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Bitter, pungent, warm in nature, toxic.

[Invention] Ba Dou (Croton Seed) is bitter and pungent, with a heavy and descending nature. Therefore, it can primarily treat acute edema, fluid retention, and accumulations of masses, with efficacy surpassing that of *Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix* (Daji). However, it must not be used by individuals with Qi deficiency. Ye recorded its use for treating severe abdominal colic caused by consuming meat from cattle, horses, or other livestock; crushing the fresh seed to extract natural juice, one to two cups were taken at once, inducing severe diarrhea. Once the toxin was expelled, the patient recovered. In winter, the root bark is crushed and mixed with wine, then the juice is extracted and ingested. Applying its oil to the head turns white hair black. Applied to various swellings, pains, sores, and scabies, it is also effective. Inserting the oil into the wick of a candle can guide the relief of severe constipation, proving highly effective.

Pungent, hot, highly toxic. The husk and heart should be removed before stir-frying until purple-black, or calcined to retain its properties, or ground and pressed between paper to remove the oil, yielding the "Ba Dou Frost" (Croton Seed Frost), prepared according to specific prescriptions.

The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states: It treats chills and fever associated with cold-damp malaria, breaks up masses and accumulations, eliminates hard deposits, retained fluids, phlegm-accumulation, and abdominal distension. It purges the five zang and six fu organs, opens blockages, promotes the passage of water and grain, removes necrotic tissue, expels evil toxins, gu-poison, and pestilential pathogens, and kills parasites and fish.

[Invention] Ba Dou is pungent and hot, capable of purging the five zang and six fu organs. Its function extends beyond breaking up hard accumulations of masses to treating chills and fevers of cold-damp malaria. For instance, Zhang Zhongjing used *Bai San* (White Powder) to treat Cold-Excess Chest Bind (Han Shi Jie Xiong), deeply adhering to the principles of the *Shennong Bencao Jing*. Later editions often read "Warm Malaria," which is likely a textual error for "Damp Malaria" due to similar character shapes. Its nature is峻猛 (harsh and slippery), possessing the power to break blood stasis, discharge pus, attack phlegm, and drive out water. It should be administered according to the severity of the condition. Raw usage implies harsh purgation; cooked usage implies mild promotion of flow; using the oil-free frost pushes out the old and generates the new, applying contrary treatments based on the urgency of the disease. Harsh use achieves the merit of quelling chaos and eliminating disease; small doses achieve the subtlety of soothing and regulating the middle jiao. It can unblock the intestines or stop diarrhea, revealing a secret of millennia. An elderly woman suffered from chronic loose stools. After taking numerous spleen-regulating, lifting, and astringent medicines, her diarrhea worsened. Her pulse was deep and slippery, indicating long-term spleen-stomach injury and stagnation of cold accumulation. The method requires using hot-natured purgatives to expel cold and stop diarrhea. Subsequently, using this method to treat various conditions involving diarrhea, dysentery, and accumulations often resulted in recovery without causing diarrhea, the miracle lying in appropriate application. Improper use violates the taboo of damaging yin. Note: Both Ba Dou and *Rhei Radix et Rhizoma* (Dahuang) are purgatives. However, Dahuang is cold in nature and suitable for fu-organ diseases which are mostly heat-related; Ba Dou is hot in nature and suitable for zang-organ diseases which are mostly cold-related. Calcined Ba Dou husk retains properties that can stop diarrhea and dysentery, serving as another effective method. It is contraindicated in pregnancy because its potency can induce abortion. Li Dongyuan stated that Ba Dou is a general who breaches gates and seizes cities; it must not be used lightly. People use it to treat alcohol-induced diseases and diaphragmatic qi stagnation because its pungency and heat can open gastrointestinal郁热 (stagnant heat). However, although the stagnation is cleared, blood is consumed, leading to yin deficiency. Using it for cold-damage chest bind or pediatric malnutrition (Gan Ji) is dangerous, potentially fatal. Why do mediocre physicians fear Dahuang but not Ba Dou? Only because Ba Dou is hot and the dose is small. Testing a tiny amount on intact skin causes blistering in moments; how much more destructive would it be to the intestines and stomach, causing burning and ulceration? Even if unavoidable in emergency cases, only a small amount of oil-extracted frost should be added to the prescription.