹。道家时有用处,时人服之多眼赤,故应性热,今云
微寒,恐为谬矣。
〔谨案〕此药,冬采良,夏采虚恶。
味苦、甘,平,无毒。主金疮,止血,逐痛出刺,除风痹内寒。止心烦,鼻衄,痈疽,
恶疮, 乳,妇人难产。久
服
轻身,耐老,增寿。生太山山谷,二月、八月采。
今处处有。人言是蓼子,亦不耳。叶似酸浆,子似松子。而多入痈 方用之。
味苦,寒,无毒。主解诸毒,杀蛊 疰鬼螫毒,久服头不白,轻身。其叶汁,杀百药毒,
解野狼毒、射罔毒。其茎叶,
可以染青。生河内平泽。
此即今染 碧所用者。至解毒,人卒不能得生蓝汁,乃浣 布汁以解之,亦善。以汁涂
五心又止烦闷。尖叶者为胜,
甚疗蜂螫毒。
〔谨案〕蓝实,有三种∶一种围径二寸许,浓三、四分,出岭南,云疗毒肿,
太常名此草为木蓝子,如
陶所引乃是菘蓝,其汁抨(普更切)为淀者
辛者。此草汁疗热毒,诸蓝非
比,且二种蓝,今并堪染,菘蓝为淀,惟堪染青;其蓼蓝不堪为淀,惟作碧色尔。
[Danshen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma)]
Bitter, slightly cold, non-toxic. Primarily treats evil qi in the heart and abdomen, deep intestinal murmurs resembling flowing water, alternating chills and fever, accumulations, breaking of zheng masses (fixed abdominal masses), elimination of jia masses (mobile abdominal masses), stopping of vexation and fullness, tonifying qi, nourishing blood, removing stubborn diseases and stagnant qi in the heart and abdomen, treating stiffness of the waist and spine and bi syndrome (painful obstruction) of the legs, dispelling wind pathogen and lingering heat. Long-term use benefits the person. Also known as Chancao, Chishen, Muyangru. Grows in valleys of Mount Tongbai and Mount Tai. Roots are harvested in May and dried in the sun.
Averse to saline water; contrary to Lichu (Veratrum nigrum). This Mount Tongbai is the mountain where the source of the Huai River originates, located in Yiyang, not the Mount Tongbai in Linhai east of the river. It is now found everywhere near the roads; the stem is square and hairy, flowers are purple, and people at that time called it Zhuma. Soaked in wine and drunk, it treats wind-bi. Daoists sometimes use this herb; people who took it often had red eyes, suggesting its nature might be hot, so saying it is slightly cold may be erroneous.
[Note] For this herb, winter harvesting is good, while summer harvesting yields empty and inferior material.
[Wangbuliuxing (Vaccariae Semen)]
Bitter and sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Primarily treats metal wounds, stops bleeding, expels pain and removes splinters, dispels wind-bi and internal cold. Stops mental restlessness, epistaxis, carbuncles and sores, malignant ulcers, difficult labor, and difficult childbirth in women. Long-term use makes the body light, resists aging, and increases longevity. Grows in valleys of Mount Tai; harvested in February and August.
Now found everywhere. Some say it is Polygonum seeds, but this is not entirely accurate. Leaves resemble Physalis alkekengi (Chinese lantern plant); seeds resemble pine nuts. However, it is frequently included in formulas for treating carbuncles.
[Lanshi (Indigo Naturalis / Indigofera tinctoria Seed or Leaf-derived product context implies Indigo dye source, specifically referring to the plant material used for dye/medicine]**
*Note: The text describes "Lanshi" (Blue Fruit/Seed) but details match Indigofera plants used for dye and medicine. WHO term for the medicinal part derived from Isatis root is Banlangen, but here it refers to the fruit/seed or general plant material for dye/medicine. Based on "Lanshi" and description of dyeing, it relates to Indigofera tinctoria.*
Bitter, cold, non-toxic. Primarily resolves various toxins, kills gu poison, zhu ghost stinging poison. Long-term use prevents hair whitening and makes the body light. Its leaf juice kills poisoning from hundred medicines, resolves wild wolf poison and she wang poison. Its stems and leaves can be used to dye blue. Grows in plains and marshes of Henei.
This is what is currently used to dye green/blue. Regarding detoxification, if one suddenly cannot obtain indigo juice, washing cloth juice can be used to resolve it, which is also effective. Applying the juice to the five centers (both palms, both soles, and the chest) stops vexation and oppression. Those with pointed leaves are superior, especially for treating bee sting poison.
[Note] Lanshi has three types: One type is about two cun in circumference and three to four fen thick, produced in Lingnan, said to treat toxic swelling. The Taichang Temple calls this grass "Mulanzi". As cited by Tao Hongjing, this is actually Isatis root (Banlangen), whose juice beaten and settled becomes indigo pigment, which is pungent. The juice of this herb treats heat toxins, unlike other blues. Moreover, both types of blue herbs can be used for dyeing today; Isatis produces indigo pigment suitable only for dyeing blue; Polygonum tinctorium (Laolan) is unsuitable for producing indigo pigment, yielding only a green-blue color.