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Zelan (Lycopus lucidus): Bitter, sweet, slightly warm, non-toxic. Take the leaves and wash them with wine.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats metal wounds (injuries caused by metal instruments), carbuncles and swellings, and pus in sores.
[Invention] Zelan enters the blood aspect of the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian and Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian. It is specifically used to treat postpartum stagnant blood flowing into the waist and thighs, causing spasms and pain; it breaks old blood, eliminates masses (abdominal lumps), and removes edema as well as swelling of the body, face, and four limbs. *Shennong Bencao Jing* records its treatment of metal wounds, carbuncles, and pus, all relying on its blood-dispersing efficacy, making it an essential herb for obstetrics. When assisted by Xiongguang (Ligusticum chuanxiong), Guibai (Angelica sinensis), and Tongbian (urine of a young boy), its efficacy surpasses that of Yimucao (Leonurus japonicus).

Malan (Kalimeris indica): Pungent, neutral, non-toxic. Those with red stems are superior.
[Invention] Malan enters the blood aspect of the Yangming Stomach Meridian and has functions similar to Zelan. Thus, it can break old blood and generate new blood. In alchemical prescriptions, it is effective for treating women's strangury and turbidity, as well as hemorrhoids and fistulas. For throat obstruction with swelling and pain, crush the roots and leaves of Malan to extract juice, add rice vinegar, and drip into the nostrils or pour into the throat to induce expectoration. For colic-like abdominal pain (Jiaochangsha), chew Malan finely and swallow the juice for immediate relief. For edema with difficult urination, take a handful of Malan, one pinch of black beans, and one pinch of wheat, decoct with water and wine, and drink; this is effective. For snakebites, pound Malan to extract juice, mix with vinegar, and apply externally. All these applications rely on its blood-dispersing and detoxifying properties.

Xiangru (Elsholtzia splendens): Pungent, slightly warm, non-toxic. The white-flowered variety from Jiangxi is superior.
[Invention] Xiangru is pungent and warm; its action first ascends then descends. Therefore, when taken hot, it can disperse summerheat pathogens; when taken cold, it clears heat and promotes diuresis, making it very swift in treating water-dampness. Physicians of later generations use Xiangru Yin (Columbine Decoction) as the primary medicine for treating summerheat diseases. However, if summerheat is contracted due to seeking coolness and drinking cold beverages, causing yang qi to be suppressed by yin-cold pathogens, resulting in fever, aversion to cold, headache, irritability, thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, or cholera-like symptoms, it is appropriate to use this herb to vent yang qi, scatter water, and harmonize the spleen. If the condition arises from irregular diet or physical overexertion, leading to summerheat injury with fever, severe thirst, irritability, and rapid breathing, this is a syndrome of internal injury due to fatigue and exhaustion, requiring the method of clearing summerheat and benefiting qi. If there is high fever and severe thirst, formulas such as Renshen Baihu Tang (Ginseng White Tiger Decoction) should be used to drain fire and benefit primal qi. Furthermore, if there is profuse sweating like rain, vomiting and diarrhea leading to yuan qi collapse, cold limbs, and a faint pulse near extinction, rescue formulas such as Dashun Jiangshui San must be employed. Using Xiangru Yin in such cases would further deplete the exterior defense, leading to imminent collapse within moments. Nowadays, people do not understand this and generally use iced Xiangru Yin as tea. If administered to individuals with deficient yuan qi, it often causes disease. Xiangru is an exterior-releasing herb for summer, analogous to the use of Mahuang (Ephedra) in winter; how can it be used indiscriminately by those with qi deficiency? The Xiangru Wan (Columbine Pill) in *Shenshi Fang* treats generalized edema by decocting Xiangru into a paste, mixing it with Baizhu powder to form pills, taken three times during the day and once at night with rice water, which is effective.