Treats edema and promotes urination; treats deviation of the mouth and eye. (However, Suisui Zi) is not a superior drug; do not consume it in large quantities.
Sweet, neutral, slightly toxic. It induces sores and scabies, reduces edema, and promotes urination. It is incompatible with Jingjie (Schizonepetae Herba), and its consumption is harmful to humans.
Sweet, warm, highly toxic. Although the taste is pleasant, improper processing often leads to death.
Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. It tonifies deficiency and boosts qi and strength. Excessive consumption disturbs qi movement.
Sweet, salty, neutral. Treats chronic dysentery.
Salty, neutral. Treats blood stasis accumulation in women and wind disorders in children.
Sweet, salty, neutral. Resolves phlegm and breaks up blood stasis癖 (masses).
Treats bone diseases and malignant sores; capable of setting bones. Use the burned leaves; the seeds (fetal bones) are toxic, and ingestion damages life.
Stops malaria, resolves fetal toxins, and is applied externally to umbilical sores.
Nature is neutral. Treats difficult labor and removes cataracts from the eyes. Use the material from the pregnant woman's fingernails/fingers.
Sweet, salty, neutral. Expels evil influences, brightens the eyes, and reduces swelling and toxicity.
Salty, hot, and toxic. Resolves arrow poison and treats female exhaustion relapse (Nü Lao Fu). Ironing golden wounds with bleeding using menstrual cloth stops hemorrhage; ingesting the ash treats tiger, wild wolf bites, and arrowheads embedded in the abdomen.
Wash with decoction to treat female exhaustion relapse; burn to ash to treat Yin-Yang exchange (Yin Yang Yi). For male illness, use female material; for female illness, use male material. Obtain from areas near the genitals.
Bitter, pungent, slightly cold. Moves water, breaks up accumulations and masses (Zheng Jia), cleanses the stomach and intestines of food retention, phlegm-fluids, and treats Cold Damage (Shang Han) and warm malaria.
A grass name. Breaks blood, treats cholera, malignant sores, and traumatic blood stasis.
Pungent, extremely cold to bitter. Treats gu poison and throat obstruction (Hou Bi), kills parasites. Causes immediate vomiting upon entry. Used for wind epilepsy; if vomiting persists after administration, drinking green onion soup stops it. Combined with wine, it causes death.
Pungent, cold. Breaks blood, discharges pus, erodes foul flesh, and kills scabies mites.
Bitter, pungent, cold, and fierce in nature. Induces vomiting, moves water, expels phlegm-fluids, and arrests malaria. When used with Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix) or raw, excessive doses cause vomiting. If soaked in wine and thoroughly stir-fried, using only about one qian (approx. 3-5g) does not induce complete vomiting.
Bitter, slightly cold. Breaks blood, reduces distension, kills parasites, and treats masses and carbuncle toxins.
Sweet, warm. Kills parasites, treats pediatric malnutrition (Gan Ji). Excessive consumption injures spleen digestion; drinking hot tea afterward causes diarrhea.
Pungent, sweet, cold. Breaks blood, induces vomiting of phlegm, drains heat, and resolves toxins. The root is named Du Niuxi (Achyranthes Bidentatae Radix), with identical functions; effective for washing hemorrhoids.
Bitter, warm. Breaks blood, directs qi downward to relieve distension, eliminates masses, and stops bleeding from metallic wounds. Overconsumption causes vomiting and diarrhea.
Pungent, warm. Moves water, breaks blood, resolves toxins, and benefits the intestines. It excels at promoting diuresis but has a fierce and aggressive action; those with deficiency should not take it. Grind and remove the oil before use.