甘辛温，有毒。去壳取仁白者良。禁食炒豆，犯之必胀。
发明 蓖麻属阴，其性善收，能追脓取毒拔邪外出，为外科要药。能出有形之滞物，故
取胎产胞衣，剩骨胶血者用之。时珍曰∶蓖麻甘辛有热毒，气味颇近巴豆。亦能利人，故下
水气。其性善走，能开通诸窍经络，治偏风失音，口噤，口目 斜，头风七窍诸病，不止于
出有形之物也。盖鹈鹕油能引药气入内，蓖麻油能拔病气出外，故诸膏多用之。偏风手足不
举，同羊脂、穿山甲、麝香煎膏，日摩渐正研涂，瘰 、痘毒、痈肿即消，盖能引毒外出耳
。一人病手臂结块肿痛，用蓖麻仁捣膏，贴之即愈。一人病气郁而偏头痛，用此同乳香、食
盐捣，敷太阳，其痛立止。一妇产后子肠不收，捣贴丹田即上。此药外用屡奏奇勋，但不宜
内服耳。
一名恒山
苦辛温，有毒。川产淡黄细实如鸡骨者良，醋炒则不吐人。
《本经》主伤寒寒热，发温疟鬼毒，胸中痰结吐逆。
发明 夫疟有六经五脏痰湿、食积、风邪、瘴疫，须分阴阳虚实，不可一概论也。常山
治疟有劫痰截病之功，须在发散表邪，及提出阳分之后服之得宜。生用多用则上行必吐，若
酒浸炒透，则气少缓，稍用钱许亦不致吐也。得甘草则吐，得大黄则利。盖无痰不作疟，常
山专在驱逐痰水。杨士赢云∶常山治疟，人皆薄之，疟家多蓄痰涎黄水，或停潴心下，或结
胁间，乃生寒热。法当吐逆逐水，常山岂容不用，所以《本经》专主寒热温疟，痰结吐逆
，以疟病多由伤寒寒热或时气温疫而致痰水蓄聚心下也。夫水在上焦，则常山能吐之；水在
胁下，则常山能破其 而下其水。但须行血药佐之，如桃仁、莪术、穿山甲之类。其有纯热
发疟或蕴热内实之证，投以常山。大便点滴而下，似泄非泄，须用大黄为佐泻利数行，然后
获愈。常山阴毒之草，其性暴悍，虽有破瘴逐饮之能，然善损真气，所以仲景治疟方中从无
及此。而夏伤于暑，秋必 疟，及疟在三阴元气虚寒人，则常山、穿山甲辈皆为戈戟。
Background Information:
Book: Benjing Fengyuan (Supplement to the Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) | Author: Zhang Lu | Dynasty: Qing | Chapter: Ricinus Seed / Dichroa Root | Category: Comprehensive
[Original Text]
Sweet, acrid, warm; toxic. Remove the shell and use the white kernel for best quality. Consumption of fried soybeans is prohibited; violating this will cause abdominal distension.
Innovation: Ricinus belongs to Yin. Its nature is astringent and contracting. It can draw out pus and toxins, pulling pathogenic factors outward, making it an essential herb for external medicine. It can expel tangible stagnant matter; therefore, it is used to deliver the placenta after childbirth or to remove retained bones, gelatinous blood, etc. Shizhen said: "Ricinus has sweet and acrid properties with hot toxicity, and its aroma and flavor are quite similar to Croton Seed (Ba Dou). It can also benefit people by draining water qi." Its nature is mobile and penetrating, capable of opening orifices and meridians. It treats hemiplegia with aphonia, lockjaw, facial deviation, head wind, and diseases of the seven orifices. Its function is not limited to expelling tangible objects. Pelican oil can guide medicinal qi inward, while ricinus oil can pull disease qi outward; thus, it is widely used in various plasters. For hemiplegia with inability to move limbs, decoct it with sheep fat, Pangolin Scales (Chuan Shan Jia), and Musk (She Xiang) into a plaster. Massage daily until alignment gradually corrects, then grind and apply. Scrofula (Luo Li), smallpox toxins, and carbuncles/swellings will dissipate, as it guides toxins outward. One person suffered from a lump on the arm with swelling and pain; applying a paste made from crushed ricinus kernels cured him immediately. Another person suffered from Qi stagnation causing unilateral headache; crushing this herb with Frankincense (Ru Xiang) and table salt, then applying it to the Taiyang region stopped the pain instantly. A woman whose uterus failed to retract postpartum was cured by applying the crushed paste to the Dantian. This herb has repeatedly achieved miraculous results when applied externally, but it is unsuitable for internal use.
Also known as Hengshan.
Bitter, acrid, warm; toxic. The best quality comes from Sichuan production: pale yellow, fine, solid, resembling chicken bones. Stir-frying with vinegar prevents vomiting.
The *Shennong Benjing* states it primarily treats cold-heat patterns of Cold Damage (Shanghan), induces vomiting in warm malaria and ghost toxins, and resolves phlegm accumulation and regurgitation in the chest.
Innovation: Malaria involves phlegm-dampness, food stagnation, wind pathogens, and miasma affecting the Six Channels and Five Zang organs. One must distinguish between Yin/Yang and Deficiency/Excess; it cannot be generalized. Dichroa Root (Chang Shan) has the merit of seizing phlegm and intercepting malaria. It should only be administered appropriately after releasing exterior pathogens and raising Yang Qi. If used raw and in large doses, it acts upward and inevitably causes vomiting. If soaked in wine and thoroughly stir-fried, its action becomes milder, and even a dose of roughly one qian will not induce vomiting. It causes vomiting when combined with Licorice Root (Gan Cao), but promotes purgation when combined with Rhubarb (Da Huang). Since no malaria occurs without phlegm, Dichroa Root specifically targets driving out phlegm and water. Yang Shiying said: "People despise Dichroa Root for treating malaria. However, malaria patients often accumulate phlegm-saliva and yellow fluid, which may stagnate below the heart or knot in the hypochondrium, generating cold and heat. The method requires inducing vomiting and draining water; how could Dichroa Root be omitted? Thus, the *Benjing* focuses on cold-heat and warm malaria with phlegm knots and regurgitation, because malaria often arises from Cold Damage cold-heat or seasonal epidemic warmth, leading to phlegm-water accumulation below the heart." When water is in the Upper Jiao, Dichroa Root can induce vomiting; when water is in the hypochondrium, it can break through and drain the water. However, it must be assisted by blood-invigorating herbs such as Peach Kernel (Tao Ren), Curcuma Zedoaria (E Zhu), and Pangolin Scales (Chuan Shan Jia). In cases of pure heat-induced malaria or internal excess due to accumulated heat, administering Dichroa Root may result in scanty bowel movements that resemble diarrhea but are not true diarrhea. In such cases, Rhubarb (Da Huang) must be added as an assistant to promote several purgative actions before recovery is achieved. Dichroa Root is a yin-toxic herb with a violent and fierce nature. Although it has the ability to break miasma and drive out fluid retention, it easily damages True Qi. Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing never included it in his formulas for treating malaria. Furthermore, in cases where summer heat injury leads to autumn malaria, or in malaria patients with deficient-cold Yuan Qi in the Three Yin channels, Dichroa Root and Pangolin Scales act like weapons against them.