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[Wild Langdu] (Stemmate Bark)
Acrid in flavor, neutral in nature, and toxic. It can break up accumulations, treat gu poison (parasitic disease), and eliminate blood stasis. For erosive sores of the yin organs and parasitic skin ulcers, a decoction of Wild Langya (Stemmate Root) can be used for fumigation and washing. (Wild Langdu is acrid and bitter, neutral in nature, and highly toxic. Although it possesses the efficacy of breaking down accumulations, killing parasites, driving out phlegm, and promoting blood circulation, it is ultimately not suitable for internal use. It may only be used externally to treat conditions such as parasitic tinea, either by washing or applying topically. Wild Langya is bitter, cold in nature, and highly toxic; its root resembles teeth. Although the *Shennong Bencao Jing* mentions various functions such as clearing heat and killing parasites, like Wild Langdu, it is also suitable only for external use and not for internal administration.)

(Li Shizhen stated: Wood is one of the Five Elements. Its nature varies depending on whether it prefers soil, mountains, plains, or low-lying wetlands. The qi it inherits differs between tall trees and shrubs, aromatic and non-aromatic varieties. Thus, whether hard or brittle, fine or coarse, all contain the sentiment of Taiji. Based on their color, flavor, nature, and form, they are endowed with qualities suited to specific environments. As materials for medicinal use, practitioners must certainly understand their cold and warm properties beforehand. Indeed, even if stored as fruits and vegetables, those concerned with health preservation should not fail to carefully examine their quality and toxicity.)

Huaihua (Sophorae Flos)
It inherits the yin-condensing qi of heaven and earth. It cools the blood and clears the liver. It eliminates damp-heat pathogens from the lower jiao. It dispels wind and treats hemorrhoids. Those with deficiency-cold patterns should avoid it. Huaijiao (Sophorae Fructus Immaturus) has descending and bowel-unblocking properties. One must understand its sour and bitter flavors. The flower can disperse and reach the exterior. (Although the flower and fruit of Sophora have similar nature and flavor, their primary indications differ slightly. Sophora flowers are yellow and light in texture, entering the blood aspect of the Foot and Hand Yangming meridians. Being cool with dispersing properties, besides treating intestinal wind and hemorrhoidal bleeding, they can also treat carbuncles, sores, toxic ulcers, and skin wind-dampness. Huaijiao refers to the seeds borne by the tree; they are purple and heavy in texture, entering only the Liver and Large Intestine meridians. Their descending power is predominant. Therefore, besides treating intestinal wind and hemorrhoidal bleeding, they also treat metrorrhagia, leukorrhea with bleeding, and conditions due to heat in the blood aspect of the lower jiao, all of which can be treated with them.)

Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex)
Bitter and cold; it consolidates the Kidney. It drains ministerial fire to control excessive yang. Acrid and drying, it enters the yin aspect, eliminating damp-heat and calming the lower body. (Although Huangbai is bark in texture, its flavor and nature are bitter, cold, and sinking. Thus, it enters exclusively the Kidney and Bladder meridians, clearing and draining damp-fire from the lower jiao, thereby stabilizing Kidney water. Regarding its use to treat mouth ulcers and clear heat from the Lung and upper jiao, this merely borrows the dispersing intent of bark-type herbs; fundamentally, it is not a specialized drug for the upper jiao. Although it clears the upper, it still relies on its descending action.)