补肝肾、涩精气。
酸涩微温。固精秘气。补肾温肝。强阴助阳。安五脏。通九窍。（圣济总录云∶如何涩
剂以
通九窍、经疏云∶精气充则九窍通利、 庵曰∶山萸通九窍、古今疑之、得经疏一言而意
旨豁然、始叹前人识见深远、不易测识、多有如此类者、即经疏一语而扩充之、实可发医人
之慧悟也。）能发汗。（与通窍同义、汗属阴、阴血干枯、汗从何来、唯补阴助阴、始有云蒸
雨致之妙、 庵曰∶酸剂敛涩、何以反发、恐属误文、何其明于彼而昧于此也。）暖腰膝。
缩小便。治风寒湿痹。（温肝故能逐风。）鼻塞目黄。（肝虚邪客则目黄。）耳鸣耳聋。（肾虚
则耳鸣耳聋、皆固精通窍之功、好古曰∶滑则气脱、涩剂所以收之、士材曰∶酸属东方、而
功多在北方者、乙癸同源也。）月事过多。强阳不痿。小便不利者。不宜用。去核。（核能滑
精。）陈久者良。恶防己、防风、桔梗。
涩精固肠。
酸涩平，固精秘气，治滑精。（膏和芡实为丸、名水陆二仙丹。）泄痢便数。性涩而不利
于气
。（丹溪曰∶经络隧道、以通畅为和平、昧者喜其涩精而服之、致生别证、自作不靖、咎将
谁执、时珍曰∶无故而服以纵欲则不可、若精气不固者、服之何害。）似榴而小。黄赤有刺
。取半黄者。（熟则纯甘。）去刺核研。或熬膏。（熬膏则甘、全失涩味。）
Tonifies the Liver and Kidney, astringes Essence and Qi.
Acid and astringent, slightly warm. Secures the essence and consolidates vital energy. Tonifies the Kidney and warms the Liver. Nourishes Yin and assists Yang. Calms the Five Zang organs. Opens the nine orifices. (The *Shengji Zonglu* records: How can an astringent agent open the nine orifices? The *Yijing Suhui Ji* explains: When Essence and Qi are abundant, the nine orifices become unobstructed. Wu Yiluo states: Cornus officinalis opens the nine orifices; this has been doubted since ancient times until the statement in the *Yijing Suhui Ji* brought clarity. One then sighs at the profound insight of predecessors, which is not easily fathomed. There are many such cases; expanding upon just one sentence from the *Yijing Suhui Ji* can truly awaken the wisdom of physicians.) Can induce sweating. (This is consistent with opening the orifices. Sweat belongs to Yin; if Yin blood is dry, where does sweat come from? Only by tonifying and assisting Yin can the miraculous effect of cloud evaporation and rain descent be achieved. Wu Yiluo states: Acid agents are astringent and consoling; how can they induce sweating? This is likely a textual error. How can one understand one aspect while being ignorant of another?) Warms the waist and knees. Reduces urination. Treats Bi syndrome caused by Wind-Cold-Dampness. (Because it warms the Liver, it can expel Wind.) Nasal congestion and yellowing of the eyes. (Liver deficiency with pathogenic invasion leads to yellowing of the eyes.) Tinnitus and deafness. (Kidney deficiency leads to tinnitus and deafness; these are both merits of securing essence and opening orifices. Li Haogu states: Slippage indicates Qi depletion; astringents serve to collect it. Zhang Shicai states: Sour flavor belongs to the East [Liver], but its efficacy lies mostly in the North [Kidney]; this is because Yi and Gui share the same source.) Menorrhagia. Strengthens Yang preventing flaccidity. Not suitable for use in cases of difficult urination. Remove the pit. (The pit can cause seminal emission.) Aged material is superior. Adverse interactions with Stephania tetrandra, Saposhnikovia divaricata, and Platycodon grandiflorus.
Secures essence and consolidates intestines.
Acid and astringent, neutral. Secures essence and treats seminal emission. (Mix the paste with Euryale seed to make pills, named Shuilu Erxian Dan.) Treats diarrhea, dysentery, and frequent defecation. The nature is astringent and unfavorable to Qi flow. (Zhu Danxi states: Meridians and collaterals achieve harmony through patency. Ignorant people, pleased by its ability to secure essence, take it, causing other syndromes and self-inflicted trouble; who bears the blame? Li Shizhen states: Taking it without cause to indulge desires is inadvisable, but for those with insecure essence and Qi, what harm is there in taking it?) Resembles pomegranate but smaller. Yellowish-red with thorns. Harvest when half-ripe. (When fully ripe, it becomes purely sweet.) Remove thorns and pits, grind into powder. Or decoct into paste. (Decocting into paste makes it sweet, completely losing the astringent flavor.)