通、润肠利窍。
甘寒。淡滑润燥。利窍。通营卫。行津液。利二便。消水肿。（用榆皮等分煎。）通关格。
下
乳滑胎。秋葵复种。经冬至春作子者。名冬葵子。根叶同功。春葵子亦滑。不堪入药。蜀葵
花。赤者治赤带。白者治白带。赤者治血燥。白者治气燥。亦治血淋关格。皆取其寒润滑利
之功。（汤火伤疮、冬葵叶为末敷之。）
通淋、泻湿热。
甘寒淡渗。除小肠膀胱血分湿热。治肿满。五淋茎痛。得栀子、牙硝、蓬砂。治伤寒热
狂。
（大热利小便、此釜底抽薪之义。）唯热在太阳经血分者宜之。产黔中及河南。收曝日中。
小
干。以纸衬之。以杖击之。有细砂落纸上。且曝且击。以尽为度。茎细如线。引竹木上。叶
纹皱处。有砂黄赤色。忌火。
通、利湿热、治诸黄。
苦燥湿，寒胜热。入足太阳经。（膀胱。）发汗利水。以泄太阴、阳明之湿热。（脾、胃。）
为
治黄胆之君药。（脾胃有湿热则发黄、黄者脾之色、身如橘色、汗如 汁而色明者热多、熏
黄而色暗者湿多、须五苓之类、佐助成功。）又治伤寒时疾。狂热瘴疟。头痛头旋。女人瘕
疝。（皆湿热为病。）按黄胆须分阴黄、阳黄。阳黄宜茵陈。阴黄宜温补。若用茵陈。多致不
救。
大泻气闭、通、行水。
辛苦大寒。性急。大能下气。行膀胱水。肺中水气 急者。非此不能除。破积聚症结。
伏留
热气。消肿除痰。止嗽定喘。（皆水湿泛溢。）通经利便。（十剂曰∶泄可去闭、葶苈大黄
之属是也、大黄泄阴分血闭、葶苈泄阳分气闭。）性峻。不可混服。有甜苦二种。甜者力稍
缓
葶苈大枣泻肺汤、治肺气喘急不得卧、 庵曰∶辅以大枣、补土
所以制水。）子如黍米微长。色黄。糯米微炒。去米。或酒拌炒。榆皮为使。（头风疼痛、葶
苈子为末、以汤淋汁、沐头三四度、即愈。）
To unblock orifices, moisten the intestines, and promote urination.
Sweet and cold in nature; bland, slippery, and moistening to dryness. Promotes the flow of orifices, harmonizes Ying (Nutritive) and Wei (Defensive) Qi, circulates Body Fluids, promotes urination and defecation, and reduces edema. (Decoct with equal parts of Ulmus macrophylla bark.) Treats Guan Ge (obstruction syndrome characterized by inability to swallow or vomit).
Promotes lactation, facilitates delivery. Autumn okra can be replanted; seeds produced from winter solstice to spring are called Dong Kui Zi (Malvae Semen). The roots and leaves have the same efficacy. Chun Kui Zi (Spring Okra Seed) is also slippery but unsuitable for medicinal use. Shu Kui Hua (Hibiscus mutabilis flower): red varieties treat bloody leukorrhea, white varieties treat non-bloody leukorrhea; red treats blood dryness, white treats Qi dryness. Also treats Xue Lin (blood strangury) and Guan Ge, all utilizing its cold, slippery, and lubricating properties. (For burns and scalds, apply powder of Dong Kui Ye [Malvae Folium] topically.)
Promotes urination, drains damp-heat.
Sweet, cold, and bland with a penetrating quality. Clears damp-heat from the Blood aspect of the Small Intestine and Bladder. Treats swelling and fullness, five types of strangury (Wu Lin), and pain in the glans penis. When combined with Gardenia jasminoides fruit (Zhi Zi), Mirabilite (Ya Xiao), and Alum (Peng Sha), it treats heat mania caused by Cold Damage (Shang Han).
(Promoting urination to clear severe heat follows the principle of "removing firewood from under the cauldron".) It is suitable only when heat resides in the Blood aspect of the Taiyang (Greater Yang) channel. Produced in Qianzhong and Henan regions. Harvested and sun-dried until slightly dry, placed on paper, and beaten with a stick until fine sand falls onto the paper. Beating continues while drying until no more sand falls. Stems are thin as threads, climbing bamboo and wood. Yellowish-red granules appear in the wrinkles of the leaf veins. Avoid frying over fire.
Unblocks, clears damp-heat, treats various jaundice.
Bitter to dry dampness, cold to overcome heat. Enters the Foot-Taiyang channel (Bladder). Induces sweating and promotes diuresis to drain damp-heat from the Taiyin (Spleen) and Yangming (Stomach) channels. It is the chief herb for treating Huang Dan (Jaundice). (When Spleen and Stomach have damp-heat, yellowing occurs; yellow corresponds to the Spleen's color. If the body resembles an orange peel, sweat is like juice, and the color is bright, there is excess heat; if it is smoky yellow and dark, there is excess dampness; formulas like Wu Ling San should be used to assist success.) It also treats Cold Damage and epidemic diseases, heat mania, miasmic malaria, headache, and vertigo. In women, it treats Jia Jian (masses and hernias). (All are diseases caused by damp-heat.) Note: Jaundice must be differentiated into Yin Jaundice and Yang Jaundice. Yang Jaundice is suitable for Yin Chen Hao (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba); Yin Jaundice requires warming and tonifying. Using Yin Chen Hao for Yin Jaundice often leads to untreatable conditions.
Powerfully drains Qi obstruction, unblocks, moves water.
Pungent, bitter, and very cold in nature. Action is rapid. It powerfully descends Qi. Moves water in the Bladder. For cases where Water Qi in the Lung causes urgent rebellion, this herb is indispensable for removal. Breaks up accumulations and masses. Clears latent retained heat, reduces swelling, eliminates phlegm, stops cough, and calms wheezing. (All due to flooding overflow of water-dampness.) Unblocks meridians and promotes urination. ("Ten Categories" states: Draining methods remove obstruction; herbs like Ting Li Zi and Da Huang belong here. Da Huang drains Blood obstruction in the Yin aspect; Ting Li Zi drains Qi obstruction in the Yang aspect.) The action is峻烈 (severe/forceful) and must not be mixed indiscriminately. There are two types: sweet and bitter. The sweet type has a slightly milder effect. Ting Li Da Zao Tang (Ting Li Zi and Jujube Decoction) treats Lung Qi rebellion with wheezing and inability to lie flat. Wang Ang stated: By assisting with Da Zao (Jujube), one tonifies Earth to control Water.) Seeds resemble millet grains, slightly elongated, yellow in color. Lightly stir-fry with glutinous rice, then remove the rice. Or stir-fry with wine. Ulmus macrophylla bark serves as a guiding drug. (For Tou Feng Tong Tong [Head Wind Pain], powder Ting Li Zi, rinse with hot water, wash hair 3-4 times, and it will heal.)