一名灯笼草，俗名挂金灯
苦寒，无毒。
《本经》主热烦满，定志，益气，利水道。
发明 酸浆利湿除热清肺，治咳化痰，痰热去而志定气和矣。又主咽喉肿痛。盖此草治
热痰咳嗽，佛耳草治寒痰咳嗽。故其主治各有专司也。
一名苦菜，又名鹿肠，根作败酱气，故名。
苦平，无毒。
《本经》主暴热火疮，赤气疥瘙，疽痔，马鞍热气。
发明 败酱乃手阳明、厥阴药。善除暴热火疮，皆取苦寒散毒之用。其治疽痔马鞍热气
，以其性专下泄也。《金匮》薏苡附子败酱散，治肠痈固结未溃，故取薏苡下达，败酱苦降
，附子开结，而为热因热用之向导，深得《本经》之旨。若脓成热毒势胀不可用也。而妇人
下部疽蚀，方中亦恒用之。近世医师罕有识者，惟徽人采取笮干，曰苦笮菜，惜乎，不知治
疗之功用也。
辛温，无毒。紫色有白丝者真。蜜水拌微炒。
《本经》主咳逆上气，善喘喉痹，诸惊痫，寒热邪气。
发明 款冬味辛入气分，色紫归血分，虽其性温，却不燥血，故能轻扬上达。观《本经
》主治，一皆气升火炎之病。古方用为温肺，治咳嗽之要药。润肺消痰，止嗽定喘，喉痹喉
喑，肺痿肺痈，咸宜用之。有人病咳多日，或令燃款冬花三两放无风处，以管吸其烟咽之，
数日果愈。嫠寡失合，阴虚劳嗽禁用，以其性温也。
[Physalis alkekengi]
Also known as Lantern Grass, commonly called Hanging Golden Lamp.
Bitter in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) states it treats heat-induced vexation and fullness, calms the spirit, benefits qi, and promotes urination.
[Commentary] Physalis alkekengi promotes dampness resolution, clears heat, and purifies the lungs; it treats coughs and transforms phlegm. Once the phlegm-heat is eliminated, the spirit becomes calm and qi harmonizes. It also primarily treats sore throat and swelling. This is because this herb specializes in treating cough due to phlegm-heat, whereas *Pseudognaphalium affine* (Foer Cao) specializes in treating cough due to cold-phlegm. Thus, their primary indications have specific domains.
[Patrinia scabiosifolia]
Also known as Bitter Vegetable, or Deer Intestine. It is named so because its root smells like fermented soybean paste (baijiang).
Bitter in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats sudden-onset hot fire sores, red skin rashes, scabies, carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and heat generated from saddle friction.
[Commentary] Patrinia scabiosifolia is a herb for the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine and Foot-Jueyin Liver meridians. It excels at eliminating sudden-onset hot fire sores, utilizing its bitter-cold property to dissipate toxicity. Its treatment of carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and saddle-heat is due to its nature being specifically directed downward. In *Jingui Yaolue*, the formula Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang San (Coix Seed, Aconite, and Patrinia Decoction) is used to treat intestinal abscesses that are consolidated but not yet ulcerated. Therefore, Coix seed is used to direct downwards, Patrinia scabiosifolia to descend bitterly, and Aconite to open stagnation, serving as a guide for the principle of "treating heat with heat." This deeply captures the essence of *Shennong Bencao Jing*. However, if pus has formed and the heat-toxin is severe with significant swelling, it should not be used. It is also frequently used in formulas for treating ulcerative lesions in the lower genital region of women. In recent times, few physicians recognize its efficacy. Only people from Huizhou collect and press-dry it, calling it "Ku Ze Cai" (Bitter Pressed Vegetable), which is a pity, as they do not know its therapeutic functions.
[Adenophora stricta / Coltsfoot Flower - Note: Text refers to Kuan Dong Hua, typically *Farfarae Flos*]**
Pungent in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. The authentic variety is purple with white silk-like fibers. It is mixed with honey water and lightly stir-fried.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats cough with rebellious qi, asthma, laryngeal obstruction (Hou Bi), various types of convulsive epilepsy, and pathogenic cold-heat conditions.
[Commentary] Coltsfoot Flower is pungent and enters the Qi level; its purple color enters the Blood level. Although its nature is warm, it does not dry out the blood, allowing it to rise gently and ascend. Observing the indications in *Shennong Bencao Jing*, they all pertain to diseases characterized by ascending qi and flaming fire. Ancient formulas use it as a key herb for warming the lungs and treating coughs. It moistens the lungs, eliminates phlegm, stops coughing, and calms asthma. It is suitable for laryngeal obstruction, hoarseness, lung atrophy (Fei Wei), and lung abscesses (Fei Yong). There was a case where a patient suffered from cough for many days. Someone suggested burning three taels of Coltsfoot Flower in a windless place and inhaling the smoke through a tube. After a few days, the condition indeed resolved. However, it is contraindicated for widows or those with yin deficiency and labor-induced cough, due to its warm nature.