味辛、温、微温，有毒。主杀蛊毒鬼疰精物，辟恶气不祥，逐邪，解百毒。疗咳嗽喉结，
风邪烦惑，失魄妄见，去
目中肤翳，杀大毒，不入汤。一名爵犀，一名马目毒公，一名九臼，
一名天臼，一名解毒。生九真山谷及宛朐。二月、八月采根。
畏垣衣。鬼臼如射干，白而味甘，温，有毒。疗风邪鬼疰蛊毒。九臼相连、有毛者良，
一名九臼。生山谷，八月采，
阴干。又似钩吻。今马目毒公如黄精，根臼处似马眼而柔润；鬼臼似射干、术辈，有两种∶
出钱塘、近道者，味甘，上
有丛毛，最胜；出会稽、吴兴者，乃大，味苦，无丛毛，不如，略乃相似而乖异毒公。今方
家多用鬼臼，少用毒公。不
知此那复
〔谨案〕此药生深山岩石之阴。叶如蓖麻、重楼辈。生一茎，茎端
一叶，亦有两歧者。年长一
茎，茎枯为一臼。假令生来二十年，则有二十臼，岂惟九臼耶？根肉皮须并似射干。今俗用
皆是射干，及江南别送一物，
非真者。今荆州当阳县、硖州远安县、襄州荆山县山中并有之，极难得也。
味甘，寒。主消渴，客热，止小便利。
当掘取甘辛者，其露出及浮水中者，并不堪用也。
〔谨案〕此草，根疗呕逆不下食，
胃中热，伤寒患者弥良。其
花名蓬 ，水煮汁服，主霍乱大善，用有验也。
[Guibai]
Taste: Pungent. Nature: Warm and slightly warm. Toxicity: Toxic.
Main actions: Primarily kills gu poison (蛊毒,蛊毒), guizhu (鬼疰, a chronic wasting disease caused by evil qi), and spirit entities; repels evil qi and inauspiciousness; expels pathogenic factors; resolves various toxins.
Indications: Treats cough, laryngeal nodules (喉结), vexation and confusion caused by wind-pathogens, loss of魄 (spiritual essence) with delusions and hallucinations, removes corneal opacity (翳膜) from the eyes, kills severe toxins.
Usage notes: Not suitable for decoction.
Synonyms: Juexi (爵犀), Maimu Dougong (马目毒公), Jiujiu (九臼), Tianjiu (天臼), Jiedu (解毒).
Origin: Grows in the valleys of Jiuzhen and Wanqu.
Harvest time: Roots are harvested in February and August.
Incompatibility: Averse to Yuanyi (垣衣, moss or lichen on walls).
[Dougong]
Guibai resembles Shenggan (Belamcanda chinensis), is white, has a sweet taste, is warm, and toxic. It treats wind-pathogens, guizhu, and gu poison. Those with nine connected corms and having hairs are of good quality, also known as Jiujiu. Grows in valleys, harvested in August, dried in shade. It also resembles Gouwen (Gelsemium elegans).
Current Maimu Dougong resembles Huangjing (Polygonatum sibiricum); its root and corm resemble a horse's eye and are soft and moist. Guibai resembles Shenggan and Baizhu (Atractylodes macrocephala). There are two types:
1. Those from Qiantang and near roads have a sweet taste, possess clustered hairs on top, and are of the highest quality.
2. Those from Kuaiji and Wuxing are larger, bitter in taste, lack clustered hairs, and are inferior. Although slightly similar, their toxicity differs.
Currently, practitioners mostly use Guibai and rarely use Dougong.
[Commentary]
This medicine grows in the shade of deep mountain rocks. The leaves resemble those of Ricinus communis (Castor bean) and Chonglou (Paris polyphylla). It produces a single stem, with one leaf at the tip, sometimes bifurcated. Each year, one stem grows; when the stem withers, it forms one corm. If it grows for twenty years, there will be twenty corms, not merely nine. The root flesh, skin, and fibrous roots resemble Shenggan. Currently, what is commonly used is Shenggan, or another item sent from Jiangnan, neither of which is authentic. Currently, this herb exists in the mountains of Dangyang County in Jingzhou, Yuan'an County in Xia Prefecture, and Jingshan County in Xiangzhou, but it is extremely difficult to obtain.
[Lugen]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Cold.
Main actions: Primarily treats Xiaoke (消渴, diabetes mellitus/wasting-thirst syndrome), clears residual heat (客热), and stops frequent urination (小便利).
Selection criteria: Dig up those with sweet and pungent tastes. Those exposed to air or floating on water are unsuitable for use.
[Commentary]
The root of this herb treats vomiting and inability to eat, heat in the stomach, and is particularly beneficial for patients with Shanghan (Cold Damage). Its flower, named Pengxi (蓬葈), when boiled in water and the juice taken, primarily treats Huoluan (霍乱, cholera-like syndrome) with great efficacy, as verified by use.